Barbara Van Allen is the Senior Vice President of Membership, Marketing and Communications at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

In this position, Van Allen is responsible for MBA's external and internal communications efforts, including marketing of the association's products; services and membership; directing relations with the national media; developing speeches and presentations for MBA's leadership; and overseeing all aspects of publishing the association's monthly magazine and daily and weekly online newsletters.

Before joining MBA in November 2010, Van Allen was an award-winning chief marketing officer for AbilityOne at NISH, a national nonprofit agency that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities. While there, she spearheaded the creation of the AbilityOne brand, the Institute for Economic Empowerment think tank and provided executive leadership in developing the groundbreaking Quality Work Environment Implementation Plan. She also generated strong bipartisan support for critical legislation for the industry.

Prior to joining NISH, Van Allen served in senior management positions in New York and California with major corporations, including ITT Corporation and Cushman & Wakefield. She also served seven years on Capitol Hill as a senior legislative adviser to several different members of Congress.

Van Allen graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She holds an MBA in marketing from New York University and a master's degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University.

She has served on various nonprofit boards and committees and is currently a member of the Washington National Cathedral Communications and Marketing Committee and Independent Sector's Public Policy Committee. She is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who Among American Women.

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