Life was peaceful in East Palestine, Ohio, for Misti Allison ’11, and her family. Then, on February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train derailed a mile from her home, spewing hazardous chemicals and igniting noxious fires that carried toxic smoke into the air and nearby creeks that feed the Ohio River.
“My son asked me if he was going to die from living in our home,” Allison said, knowing right then that this was a time to act.
Days after the derailment, authorities chose to vent and burn five tank cars containing 129,000 gallons of vinyl chloride — a highly toxic chemical that can cause cancer, liver damage, and respiratory problems.
“Another time, he asked if there was vinyl chloride in the puddle he’d just jumped in.” Misti explained. “He looked so panicked, and I knew I had to step up in this horrific situation.”
Allison was balancing her roles as a software product marketing manager, mother of two, and a library board member. But she earned a master’s in Public Health from Ohio State, and had experience as a market researcher at Cleveland Clinic. These tools gave her the basis from which to build her advocacy campaign.
“I committed to educating myself about these toxic chemicals, sharing that information, and helping others,” Allison says. “I wanted East Palestine to get the support it needed to recover and thrive, and to ensure no other community faces a disaster like this.”
Allison chairs the East Palestine Train Derailment Health Tracking Study Community Advisory Board at the University of Kentucky. Among their tasks is developing a long-term health survey, conducting indoor air sampling, and biological testing. In 2024, she was appointed to the Columbiana County General Health District Board of Health, further extending her impact on public health.
She has taken her advocacy to the national stage, testifying before Congress twice, and collaborating with federal and state agencies. Her work has drawn national media attention, spurring Politico to christen Misti “the Erin Brockovich of East Palestine.”
In September, Misti was awarded the Robert M. Duncan Alumni Citizenship Award as part of the Ohio State Alumni Awards celebration held at Longaberger Alumni House.