CHCI-PepsiCo Foundation Health Public Policy Fellow
Hometown: Berkeley, California
School: University of California, Berkeley
Degree: B.A. in Public Health
Placement: U.S. Representative Lucille Roybal Allard
Alejandra Leynez Chantres was born in Palo Alto, California and is the proud daughter of two hardworking Mexican immigrants. As the youngest in her family, Alejandra grew up watching her two older brothers and parents make many sacrifices; yet, everything from having a stable home to accessing health care was a challenge for her and her family. Her experiences sparked her dedication and passion for advancing equity for underserved communities.
With her family’s example of resilience, Alejandra become the first in her family to attend college. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, earning a B.A. with honors in Public Health. While in college, she used her time to give back to her community. Alejandra was a Fellow at the Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership, where she advocated for using new technologies to advance the health needs of communities of color. Additionally, she was inspired by her mother, a diabetes patient, to complete her research on the impacts of Medicaid expansion policy on diabetes quality of care.
Through her work in both the private and public sectors, Alejandra continuously advocated for equitable policies and practices that serve communities of color. As a CHCI Public Policy Fellow, Alejandra hopes to continue bridging the worlds of technology, health, and policy to develop solutions that protect the fundamental rights of vulnerable communities. She hopes to develop her leadership skills and one day become a leader in intersectional work that advances representation of Latinas in STEM and public policy.