Alana Knaster

Biography

Alana Knaster is a professional planner with extensive experience in leading and implementing innovative organizational and community change initiatives. As a mediator specializing in public policy conflict resolution, her assignments ranged from solving local zoning issues to drafting regulations on off-shore oil exploration and interstate commerce. She has been on the faculty of the Straus Institute, Pepperdine Law School since 1989, teaching environmental and public policy mediation. 
Alana has held executive management positions in government agencies for over fifteen years in both California (Monterey County) and Washington State (The Puget Sound Partnership). Her responsibilities were divided between operational tasks and mission-critical project management. She recently completed a two-year project at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that focused on collaboration among local non-profit community organizations.

Early in her career, she served as Mayor of the City of Hidden Hills, California. This experience reinforced her commitment to the politics of inclusiveness and community engagement and demonstrated the importance of creative problem-solving and consensus-building. 

Alana has a Masters in City Planning from M.I.T. She serves on the boards of several non-profit social service and environmental organizations. Alana currently resides in Seattle with her husband, Dr. Harry Knaster.