Alison McKenney Brown has served local governments for almost 30 years, bringing experience and expertise in city administration, legal services, project administration, economic development, and personnel management. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University, an MPA degree from Wichita State University, and a JD degree from the University of Kansas.

She has served as city attorney for two cities in Colorado (Lakewood and Englewood) and three cities in Kansas (Bel Aire, Haysville, and Colwich). Other positions include city prosecutor in Bel Aire, Wichita, Goddard, and Cheney, Kansas; assistant county counselor for Sedgwick County, Kansas; pro tem judge in several communities; and interim city administrator in Bel Aire. From 1998 to 2017, she was a faculty member at the School of Community Affairs at Wichita State University, where she educated city managers, police officers, and other local government professionals.

Brown’s legal and management expertise helped Bel Aire avoid lawsuits over personnel missteps. She helped the city update its personnel policies, including police policies; trained staff in personnel management, sexual harassment, discrimination, and performance reviews; and guided staff in hiring, discipline, employee evaluation, and termination. She also mentored personnel to understand that effective government service required always balancing the four elements of governance: politics, policy, law, and finance. Many of those individuals have gone on to become local government leaders in their own right.Brown worked closely with elected officials, helping them formulate policies, resolutions, and ordinances, as well as understand their roles in local governance. 

She helped build partnerships in the community with boards, committees, homeowners associations, and other local groups and provided liaison with county and state governments.In Bel Aire, Brown was involved in economic development, helping establish a land bank, community improvement districts (CIDs), and a transient guest tax. The land bank was a valuable tool in holding land owned by the city and reducing carrying costs. The CID is being used to develop a business park (Sunflower Commerce Park) and other commercial areas. Her legal expertise was key in negotiating land contracts and economic development incentives. 

Throughout her career, Brown has published books and articles. Topics have included policing (use of force, career preparation), human trafficking, and police personnel matters. Drawing on her experience in economic development, she published an article on CIDs for PM magazine.Brown is recognized as a community advocate and supporter of staff who is always looking out for the best interests of the residents she serves. Motivated and results-focused, she has demonstrated a commitment to the local government management profession.