Rosie Allen-Herring: A lifetime of service
Posted: July 15, 2024
When Rosie Allen-Herring, MBA, looks back on her nine years as a member of ATSU’s Board of Trustees, she is nothing but grateful.
“Being a trustee at ATSU has been one of the greatest joys of my life and also one of my greatest professional accomplishments. It’s all about bringing who you are to the table with like-minded professionals and leaders who care about an institution teaching others to save lives every day,” she says. “I’m very proud of the work that’s been accomplished with Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84, and his leadership. I’m even more proud of how we’ve been able to expand that work to new campuses – not just in Kirksville, not just in Mesa, but also now in Central California.”
The youngest of 10 children, Allen-Herring is from Greenville, Mississippi, and describes her parents as being “pro- education.” She left the Mississippi Delta for Washington, D.C., and earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Howard University, followed by an MBA from Strayer University. Now, she’s president and CEO of United Way of the National Capital Area, a role she’s held for a decade. Previously, she spent 21 years at Fannie Mae as the managing director of the Community Investment and Engagement division.
Allen-Herring was approached to join the board by former Board Chair G. Scott Drew, DO, FAOCD, ’87, and she said he would not take no for an answer. Dr. Drew learned of Allen-Herring through a mutual connection.
“He felt so passionately about ATSU and thought I could contribute, even though I don’t have a clinician or medical background. My background is in business,” she says.
Allen-Herring has more than 30 years’ experience in corporate finance, strategic leadership, public and private partnership, corporate philanthropy, and community investment. Because of this, Allen-Herring says she’s been able to contribute positively to the board, and she’s also learned a lot about medicine and academia.
“I would like to believe I’ve brought that business acumen to the board, along with my philanthropy knowledge and governance, another area of focus for me,” she says. “When we look at how well organizations are run, that’s governance. It’s not just whether or not we like what we’re doing, or we believe in what we’re doing. It’s how we go about earning the trust of those in the community around us. You do your best to serve and bring all of that to table. This has been a well-rounded experience for me, and I also like to believe I’ve grown as well. I think it’s a two-way street.”
Outside of work and her many other commitments, Allen- Herring enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. She also loves to travel, for business and for pleasure. She recently traveled to Dubai, London, Vancouver, and Germany, to name a few. She also enjoys being by the water and finds a trip to the beach, whether it’s the Caribbean or close to home in the D.C. area, to be extremely enjoyable.
“I love to travel because I believe it opens up the world to you,” she says.
Although her time on the board is coming to an end, Allen- Herring’s connection to ATSU is not dissolving anytime soon.
“I’ve had the privilege of serving on a lot of boards – probably sometimes too many – and I will simply say this is one of the most fulfilling boards I’ve been on,” she says. “I’m super proud of my affiliation with ATSU – it’s one I will treasure and a connection that will never end even when I leave the board.”
“As president and CEO of United Way of the National Capital Area, Rosie brought a tremendously helpful set of leadership skills and experiences to our Board of Trustees and ATSU. We will be forever grateful for the time and wisdom she shared with us.”
– Dr. Craig M. Phelps, ATSU chancellor