Elise Alexander

Elise Alexander is passionate about helping communities build systems that ensure all children have an equal opportunity to succeed. She serves as a Senior Analyst at Watershed Advisors.

Elise’s career has been shaped by her dedication to advancing learning across diverse age groups and geographies. As a Govern for America Fellow with the Louisiana Department of Education, Elise worked on innovative policies to improve outcomes for students with disabilities during the onset of COVID-19. Her interest in equitable systems then led her to Germany as a U.S. State Department Fellow, where she established a consulting practice focused on driving systems change. Elise has advised leading American mayors on strategic educational leadership, managed sustainability strategy for community-led vocational training programs across Appalachia, and facilitated impact evaluation for community-led educational projects in Asia and Africa.

Most recently, Elise worked as a Senior Analyst for KONU, where she designed and facilitated adaptive leadership programs for adult learners in universities, NGOs, and private sector organizations across the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This work deepened her understanding of the complexities of advancing systems change across diverse cultural and organizational contexts.

Elise earned her B.A. in Sociology from Harvard College with a minor in Educational Studies. Currently based in Washington, D.C., Elise stays true to her Colorado roots by hiking the highest mountains she can find wherever she travels.