Alison does a phenomenal job listening to the employment aspirations of CAA apprentices.
Alison Gray used to work in research at the University of Delaware, but when her husband got a job offer in California, they decided to make the move. Around the same time, Alison began to notice that her youngest child was experiencing some educational and social hardships at school.
After years of figuring out how to best advocate for her child, and switching the schools they were at, Alison felt like she was able to take a step back and began working in a special education classroom at an elementary school. Seeing all the red tape that schools have to navigate, only made her want to continue advocating for the students who might not be able to advocate for themselves. But when she kept seeing decisions being made within the school system that she didn’t agree with, Alison decided to leave that job and look for a position where she could continue working to make a difference.
The opportunity to join a school trying to change the system came unexpectedly at a parade, when Alison just so happened to meet DeAnna Pursai and some CAA staff members. Alison shared her story with DeAnna, who encouraged her to come take a tour of CAA and learn more about the community. When Alison arrived for her tour, she immediately knew that CAA was somewhere she wanted to be. It just so happened that the person who had previously held the Workforce Development Manager position had just stepped down, so DeAnna encouraged Alison to apply.
Alison has only been a part of the CAA community since January 2026, but she has already become a friendly face that everyone wants to say hi to. In her position, Alison is continuing the work she started years ago, advocating for others and helping to build a community where everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow.
— Written by Nina Pal, Volunteer