Eliesha Perez (she/her) has served as the Virginia Middle School Youth Facilitation Coordinator at Asian American LEAD (AALEAD) since January 2025. Born and raised in Texas, Eliesha is a proud second-generation Filipina American. She is passionate about youth empowerment, educational equity, and community-centered service.

Eliesha graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2023 with a B.A. in Global Affairs and a minor in Economics, focusing on Asia-Pacific politics, immigration, and development. During her time at UTSA, she was actively involved with the Filipino Student Association, serving as a family head, and with the Alternative Break Program, where she coordinated and led service-learning trips addressing social issues and supporting underserved communities.

Eliesha’s commitment to youth development work began as an AmeriCorps member at Heart House, an educational nonprofit in Dallas, where she supported immigrant and refugee students. She later served as a UT-system Bill Archer Fellow in Washington, D.C., gaining firsthand experience at the intersection of policy and community needs. Before joining AALEAD, she spent a year in Thailand as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, teaching conversational English to secondary school students in the Isaan region.

Throughout her journey, Eliesha has remained dedicated to her passion for service, education, and youth empowerment. She continues to focus her efforts on creating opportunities for young people to explore their identities, develop their leadership, and thrive.