Blain Allen

Blain Allen is committed to protecting the nature and wildlife within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

For more than a century, the Ivan Allen family has been one of Atlanta’s biggest boosters and leaders. 

Ivan Allen, Jr. famously led Atlanta as Mayor during the transformative 1960s. While other southern cities held tight to segregation, Atlanta integrated public places under Allen’s leadership. On his first day in office as mayor of Atlanta in 1962, Allen ordered the removal of all ‘colored’ and ‘white’ signs in City Hall. He was the only southern mayor to testify before Congress in favor of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. 

Following the Allen family legacy to transform Atlanta and the South, Blain, her husband Ivan Allen IV and their four children contribute to community restoration projects.

Blain had a transformational experience on the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trails in her youth which has lead to lifelong dedication to protecting the natural world. 

“I first paddled into the Okefenokee as an 8th grader at Pace Academy, wide-eyed and awe-struck by a world so different from my own,” said Blain Allen. “The stillness, the wildlife, the mystery—it was unforgettable. But what stayed with me just as much was the experience of paddling alongside classmates who became lifelong friends, learning together about the power and fragility of nature. That trip sparked my deep appreciation for Georgia’s wild places and showed me how rivers shape not just landscapes, but people too. Supporting Georgia Rivers and their mission to protect places like the Okefenokee is deeply personal for me. I want to help ensure future generations can fall in love with this swamp just like I did.”

The third annual Georgia Rivers Gala in 2025 was chaired by Blain and Ivan Allen III.