Alexis Holmes

Commissioner Alexis K. Holmes is the Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans, housed within the U.S. Department of Education. As the first woman and mom to lead the initiative, Mrs. Holmes brings more than 25 years of experience in government, public affairs, and public policy to proactively engage the black community on key priorities such as early childhood education, teacher diversity, black family voices, STEM access, and equitable distribution of federal resources. With an updated focus on equity and economic opportunity, the initiative, under her leadership, works collaboratively with more than two dozen interagency partners and national black organizations to coordinate and increase opportunities for black students, families, and communities.

Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Mrs. Holmes was policy manager at the National Education Association’s (NEA) Education Policy and Implementation Center. In this role, she advocated and advanced policies to support public education and working families at the national, state, and local levels. Following the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act, Mrs. Holmes was instrumental in coordinating educators across the country to actively engage their state and local policymakers in order to take advantage of the Act’s historic resource allocation. Previously, she was responsible for a policy portfolio that included secondary schools, career and technical education, and family engagement. Joining the NEA in 2007, Mrs. Homes was part of the inaugural team that led the organization’s national outreach and engagement of the Black community. Before joining the NEA, Mrs. Holmes was Director of Federal Relations at College Board, where she worked closely with educators, institutions, community advocates, and civil rights allies to advance policies that supported every student’s postsecondary aspiration, preparation, and success.

Mrs. Holmes is a graduate of West Virginia University’s School of Journalism with a focus on public relations and political science. She and her husband reside in Virginia and are proud parents of a college freshman, high school junior, and spirited Belgian Malinois.