Observatory PASCAL

Alison St.Clair Baker

Sustainable Community Building in Kent (42,828 KB, PowerPoint)

Alison St.Clair Baker is a relative newcomer to local government, having joined Kent County Council's Economic Development Department in January 2003 where she was charged with producing a new ten-year tourism strategy for Kent . Her current role as Executive Officer to the Director of Strategic Planning involves her in all aspects of the Directorate's portfolio including environment and economy, transport operations, regulatory services, strategy and regeneration.

An Oxford University language graduate, Alison initially spent a decade in the private sector working in senior management roles for two leading international language services firms in London . This was followed by a five-year academic career as a senior lecturer in tourism and marketing at Canterbury Christ Church University College 's Business School . During this period, she obtained an MSc in Tourism and Environmental Management and a PhD in Sustainable Rural Tourism from the University of Kent .

Having grown up in the county, Alison is passionate about all things Kent and is determined to make it a better place to live, work and visit. She lives in a village in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is happily married with four children and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, singing and cooking.