▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁ ▁Alexander ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁to ▁Dr ▁Joy ce ▁O . ▁Alexander ▁and ▁Re ver end ▁Douglas ▁N . ▁Alexander . ▁Alexander ▁attended ▁Park ▁M ains ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Er sk ine ▁and ▁won ▁a ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁L ester ▁B . ▁Pear son ▁College ▁in ▁British ▁Columbia ▁before ▁studying ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Glasgow , ▁where ▁she ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁First ▁Class ▁MA ▁( H ons ) ▁in ▁Econom ic ▁and ▁Modern ▁History . ▁She ▁later ▁gained ▁a ▁post grad uate ▁MA ▁in ▁Indust rial ▁Rel ations ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁War wick , ▁and ▁an ▁M BA ▁from ▁IN SE AD . ▁She ▁was ▁awarded ▁an ▁honor ary ▁degree ▁from ▁Str ath c ly de ▁University ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁After ▁her ▁M BA ▁Alexander ▁worked ▁for ▁Bo oz ▁& ▁Co ., ▁an ▁international ▁management ▁consult ancy , ▁undert aking ▁assign ments ▁in ▁Europe , ▁Asia , ▁North ▁America ▁and ▁Austral asia . ▁ ▁Ad vis er ▁to ▁Donald ▁D ew ar ▁Following ▁Labour ' s ▁lands lide ▁victory ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁general ▁election , ▁Alexander ▁was ▁appointed ▁Special ▁Ad vis er ▁to ▁Donald ▁D ew ar ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Scotland . ▁She ▁was ▁deeply ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁prepar ation ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁P aper ▁on ▁de volution , ▁the ▁Scotland ▁Act ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁the ▁establishment ▁of