Allison Messina is a recognized leader in workforce development with more than 20 years of experience running job training programs in NYC.  She joined Project Renewal in 2014 and currently serves as Vice President of Workforce Development, overseeing multiple award-winning initiatives assisting more than 1,000 New Yorkers annually. Allison’s team works exclusively with low-income clients facing significant barriers to employment, including histories of homelessness, substance use, serious mental illness, and justice involvement. Committed to innovative client-centered approaches, her department routinely achieves job placement and retention rates exceeding national averages.

Prior to joining Project Renewal, Allison spent 14 years at FEGS Health & Human Services, most recently as Assistant Vice President of Employment Initiatives. In this role, she managed a $6M portfolio comprised of 20 federal, state, and city contracts to help individuals enter the workforce throughout New York City and Long Island. Allison earned her MPA in Executive Studies from City University of New York, Baruch College School of Public Affairs, and was also a 2021-2022 Coro New York Workforce Systems Leadership Fellow.