Carole E. Allen, MD, MBA, FAAP

MAPCAP Member

Carole E. Allen, MD, MBA, FAAP is a board-certified pediatrician who practiced in Massachusetts for 37 years before retiring from her position as Director of Pediatrics at Harvard Vanguard in 2011.  She then served 6 years on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and in 2012 was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick Commissioner to a five-year term on the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC), established by statute to address escalating health care costs.  Dr. Allen was president of the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) from May 2021 to May 2022, having previously served as officer, Trustee and Delegate for many years.

 

Dr. Allen has devoted her career to advocating for the health, protection, and well-being of children.  Her advocacy has earned her numerous awards, particularly for her work on prevention of tobacco use and exposure.  In 2004 she chaired the Tobacco Free Mass Coalition that helped to pass the Massachusetts Smokefree Workplaces law.  She serves currently on the Board of Directors of Health Resources in Action, a Boston-based non-profit engaged in public health and equity advocacy and implementation.

 

A graduate of Cornell University and Tufts University School of Medicine, Carole completed her pediatric residency at Boston City Hospital and Boston’s Floating Hospital for Children.  She has held faculty positions as Clinical Instructor at Harvard Medical School and BU School of Medicine and served as president of the Tufts Medical Alumni Council. In May 2017, Dr. Allen completed an executive MBA program for physicians through the Heller School at Brandeis University.

 

For her advocacy on behalf of children, Congresswoman Katherine Clark presented Dr. Allen a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in 2016.  Carole also received awards for leadership and excellence in medical service from MMS and special achievement awards from the AAP.

 

Through her various experiences, Carole understands that securing good public policy requires working collaboratively with legislators and policy makers.  She practices and teaches advocacy as a means to accomplish positive change. She and her husband Tom have two adult sons – one gay and one transgender.  Both sons are married and are parents to Carole and Tom’s two wonderful grandchildren.