ABOUT
Where Projects Meet Reality—and Move Forward
Who We Are
Touchstone Strategies is a nationally focused planning, entitlement, and development advisory firm operating at the intersection of land use strategy, political navigation, and project execution.
We partner with developers, institutions, and public agencies to move complex projects from early due diligence through approvals and into implementation—bringing structure, foresight, and momentum to every phase of the process.
Our work is grounded in decades of senior-level experience delivering high-stakes entitlements across diverse jurisdictions. We specialize in aligning development objectives with regulatory frameworks, stakeholder expectations, and market realities—translating vision into approvals that are both defensible and achievable.
We don’t just advise—we lead.
Our Mission
To lead complex projects from vision to reality by integrating planning, entitlement, and development strategy with clarity, credibility, and results-driven execution.
Our Approach
A touchstone is a trusted reference point—a way to test decisions, stay aligned, and keep moving in the right direction. That’s how we approach project approvals.
Success depends on more than knowing the code. It requires understanding how decisions are actually made, who influences them, and how to move a project forward when the path isn’t clearly defined.
We operate at the intersection of planning, politics, and execution—anticipating risk before it surfaces, aligning stakeholders before positions harden, and structuring projects so they are both approvable and deliverable.
We help clients move forward with eyes open and footing secure—bringing clarity to complexity and momentum to projects that matter.
The Touchstone Framework
Manage
We bring structure to complex approvals—defining the path, aligning teams, and keeping projects moving without drift or surprises.
Mediate
We navigate the real-world dynamics behind decisions—aligning interests, translating intent, and moving projects through friction to resolution.
Mitigate
We identify risk early and address it head-on—so issues don’t become delays, denials, or costly course corrections.
Simple in concept. Not easy in practice. That’s where we come in.
LEADERSHIP
Decades of Experience. Decisions That Hold.
Kristin W. Dean, AICP, is a strategic land planner who understands that while development is guided by policy, it’s ultimately shaped by people. With more than 26 years of experience, she has built a career navigating complex entitlement processes and securing approvals for high-stakes projects across the country.
She holds a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, grounding her work in both technical rigor and big-picture thinking. Her experience spans master-planned communities, mixed-use developments, hospitality, workforce housing, and large-scale infrastructure.
Kristin spent eight years in private consulting, advising on a wide range of development types, public-private partnerships, and entitlement strategies across the Colorado Front Range and the Mountain West. She also spent over 15 years in Summit County, Colorado shaping policy and advancing workforce housing, resort development, and high-end residential communities—giving her a distinct ability to navigate both mountain and urban contexts.
Over the past three years, Kristin has led entitlement strategy for hyperscale data center campuses in some of the most assertive opposition environments in the country, successfully guiding projects through complex, high-pressure approvals.
Known for her clarity, candor, and ability to align stakeholders, Kristin approaches every project with a simple philosophy: manage the process, mediate the interests, and mitigate the risk—because with the right strategy, even the most complex projects can move forward with confidence.