Des Allen is an Assistant Vice President in the Regional and Community Outreach department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. She is responsible for managing strategic engagements to support economic opportunity for low-and-moderate-income households in New England.

Prior to joining the Boston Fed, Des worked for Dalberg Advisors, an international strategy consulting firm where she informed strategies for multi-national corporations, global foundations, multi-lateral development finance institutions, and national governments. Prior to Dalberg, she worked with the International Finance Corporation supporting investment climates in conflict affected countries. Her experience spans agriculture, health, digital economy, private equity, and enterprise development focused primarily on economic growth in Africa, where she lived in Johannesburg and Dakar. She has also worked in Central Asia, Europe, and the South Pacific.

Des holds a BA from Stanford University and an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School.