Alyssa Lee (she/her) is a Master of Public Policy (MPP) student at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and a Graduate Student Researcher at the Othering & Belonging Institute. In May 2025, she was named to the National Association of Asian Pacifics in Politics and Public Affairs (NAAPPPA) “40 Under 40” list, recognizing her leadership and impact as a rising Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) changemaker in politics and public affairs.

Alyssa brings a strong foundation in legislative, budgetary, and policy research work. She previously served in the California State Legislature as a Senate Fellow and Legislative Aide, where she played a significant role in advancing landmark legislation, including Cal Grant Reform and a pilot program for the University of California system to accept the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT). Additionally, she contributed to the development of the state budget while working in the Newsom Administration at the Department of Finance. Most recently, she served as the Government Relations Fellow at the Community College League of California, where she led research on the Student-Centered Funding Formula (SCFF) and its implications for equity in community college finance.

Guided by values of equity, inclusion, and community care, her research interests center on access to higher education, wage equity, workers’ rights, police enforcement in communities of color, and reducing recidivism. These areas were foundational to her work in the Legislature and continue to be key topics in her graduate research.

Alyssa grew up in a Filipino-American household in Solano County, located in the North Bay Area. She earned her bachelor's degree in Communication Studies and Political Science from California State University, Sacramento.