Alana is widely recognised for her work in rural development and gender equality. In January 2020 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to women.

Currently, Alana is chair of the Victorian Catchment Management Council and a director of Goulburn Murray Water. She is adept at creating community consensus and running inclusive consultation on complex issues affecting rural communities and industries. She is part of a fifth-generation family farm engaged in cattle production, farm forestry and an award-winning habitat restoration near Benalla in north east Victoria.

A pioneer of the rural women’s movement in Australia, Alana is a founding member of Australian Women in Agriculture Inc. and former president of the Foundation for Australian Agricultural Women. She is the chair of The Victorian Women’s Trust. In 2018, she was inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and appointed to the inaugural Ministerial Council on Women’s Equality in Victoria. She holds numerous other awards for her advocacy for rural and regional women.

Alana is a founding member and past President of Voices for Indi, the acclaimed democracy project that saw Indi become the first electorate in Australia to elect an Independent candidate as their representative Member of Parliament. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Social Work. Alana is a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.