Allison Deese, PhD

About Me

I hold a PhD in Sociology from Northeastern University, where I was a Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Global Resilience Institute and a member of the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute (SSEHRI).

My dissertation examined resilience at the community and organizational levels. I studied how different threat environments shape the capacities community-based organizations build, activate, or draw down. I also analyzed their operational condition as they continued serving their communities.

I combine qualitative, statistical, and computational methods, including interviews, surveys, statistical modeling, GIS, and social network analysis. I also use large language models to support coding and data analysis.

Before my doctorate, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Coastal Resource Management in the Philippines and as an AmeriCorps Regional Preparedness Coordinator with the American Red Cross. I also received a Teachers for Vietnam Fellowship.

I draw on my experience in community-engaged research and humanitarian operations in the United States and abroad to translate research findings into practical tools. These tools help organizations build durable capacity, sustain their missions, and make better decisions under pressure.