Image of Cherri Allison

Cherri Allison was inducted into the Justice category in 2009.

My Story

Cherri Allison is the executive director of the Family Violence Law Center (FVLC) in Oakland. In this role she has created a statewide model program by expanding legal, advocacy and prevention services to victims of domestic violence and their families. Under Cherri's leadership, FVLC spearheaded Teen Dating Violence Prevention, an effort sparked by the murder of a 16-year-old girl outside her high school by an abusive boyfriend. Cherri also led the effort to create a Mobile Response Team to relocate domestic violence victims to safe housing. Cherri is also actively engaged in policy work aimed at preventing domestic violence. Cherri herself was a battered young woman who overcame abuse and difficult financial circumstances to attend college. She later married Richard Allison and became an accountant and lawyer while raising four children in Oakland.