Alaina Turnquist

Alaina Turnquist is the Data and GIS Manager at Pratt Center for Community Development, supporting the Pratt Center's development of research, reports, and educational tools on housing, land use, and climate.

Alaina comes to Pratt Center from City service where she was a Lead Economic Development Analyst on the Housing, Environment, and Infrastructure team at the Independent Budget Office. In this role, Alaina developed and authored research on the City's public authorities, stadiums, tax breaks, large-scale development projects, and bike share system. She managed budgetary oversight of the Department of Small Business Services, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, and the Department of City Planning. Prior to this, Alaina worked at the local and federal levels in government performance auditing as well as in the Texas State Legislature. She holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the University of Texas at Austin LBJ School, and a Bachelor's Degree from Bethel University.

Alaina was born and raised in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St.Paul) and tries to convince to people how beautiful the Great Lakes are. Alaina is an avid runner, reader, crocheter, and conversationalist. She loves to sing and has been participating in community choirs for 15 years. She has two (giant) cats and lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.