About Allison Galbraith:

Maryland Native. Single Mom. Small Business Owner. People First. DC is broken. Our government of the people isn’t working for the people. We can do better. We deserve better. Our representative's job is to listen to us, and to advocate on our behalf. Better government can start right here in MD's First District.  No more "out-of-touch" reps. No more special interests. No more excuses. Just common sense and common values.

Who is Allison Galbriath?

I am a native of Maryland’s First Congressional District, raised in historic Bel Air. Because of my professional experience, I know how the federal government works. I know where the problems are. Because of my educational experience, I know how to save the federal government money and make it run better. Because of my personal experience, I know what happens when it doesn’t work for us. I will fight to make the government work better, for all of us. 

I am a small business owner specializing in federal contracting and acquisition streamlining. I have extensive experience working in the day-to-day operation of the federal government. I’ve navigated the complex regulations and processes, developed new and tailored approaches for research and development programs, introduced process improvements, and helped programs to operate on reduced budgets and deliver products faster. 

I’ve worked with many different federal programs and portfolios—information systems, military medical products, multi-billion dollar rapid development programs, and more. These efforts spanned all stages of development, from basic research through advanced development and sustainment. I’ve served at multiple organizational levels, from the lowest of the unionized positions at the Aberdeen Test Center to the staff of one and two star General Officers and the Senior Executive Service. I’ve worked in many areas—Chemical and Biological Defense, Intelligence and Electronic Warfare, Defense Health, Veterans Benefits, and more. I’ve seen the challenges of running government programs first hand.

I help small businesses on the industry side as well, writing proposals to bid on state and federal contracts. My clients are primarily Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses bidding on Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services contracts. I know how complicated and burdensome it is to write and manage proposals and grants, how this makes it difficult to do business with the government, and how this deters companies from bidding, increases costs, and hinders innovation. 

I am also a daughter of two college professors, and a graduate of a public high school and university. I’m a working single mom. I was married to an Army Veteran for more than a decade. We are now amicably separated, living in the same school district, and working together to raise our son, Ben.

I depend on the essential benefits of the Affordable Care Act to obtain the private health insurance that allows me to own my business. I know what it was like to not be able to afford private insurance, and why the high risk pool didn’t work then and won’t work now. 

I have fought to obtain special education services and relied on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to obtain an Individual Education Plan for my stepson. I know the frustration of having to hire an advocate to obtain services that are plainly required. 

I understand the struggles of our Service-members, our veterans, and their families. I have raised kids alone, while working full time, because my spouse’s military training as a helicopter mechanic wasn’t recognized in commercial industry and he took work out of state because he couldn’t find local work in his field. I was the breadwinner while he used the GI Bill to complete his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. I was there when he exhausted it, and we could not afford for him to complete his degree without taking on student debt.

I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck, I’ve faced job uncertainty, I’ve been laid off. I’ve experienced sexual assault—I’ve also sued, and won. I’ve been treated differently in the office because I’m a woman, and know many suffer much worse every day. I’m a homeowner. I purchased my current home using an FHA-backed loan, and the previous one using a VA-backed loan. 

I’ve watched loved ones become addicted to painkillers, and lost friends to the opioid epidemic. I’ve been a part of caretaking decisions for my disabled mother, know how sickening it is to debate what is and is not covered by Medicare or insurance companies while making critical healthcare decisions, and participated in difficult end-of-life decisions. 

I know how government programs benefit us, how they could be made better, and how critical it is that the government work for us, not against us. I have the perspective of the people, the perspective that we need in Congress, and the skills to fight to make the government work for working families, rather than against us. 

Summary:

The daughter of two college professors and a graduate of a public high school and university, Allison Galbraith was raised in historic Bel Air, Maryland. Galbraith was married to an Army Veteran for more than a decade. They are now amicably separated, living in the same school district and working together to raise their son, Ben. Allison is now a working single mom. A small business owner specializing in federal contracting and acquisition streamlining, she has extensive experience working in the day-to-day operation of the federal government. Allison helps small businesses on the industry side write proposals to bid on state and federal contracts. She depends on the essential benefits of the Affordable Care Act to obtain private health insurance. Allison is also a homeowner. She’s been a caretaker for her disabled mother and participated in difficult end-of-life decisions. Most recently, first-time candidate Allison Galbraith ran in the Democratic Primary Election on June 26, 2018, in Maryland’s First Congressional District and finished second.