Alesia was born in Augsburg, Germany, while her father was stationed there serving in the Army, but has spent most of her life in Sierra Vista, Arizona, about 75 miles south of Tucson.
At age 23, Alesia was elected to the Sierra Vista City Council where she served a full four-year term, including two years as Mayor Pro Tem. She was (and still is) the youngest person elected to the Sierra Vista City Council, and was one of the youngest elected officials in the state at the time.
"I decided not to run again to pursue an MPA [Master's in Public Administration] at the UA after realizing how much of an asset furthering my education would be."
Currently, Alesia is living in Sierra Vista while attending law school and also serving as Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick's ('79) Cochise County Outreach Director. She has worked for members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, and shares,
"These opportunities have allowed me to connect with people from all walks of life -- ranchers, military leaders, immigration stakeholders, and environmental advocates, to name a few."
Such wide-ranging experiences helped form Alesia's interest in attending law school:
"I was always intrigued by the importance of the law in my roles on the city council and as a congressional staffer. I enjoyed learning about the law casually as a non-lawyer. I was struck by how the law created challenges and opportunities and how this throughline continued in the MPA program. So, I decided to go to law school to learn about it first-hand. I am also deeply motivated by a sense of obligation to help address the underrepresentation of black women in the legal field."
When it came time to choose a law school, Arizona Law was at the top of her list.
"I am so impressed by the faculty and staff. Plus, I wasn't ready to leave southern Arizona."
So far, Alesia has very much appreciated the law professors, finding them to be accessible, caring, and eager to help students. Of the new experience of attending school during the pandemic, she adds,
"This may be a rare sentiment, but I am also enjoying the flexibility that has come with learning from home and the asynchronous/ synchronous format. Although I do hope to be able to meet my classmates and professors in person, the greater flexibility has allowed me to continue working full-time while attending school full-time. It certainly hasn't been easy, but it has been worth it."
Alesia's many legal interests range from water law to civil rights, administrative law, and a host of topics in between.
"I'll just say that I haven't ruled out any opportunity to work in the legal field."
During her 1L year, Alesia has enjoyed learning the basics of the law and gaining a foundation in the core subjects.
"My classes have also reinforced the very real intersection of law, policy, and politics, which fascinates me."
She recently accepted a summer judicial externship with Judge Rosemary Márquez ('93) at the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.