Our Founder
Allison Paradise
Allison has inspired thousands of people to see themselves, their relationship to others, and their relationship to the planet in a new way. Allison holds degrees in neuroscience from Brown and Harvard.
At the age of three, Allison knew she was meant to be a guide, a teacher who leads. But she was told that this was not an option for her – she had to ‘do something more meaningful with her life’ and was encouraged to become a doctor. Two years into university, on track to apply to medical school, Allison became ill from the stress of trying to fit herself into this mold. She spent the summer abroad, living by herself in Spain, writing about why she had chosen the path of medicine in spite of all evidence that her purpose and her heart were elsewhere. She saw how from a very young age she had been labeled as ‘smart’ and that with that label came social expectations, including a requirement to attend a 'good' school and pursue a 'meaningful' career. She had adhered to those expectations only to find herself dissatisfied and sick.
She knew she wasn’t alone in this experience. We are all labeled when we are young, we are all subject to social expectations, and these experiences limit us from reaching our full potential.
Seeing this, Allison wanted to create a space for young people that was free of expectations and judgement; a place where people were free to truly be themselves, to discover who they really are. She wanted to empower people. She was meant to guide people to reach their potential.
She came back from Spain feeling ready to create The Epicenter. But doubt crept in, and she faltered.
In the meantime she became the founder and former CEO of My Green Lab, a non-profit organization with a mission to build a culture of sustainability through science. Under her leadership, My Green Lab established the first-ever sustainability criteria for laboratory operations and products, transforming an industry half the size of the automotive industry into a paragon of sustainability. My Green Lab was founded on the philosophy of questioning our own behavior and uncovering our habits and routines. This philosophy is at the core of The Epicenter: we cannot be wild and free if we are limited in our thinking and our behavior.
After years of excuses, Allison found the courage to create The Epicenter in 2021. She is The Epicenter's Founder and CEO.
Allison is a frequent keynote speaker at sustainability events, and in 2019 was invited to give a TED talk about her work.
At the age of three, Allison knew she was meant to be a guide, a teacher who leads. But she was told that this was not an option for her – she had to ‘do something more meaningful with her life’ and was encouraged to become a doctor. Two years into university, on track to apply to medical school, Allison became ill from the stress of trying to fit herself into this mold. She spent the summer abroad, living by herself in Spain, writing about why she had chosen the path of medicine in spite of all evidence that her purpose and her heart were elsewhere. She saw how from a very young age she had been labeled as ‘smart’ and that with that label came social expectations, including a requirement to attend a 'good' school and pursue a 'meaningful' career. She had adhered to those expectations only to find herself dissatisfied and sick.
She knew she wasn’t alone in this experience. We are all labeled when we are young, we are all subject to social expectations, and these experiences limit us from reaching our full potential.
Seeing this, Allison wanted to create a space for young people that was free of expectations and judgement; a place where people were free to truly be themselves, to discover who they really are. She wanted to empower people. She was meant to guide people to reach their potential.
She came back from Spain feeling ready to create The Epicenter. But doubt crept in, and she faltered.
In the meantime she became the founder and former CEO of My Green Lab, a non-profit organization with a mission to build a culture of sustainability through science. Under her leadership, My Green Lab established the first-ever sustainability criteria for laboratory operations and products, transforming an industry half the size of the automotive industry into a paragon of sustainability. My Green Lab was founded on the philosophy of questioning our own behavior and uncovering our habits and routines. This philosophy is at the core of The Epicenter: we cannot be wild and free if we are limited in our thinking and our behavior.
After years of excuses, Allison found the courage to create The Epicenter in 2021. She is The Epicenter's Founder and CEO.
Allison is a frequent keynote speaker at sustainability events, and in 2019 was invited to give a TED talk about her work.
