Allison Barber | The Economic Club of Indiana

Join us for a lively January luncheon as we welcome Allison Barber, CEO of To the Hoop Strategies and Chair of the Marvella Foundation. The Economic Club of Indiana's January luncheon features the CEO of To the Hoop Strategies and Chair of the Marvella Foundation Allison Barber. Mark your calendars for January 28 and get ready for a lunch filled with stimulating conversations and delicious food. We look forward to seeing you there! About our speaker: Allison Barber, Ph.D., is CEO of To the Hoop Strategies and Chair of the Marvella Foundation. With a career that spans from a schoolhouse to the White House and then the Fieldhouse, Allison Barber has a successful record of building brands and maximizing impact. From grade school teacher in Merrillville, Indiana, to communications strategist in the White House and United States Department of Defense; and as the first chancellor and chief fundraiser for Western Governor’s University (WGU) Indiana, Barber has dedicated herself to creating pathways to help individuals reach their potential. From 2019 to 2024, Barber was the COO and President of the Indiana Fever, where she helped grow the team’s fanbase both nationally and globally, leading to record ticket sales and a meteoric rise in public interest in the WNBA and women’s sports. Barber holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Tennessee Temple University, a M.S. in Elementary Education from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. In Leadership from Tennessee Temple University. She is the recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service awarded by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, and was recognized as a Woman of Influence by the Indianapolis Business Journal. In March 2019, she was presented with Indiana’s highest honor, the Sagamore of the Wabash, presented by Governor Eric Holcomb, and was honored as the Indiana Chamber Executive of the Year in 2024. Along with her work at Marvella, Barber serves on the boards of the American Red Cross, the Indiana Destination Development Corporation, and the Indiana Chamber. She volunteers for the Elizabeth Dole Hidden Heroes Foundation, Wheeler Mission, and the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis.