Biography
Alex joined the Center in August 2023. He works as a senior research associate to support special projects management and grant submissions. Prior to joining the Center, Alex worked in positions related to education and policy. Alex lived on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for several years, first working as a high school language arts teacher and later as the principal of an alternative high school. After moving to Washington, DC, he worked as an education policy fellow for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a budgeting and fundraising professional for a network of schools, and as a grant specialist for the DC state education agency. Throughout this entire period, Alex built and maintained working relationships with tribes and tribal organizations throughout the Great Plains region and served as a grant writer and manager, specializing in the solicitation of federal grants. His grant–funded programs helped promote mental and behavioral health among children and adults; the expanded speakership of the Lakota language; the preservation of oral histories; and investment in educational programs for K–12 students.
Alex has a Bachelor’s of Social Work degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in Lakota Leadership and Management from Oglala Lakota College, located in Kyle, South Dakota. Outside of work, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, working in his woodshop, reading, and taking day trips throughout the region.