John Ales

John Ales brings several decades of professional experience spanning both the architectural and construction industries. Working in both fields increased his knowledge of construction types and building techniques, honing his ability to communicate with team members through all project phases. His professional career focused on housing projects, ranging from small cottage clusters to large mixed-use apartment buildings—many of which incorporate sustainable building practices and programs such as LEED-certified and Passivhaus designs.

In addition to his professional experience, John is a long-time Husky and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies and Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from the University of Washington. He then continued at Washington University in St. Louis for a Master of Architecture. After that, he practiced architecture for several prominent architectural firms in the Seattle region before returning to the University of Washington for a Master of Science in Real Estate (MSRE) and Graduate Certificate in Housing Studies. Currently, he is working on his Ph.D. at the UW College of Built Environments. He plans to integrate his academic and professional experience to research how government policies, economic, environmental, and social justice issues influence housing availability for people at all income levels and cultural groups.

John is a LEED Accredited Professional, a registered architect in Washington, and currently serves as a Pre Doctoral Instructor in the University of Washington’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies undergraduate program.