Dr. Alexis Takagi is a proud first-generation graduate committed to advancing educational equity. At 23, she earned her Doctorate in Education in Social Justice Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education from Santa Clara University, where her dissertation explored how institutional agents support the academic retention of Latiné adult learners in the community college system.

Alexis was previously appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), which oversees $3.2 billion in financial aid, where she served as the student representative for the independent nonprofit sector. She currently serves on the Cradle to Career Community Engagement Advisory Board, being among the first students ever appointed. Before her appointments, Alexis co-chaired the Independent California Colleges Advocate Program’s (ICCAP) policy and budget advocacy team, representing over 329,000 students and helping secure a $25.9 million Cal Grant investment in the state budget. In 2025, she facilitated over $400,000 in direct financial assistance, helping students meet their basic needs.

Alexis brings a student-centered perspective shaped by her lived experience navigating higher education and the community college system. She currently serves as a Research Analyst with the Campaign for College Opportunity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing educational equity in California, contributing to data-informed policy and advocacy so that all students have the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education. As a scholar-practitioner, she is passionate about expanding accessible and affordable pathways to degree attainment, enhancing academic retention, supporting economic development in rural areas, and ensuring students’ basic needs are met.