Alison Hoover
2019 Winner
Position: Program Manager
Organization: World Vasectomy Day
Current Location: United States, North America
B.A. in International Political Economy from University of Puget Sound
Additional Degrees and Certifications:
–PMD Pro Certified Project Manager
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Award:James W Curran ScholarAwarding Organization:Emory UniversityDate Awarded:February 11, 2019
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Award:Youth ChampionAwarding Organization:Asia Safe Abortion PartnershipDate Awarded:September 2, 2016
“Created, secured funding for and piloted vasectomy program in Haiti – Launched and ran a comprehensive sex ed social enterprise for schools in Vietnam, including writing curriculum and training facilitators”
– Megan Averill, LGBTQ Rights Activist
Describe your contributions to and achievements in family planning.
I have worked with nonprofits around the world to empower youth, monitor sexual health and family planning programs, and advocate for issues related to international sexual and reproductive health and rights. I co-created a comprehensive sexual education social enterprise in Vietnam that provided education workshops to over 200 individuals across the country, including training 20 Vietnamese facilitators and developing locally relevant curriculum content. I also codified, managed, monitored and scaled an eight-step framework for sustainable vasectomy programs in India, Mexico, Haiti, Colombia and Rwanda as Program Manager at World Vasectomy Day. I’m currently working on a menstrual hygiene project to provide dignity, access and choice to homeless and low-income women in Northern California
What sparked your passion for family planning?
My passion for family planning is rooted in how transformative it is to empower people with accurate and non-judgmental information about sexual and reproductive health. It was first sparked while researching the impact of Chile’s abortion policy in 2012, and the conversations I had with women who felt they had no choice and no agency. It became clear to me that this is a human rights issue, and that SRH education and empowerment is how we truly change the world.
Give one or two examples of how you display leadership in your family planning work.:
After co-founding the sexuality education social enterprise, I trained and guided 20 Vietnamese facilitators on advanced topics, communication techniques, and navigating sensitive topics. In my work at World Vasectomy Day, I have also directly managed teams of up to 14 youth and medical students to effectively communicate about the procedure in their networks, and to advocate with governments and medical institutions for enabling policy environments.
If you are named a winner of 120 under 40, how will you use this new platform and the $1000 grant to advance your work?
I would use it to expand menstrual product availability in Oakland, CA. Most homeless women do not have access to consistent menstrual products, presenting a serious health and hygiene concern, in addition to impeding dignity. Current mechanisms are inconsistent, and do not reflect the desires of homeless women. I am working with local partners to implement a long-term physical space with a focus on dignity, and the grant would be used to help supplies reach more women in need.
Photos of the nominee in the field/at work:
Alison Hoover1
Alison Hoover2
