ALAN L. EDELSTEIN AE@edelsteinstrategies.comU.S. 916-443-6483 / Cell:  916-205-2299Israel: 054-576-4239  Alan L. Edelstein is the founder and president of Edelstein Strategies, an international firm with offices in Jerusalem, Israel and Sacramento, California.  The firm specializes in communications, governmental and public affairs, and business and strategy development.  Mr. Edelstein has a special expertise in assisting firms and nonprofit entities in understanding the political and governmental environment in the U.S., and in developing communication and political strategies for meeting challenges the U.S. presents.  Mr. Edelstein, formerly the senior partner of and now Of Counsel to Edelstein Gilbert Robson & Smith (www.edelsteingilbert.com), has been actively involved in government, politics, business development, communications, and the law for 30 years and is considered one of the veterans of the California government, business, and political communities. Mr. Edelstein has lobbied and appeared before virtually every committee in the California Legislature, and he has worked with personnel at the highest levels of the Governor’s Office and of most significant state agencies. He has an extensive network of contacts and has been a key player on many issues over the years. He has provided valuable counseling and representation for many large interests involved in California’s business and government arenas. Among other areas, Mr. Edelstein provided consulting to and advocacy on behalf of entities involved in telecommunications, energy and utilities, greenhouse gas emissions, health care, water, recycling, human resources and labor relations, and banking and finance. Among clients Mr. Edelstein has worked with are Qualcomm, Abbott Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics, the American Staffing Association, Powerex (the energy trading subsidiary of British Columbia Hydro), Terra-Gen Energy (formerly Caithness Energy), Rite Aid Corporation, the Glass Packaging Institute, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and San Francisco International Airport. Mr. Edelstein’s academic training and years of practical experience dealing with business, law, politics, economy, and government of California, the world’s sixth largest economy, has given him a unique and valuable understanding of how to accomplish a client’s objectives.  Mr. Edelstein brings a practical, insider’s knowledge and expertise to communications, business, politics, and government, and he has an ability to explain matters in a simple and understandable manner. As a lay leader, Mr. Edelstein has been very involved in Jewish and pro-Israel affairs for over 30 years. Among other positions, Mr. Edelstein is the past president of Sacramento’s Conservative synagogue, served on the Pacific Northwest Board of AIPAC, was formerly a member of the Mercaz USA National Board, and served as Vice-President of the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region. He is a well-known advocate on behalf of Israel and speaks widely about Israel before both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences. Mr. Edelstein received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley, graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the Communications and Public Policy Program. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the King Hall School of Law of law at the University of California at Davis. He also did work at Brandeis University’s Jacob Hiatt Institute in Jerusalem. Mr. Edelstein splits his time between Jerusalem and Sacramento.