Senior Advisor, Conservation and Emerging Technologies Policy Leader
Tallahassee
850.521.1735
Overview
Alexandria M. Kernan has more than a decade of experience in the legislative, executive and political arenas and provides Gunster clients with guidance on the integration of government relations, communications, and issue management. Alex brings substantial knowledge in state governmental affairs to her role and has experience interacting with key leaders and staff from all executive branch agencies serving the state of Florida.
Alex provides strategic, actionable guidance to clients on critical legislative, regulatory, and economic development issues, working to ensure that their positions are heard, understood, and acted upon by government at all levels. She regularly uses her deep knowledge of Florida government and her working relationships to secure funding and influence policy affecting a variety of areas of vital importance to Gunster clients.
Alex started her career in Marion County, Florida, while working on House campaigns and in the Florida House of Representatives. She went on to work as a senior legislative aide and communications director for Senate Government Oversight and Accountability Chairman and later President Pro Tempore Dennis Baxley. In that role, she worked on many high-profile policy and funding initiatives that made their way to the Governor’s desk. Alex also served as Deputy Communications Director for the Florida Department of Revenue and oversaw the successful implementation of several sales tax holidays, including those for back-to-school and disaster preparedness items.
Prior to joining Gunster, Alex served as the Director of Legislative and Government Affairs at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and assisted with legislative priorities for Florida’s five water management districts. She lobbied the Legislature to pass Florida’s top environmental priorities for Governor Ron DeSantis, including the passage of landmark environmental legislation, such as Florida’s “Clean Waterways Act” and HB 1379. Alex also successfully secured historic levels of state funding for FDEP, including more than $3 billion for water quality and nearly $1 billion for land acquisition.
Education
University of Florida, B.A. in Political Science, 2014
Honors
Influence Magazine, “Rising Star of Florida Politics,” 2019
Involvement
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Theta Tau