Born in Southern Illinois and raised in Laramie, Wyoming, Alexandra grew up surrounded by family in education circles. Alex’s grandmother was a school lunchroom cook, and her mother and father now both work as paraprofessionals and instilled a respect for teachers and the education system in her from an early age.
After returning to Illinois and graduating from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a degree in Spanish Education, Alex worked for 5 years as a high school Spanish teacher at Grant Park High School and Southland College Prep Charter High School in the suburbs of Chicago. The classroom experience and the changing environment of education during COVID-19, inspired her to pursue her master's degree in Education Policy and Leadership from American University in Washington, D.C..
She left the classroom in 2022 with the knowledge that her work in organizing and policy through a social justice and equity lens will hopefully have a lasting impact on teachers and students in Chicago. Alex joined E4E because, as a former teacher, she wants to elevate teachers’ voices in the policy discussions that impact their schools, classrooms, and students.