Elan Macdonald

Elan MacDonald, ICD.D

Elan MacDonald is the Vice President, External Relations at the University of Alberta. Elan has spent her career advising organizations and corporations to sustain and grow their businesses by navigating government, policy development, crisis communications, the regulatory and legislative processes, and the shifting political, social, and economic landscapes. Prior to joining the University, Elan was President and CEO of Impact Consulting where she built and operated one of Alberta’s most reputable government relations advisory and communications companies for close to a decade, serving local, national, and international clients. She later joined her firm with Global Public Affairs, where Elan became the Senior Vice President, National Client Development. She holds a Master’s in Strategic Public Relations from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Calgary.

With a long history in Alberta politics, Elan has previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Political Advisor to two Alberta Premiers, and as a political advisor to Cabinet Ministers. She is Chair of the Real Estate Council of Alberta and serves as a Director with Covenant Health, Atlas Global Brands, and Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII).