Allyson Brooks

Allyson Brooks, Senior Marketing Consultant

DETROIT, MI

Marketing Strategy, SEO, Google Ads, Analytics

My love for all things food, cooking, and gardening started in college as a student studying Social Relations & Policy and International Relations at Michigan State University. The spark started when I took a class that focused on food insecurity, food policy, and community initiatives, where I learned about the challenges Detroit faces and the community members trying to fix them. This led to a couple internships that focused on local food security, where I helped Lansing residents sign up for Snap benefits, enroll in the Double Up Food Bucks program, connected them to my nonprofit’s farmers market, and staffed a local food pantry. During this time, I also waited tables at a few farm-to-table restaurants in the Lansing area, where I got to eat delicious food every day and learn about what makes farm-fresh food so great.

Right after graduation, I started a career in nonprofit management consulting, where I helped manage statewide and local financial empowerment programs. I transitioned my career to tech and media, where I led teams of creatives, marketers, and engineers that solely focused on growing our website’s organic traffic. During this time, I helped start an in-house marketing agency that helped large banks, financial institutions, and startups refine their content, SEO, and affiliate marketing strategies. After a few years, I missed working for a mission I cared deeply about. I fully transitioned to tech, for almost 5 years, in hopes of transforming end-of-life planning and care. In this role, I led another team that grew our website to a few thousand to 30 million annual visitors through SEO, SEM, email marketing, and social media marketing.

I couldn’t be happier to share my knowledge about marketing growing businesses with Grapevine clients! Local food is something I care deeply about, and I love learning about the ins and outs of my clients’ businesses.

When I’m not working, you can find me in Detroit practicing metalsmithing, reading books, doing yoga, volunteering, working out, running, cooking, gardening, seeing live music, doing crafts, learning new languages, trying new restaurants, rockhounding, and being outdoors. I’m a serial hobbyist and love hearing about what other people are experts in, currently learning, or want to learn — so please share!