Previously, Alec was the director of technology policy at the Progressive Policy Institute, a research fellow at the International Center for Law and Economics, a technology policy fellow at the Niskanen Center, and a graduate research fellow at the Mercatus Center.

Alec's work has been published in the Washington Post, MIT Technology Review, Politico, National Review, and Salon. He has also been cited in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and the New York Times. He received his master’s degree in economics from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona.