Allyson Knox is Senior Director of Education Policy at Microsoft Philanthropies and works in Washington, DC. She serves as an advocate at the federal and state levels for the company’s positions on STEM education (particularly computer science), technology in education, and student privacy. She has testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade about computer science and workforce development and the U.S. House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education about student privacy as well as before numerous state legislatures. On behalf of Microsoft, Knox has spearheaded education projects such as InterroBang (an online/real-world game), CareerForward, and co-developed the Scaling-Up Innovation toolkit for educators with Dr. Chris Dede from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has also presented on education issues at conferences internationally.
Prior to Microsoft, Knox worked with the employer community on workforce issues at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, taught entrepreneurship and youth leadership classes at Michigan State University Cooperative Extension, managed service learning grants at the Michigan Community Service Commission, directed a mentoring and training partnership between Michigan State University and the Lansing School District called the Young Spartan Program, and organized community programs at Jocundry’s Books. She received her B.A. from the University of Michigan, an M.A. from Michigan State University, and an Ed. M. from Harvard University.