10 for the Next 10: Allison Cash

Executive Director, LORE

Allison Cash is guided by the belief that the Ozarks region is stronger when its community moves together. For her, the opportunity at LORE (Leaders for Ozarks Region Evolvement) felt like a natural extension of her professional background and her personal pride in the Ozarks. "It really was something where I could use my pride for the region in a business sense," she says.

At its core, LORE is a regional collaboration effort designed to connect businesses, communities and leaders across the Ozarks. "LORE really represents working together as a region," Cash says. "We can tackle regional challenges more effectively and seize new opportunities together."

When LORE formed, she immediately saw its potential, noting that regional collaboration is a proven strategy for long-term success.

Cash's career started in advertising, working at Noble and Associates, where she built a foundation in strategy and client service. That experience shaped how she leads today. "Marketing is really about listening and connecting needs," she says. "It's communicating solutions and options clearly."

Now, she applies that mindset to regional development. In her first year, she will focus on building connections across communities, recognizing that the region already functions as one interconnected system. "Allison embodies the kind of leadership our region needs right now," says Erin Danastasio, executive director of Hatch Foundation. "She brings energy, authenticity and a deep commitment to this community."

"We already live regionally," Cash says. Over the next decade, she sees LORE's role as amplifying that reality by telling the region's story in a way that resonates, with efforts in workforce attraction and quality of life.

What's your go-to coffee order? A cold brew coffee with a splash of milk.

What's one word you want people to associate with your work? Caring.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher.

Favorite local spot? The Coffee Ethic.

Where is your hometown? Nixa, Missouri.

Favorite way to reset after a long day? I like to listen to music really loud. Then probably after that, a good workout. I love to go take a walk or go to the gym with my husband and honestly, just get outside, get away from screens.

What's your favorite book recommendation? The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.