About Us

Kris Knauss

Managing Partner

Kristopher Knauss is a fourth generation Alaskan.  He graduated with honors from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Political Science and History. During his tenure at Arizona State, Mr. Knauss actively engaged in  government affairs and politics, serving as intern to the United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and then as campaign staff for the first female Governor of Arizona, Jane Dee Hull.

After returning to Alaska, Mr. Knauss served as a legislative aide to the Alaska State Senate President for two years.  He became Chief of Staff to the Alaska State House Rules Committee and then Chief of Staff to Alaska State Speaker of the House where he served for approximately two years.

Because of Mr. Knauss’ familiarity with state government from the executive and legislative branches, Governor Murkowski appointed him Deputy Chief of Staff of Policy for the State of Alaska, serving as the youngest member of the Murkowski Cabinet.  In this role, he interfaced on a daily basis with the Governor, Chief of Staff, and Cabinet members.  Additionally, Mr. Knauss represented the Governor and was his lead staff person with non-partisan organizations such as the National Governors’ Association, Western Governors’ Association, Council of State Governments, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, as well as partisan groups such as the Republican Governors’ Association and the Republican National Committee.

Government Affairs is a constantly changing environment that requires a unique and first hand understanding to be effective and take full advantage of the opportunities involved and presented.  Mr. Knauss has this understanding and in June 2005 resigned his position to join the private sector as the owner and principal of The Knauss Group, Inc., which specializes in government affairs consulting and lobbying the State of Alaska.

In his personal time, Mr. Knauss continues in his elected position on the Executive Committee for USA Hockey, and serves as Chairman of the USA Hockey Player Development Committee.  In this role, Mr. Knauss oversees youth player development along the west coast and works closely with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP). Most recent, Mr. Knauss was elected to the Commonwealth North Board of Directors and Waterfall Foundation Board of Directors in his professional capacity.

Royce weller

Founding Partner

Mr. Weller is an alumnus of Kenai Central High. He graduated with high honors from the University of California - Santa Barbara, and attended Michigan State University where he studied resource economics.

After returning to Alaska, Mr. Weller served as a legislative aide to the Alaska State Speaker of the House. Over the course of serving eleven years as a legislative aide, he was Chief of Staff to the House Labor & Commerce Chairman and finance aide to the Co-Chair of House Finance. 

Given his Legislative background, Mr. Weller was appointed Legislative Liaison to the Commissioner of Revenue. He rose to Assistant Commissioner with jurisdiction over tax programs, Child Support Enforcement, and the Permanent Fund Dividend Division. Mr. Weller went on to become a budget analyst for the Governor's Office of Management & Budget. He finished up his twenty one years of state service as a Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Public Safety. 

Mr. Weller, based in Juneau, has been a lobbyist and client consultant for the past fifteen years. Through his firm, Weller Consulting, he has specialized in Oil & Gas, health, financing, and budgetary matters. 

• ANSCA Regional Association

• Hilcorp Energy, LLC

• Saltchuk Resources, Inc.

• Apple, Inc.

• JACOBS Solutions, Inc.

• Alaska Pacific University (APU)

• Huna Totem Corporation

• GCI

• Hertz Corporation

• Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC)

• Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC)

• Marnell Gaming, LLC

• PhRMA

• GEICO, Inc.

• Multistate Associates, Inc.

• Alaska Miners Association

• City of Galena

• Galena City School District

• Alaska Salmon Aquaculture Alliance

• Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation

• Housing Alaskans - A Public, Private Partnership

• Cook Inlet Tribal Council

• LifeMed Alaska

• Alaska State Chamber of Commerce

• Marnell Companies

• ING Financial

• Yukon Government

• Ouzinkie Native Corporation

• BrightSpring Health Services, Inc.

• Constantine Metals, Inc.

• Alaska Dental Society

• WorkDay, Inc.

• PhRMA

• Rio Tinto

• Liberty Mutual Insurance

• Teck Alaska - Red Dog Mine

• Doyon Limited

• NANA Regional Corporation

• City of Seward

• JAG Alaska Shipyard

• Alaska Electric Light & Power

• Seward Association for the Advancement of Marine Science

• Purse Seine Vessel Owners Association

• Arctic Winter Games

• University of Washington School of Medicine

• SHI

History

Founded in July 2017, Confluence Strategies, Inc. was a merger between Kris Knauss and Royce Weller. In 2021, Confluence Strategies, Inc. finalized the acquisition of Kent Dawson Company, Inc. Together, Knauss and Weller have over sixty years experience with the State of Alaska and its Legislature.

Our Juneau Office