About Cory Allen

Life has not always been easy for Cory Allen. But sharing his story and finding connections with people who have similar struggles has given his life purpose. Cory, a Supervisory Special Agent, found courage in his own journey as a gay law enforcement officer, but it was when he released his memoir, Breaking Free, that he realized just how much he could give back.

Cory Allen as a young man wearing his police uniform.

Cory Allen and former first lady Michelle Obama linking arms and smiling.

Richmond, Virginia

Cory grew up in rural western Pennsylvania and, when his parents divorced, moved to a conservative suburb of Richmond, Virginia. There Cory faced the reality of domestic violence in his own home. He spent 10 years trying to protect his mom from an abusive partner, often being the one who had to call the police to intervene. Those early interactions with law enforcement made a lasting impression as Cory realized how much an officer could help.

While in Richmond, Cory worked in the service industry and later tried his hand at music, even traveling to Nashville to record country music, but it didn’t quite stick. He found himself unsure of what he wanted to do, but realized he tended to thrive in a structured environment, so he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at 21. Suddenly, it seemed natural that he would pursue a career in law enforcement himself, following in the footsteps of several family members, as well as those who showed him kindness as a child.
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U.S. Secret Service

Becoming a police officer at 24 and then a Special Agent for the U.S. Secret Service felt right to Cory, but it also meant hiding his sexuality. He had to live dual lives: one as an officer and one as a gay man. He worked high level jobs for the U.S. Secret Service, including protection assignments and criminal investigations, and in 2016, Cory received the ultimate assignment as a Secret Service Agent: to protect the Obamas. He spent two years as Michelle Obama’s Secret Service Agent and became part of a tight-knit group who traveled the world together. It felt like an opportunity for Cory to be himself and in 2017 he slowly began coming out to people in his close work family.

Even now there's an inherent risk in owning my identity because law enforcement is not known for being open minded,” he says. “It's straight, white male dominated. I'm a white male, so I've gotten to this point in my career, undoubtedly, because of some of that. But there was this big hesitation that being out would stymie my future.”

Finding Authorship

After leaving the U.S. Secret Service in 2019, Cory moved to Fresno for six months. It was a period of reflection as Cory considered the whirlwind of his past 10 years. He’d worked with the Obamas, met Tom Hanks and Bruce Springsteen, been backstage with Jay-Z and Beyonce, protected the Pope, fanned out on Anderson Cooper, traveled to dozens of cities, and begun to own his identity. He wanted to catalogue it all, at least for his future children. What began as a few notes on his phone quickly became an entire book. Cory moved again, to San Francisco, and when Covid hit he realized he wanted to bring his journey to the world.

Cory Allen in a bookstore standing in front a book shelf with words "LGBTQ+" behind him.

Stories of Identity, Courage and Family

Cory Allen's first book, an emotional, ground-breaking memoir titled Breaking Free: A Saga of Self-Discovery by a Gay Secret Service Agent was released in 2023 to great acclaim. Inspired by the positive response to his personal journey and by becoming a father, Cory penned his second work, an illustrated children’s book called Dada Takes a Trip and launched his own publishing company, Cory Allen Books.

His memoir recounted his own challenging childhood and his struggles as a gay man in a straight, white, and male-dominated career. He’s been open about his surrogacy journey, which had its ups and downs, and that honesty has helped shine a light on LGBTQ+ family building. He’s been willing to be vulnerable, both in his writing and in his broader career. He’s aware that many fathers are bound by traditional parental and gender roles, but in Dada Takes a Trip, Cory acknowledges that it’s okay to cry and to show emotion to your child.

In this environment that we're in where the LGBTQ+ community is under attack, there's a huge need to be an advocate,” Cory says. “And I'm willing to do that. If I have the platform, then I want to use it. I never imagined myself to be a writer—I was always a creative storyteller—but now I write articles regularly and want to share aspects of my story that could help others feel less alone.”

Advocacy for the LGBTQ+ Community

While it can be daunting to share so much with the public, Cory recognizes how much his own stories and experiences can help others. He continually receives positive responses to his memoir, with many people recounting how much the book meant to them personally. He’s inspired others to find the confidence to come out and to give themselves permission to be their authentic selves. Being a storyteller means making these connections with readers, which is something Cory feels passionate about continuing. Outside of his career, he works as an advocate for queer families and for organizations like Men Having Babies.

Cory Allen and news anchor sitting in a newsroom with a wall behind them that says "Pride".

Meet Cory

Finding Authorship