Tara McKenzie Allison, an attorney who practices in Columbus, Ohio, will discuss her personal experiences as a member of the transgender community and speak on other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in the Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law Moot Room on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 11 a.m.

Allison is an active public speaker on LGBT-related issues and has been a presenter at the TransOhio Annual Transgender and Ally Symposium (2008-10). She also spoke at the 2010 Ohio Diversity and Leadership Conference and the 2011 Equality Ohio CAUSE Conference at Columbus State Community College.

She has served as a “team leader” for Equality Ohio’s Lobby Day and has marched in the Columbus Pride Parade.

Allison is a contributing author to OUTLOOK magazine, which is published in Columbus, Ohio. She also is an adjunct professor at ITT Technical Institute, where she teaches a class on “Legal Issues in Construction.”

Allison served as a board member and legal counsel for TransOhio, a not-for-profit organization serving to educate and advocate on behalf of the transgender community in Ohio.

In October 2010, she graduated from the Pride Leadership Program of the United Way of Central Ohio, better preparing her for further service on other not-for-profit boards. She currently serves on the board for The Legacy Fund of The Columbus Foundation.

In 1987, Allison received her undergraduate degree in marine engineering from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Following graduation, she served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy. After being honorably discharged, Allison (a licensed professional engineer) worked as a nuclear engineer for more than a decade.

In 1999, Allison partially completed an MBA at the College of William and Mary before relocating to Columbus. In 2005, she graduated from Capital University Law School, cum laude, passed the Ohio Bar Exam, and was admitted to the Ohio Bar.

Following graduation from law school, she served as general counsel/contracts manager for a mid-sized, construction-industry company in Lexington, Ky. In 2008, she relocated back to Columbus to start her own law practice. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.