Ambitious, Joyful Graduates

Welcome to the Archer Alumni Association! 
It’s not uncommon to hear Archer graduates call their alma mater their second home. When you notice the joy and warmth around campus, it’s no surprise why. Through the Archer Alumni Association, we invite you to share your expertise with current students during class, reminisce about throwback photos and campus traditions, visit your favorite teachers, attend a performance or game, reconnect with your classmates at an event, and more.
Welcome home!
With gratitude,
The Archer Advancement Office
 

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  • Photo of Katelyn Downing-Park

    Katelyn Downing-Park 

    Associate Manager of Advancement
    310-873-7062

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Why Alumni vs. Alumnae?

Archer uses the term "alumni" instead of "alumnae" to be inclusive of the gender identities of all Archer graduates. This change was introduced in 2018 and has since been included across our platforms.

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Beyond the Walls of Archer: How I Got Here

Archer alumni have made their mark in many notable industries, companies, and positions, and continue to be a source of inspiration to Archer's current students and young alumni. The Archer Alumni Board is excited to introduce a video series for the alumni community that spotlights alums and their career/educational journeys, sharing the story of how they got to where they are today.
   
Designed for Archer alumni interested in learning about different graduate school pathways, our first Beyond the Walls of Archer series features three Archer alumni who attended law school, business school, and nurse-midwifery school respectively.

   


Many Archer alumni have started their own businesses and organizations across industries. This video series highlights alumni entrepreneurs and their journeys to starting their businesses/organizations in fields ranging from medicine to writing and life coaching.

   


Often inspired by their time at Archer, Archer alumni are making big impacts in the field of education. The videos below spotlight incredible Archer alumni and their journeys to careers in education and academia.

   

 

Alumni Spotlights

Maia Barnett currently lives in Los Angeles, and is a Coordinator for  Debra L. Lee and her Leading Women Defined Foundation. She also founded her own business, maiorganization, a professional organizing company that specializes in holistic organizing.  She started maiorganization because she wanted to bring a peace of mind to lives through holistic organizing. Understanding that one's environment and its state can take a toll on their lives in different ways, living in an organized environment is an essential solution. "I've always had a home for my things and recognized that providing a place for items that are most important to me has so many benefits."

Maia shares that Archer taught her the importance of using her strengths by providing her with opportunities to find out what she is interested in. Working alongside hardworking, dedicated and passionate women is one of her goals that is fulfilled each day in her roles. Maia is also a member of the Archer Alumni Board and is thankful for her role on the board to be able to provide insight and ideas for this very special place that took her at 11 years old.
Helen is a civil rights lawyer based in the Washington, D.C. area.  She is a passionate advocate for the enforcement of our civil rights laws to protect our most vulnerable citizens.  As a Trial Attorney in the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Helen investigates and litigates cases to defend the civil rights of people incarcerated in state and local jails, prisons, and other institutions.  Her nationwide docket has included cases involving conditions of confinement, prisoners' access to adequate medical and mental health care, protection from sexual abuse and assault, LGBTI issues, and youth in the adult system.  
 
Before joining the DOJ, Helen worked as a fellow at the ACLU National Prison Project in Washington, D.C., served as a federal judicial law clerk, and worked as an associate attorney in private practice.  Helen earned her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2013, and her B.A. in English from Yale in 2006.  Prior to law school, she worked as a reporter-researcher at Vanity Fair magazine in New York City.  Helen lives with her husband and two daughters in Virginia.  She is an avid sourdough bread baker and enjoys practicing yoga and going on adventures with her family.
Kate Berlant is an Emmy nominated comedian, actress and writer. She can currently be seen at the Pasadena Playhouse run of her one-woman play, KATE which recently concluded sold out shows in London and New York. The show received a rapturous response, “the New York City Show to See” (Vulture). Her comedy special Cinnamon in the Wind (directed by Bo Burnham) is now streaming on Hulu. In addition, her A24/Peacock sketch comedy special Would It Kill You to Laugh?, created with her collaborator John Early, has been nominated for both a Critic’s Choice and Primetime Emmy award. Kate’s film credits include Kristoffer Borgli’s Dream Scenario, Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You. She can currently be seen on the Amazon series A League of Their Own, starring alongside Abbi Jacobsen and Nick Offerman; her additional television credits include Search Party, The Other Two, Transparent, and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, as well as her celebrated episode of Netflix’s The Characters. She was named a Just for Laughs "New Face of Comedy" and a Variety "Ten to Watch.”

Photo credit: Kate Moore 
Chelsea is a senior publicist based in Los Angeles. With over 13 years of experience in the field, she’s honed her skills as a strategic storyteller and proud contributor to The Lede Company. Throughout her career, she’s navigated the dynamic landscapes of music, entertainment, and sports publicity. As a senior publicist, Chelsea shapes, creates and executes strategies with a keen understanding of the ever-evolving media landscape. From emerging talents to established names, her role involves not just securing coverage but crafting narratives that endure for a diverse array of clients. A graduate from Emerson College with a BA in Marketing Communications and Psychology, she began her career at 42 West where she remained for 8 years. She joined The Lede Company upon its inception in 2018. Chelsea also served on the Archer Alumni Board from 2020-2022.
Jenna Landi '05 is Head of Insights at Pinterest, where she uses the Taste Graph and other proprietary data to understand Pinner inspiration, discovery, and intentions. Having first started her research career at Nielsen, Jenna went on to become Research Manager in both London and New York, where she focused on global digital analytics. Following her time at Nielsen, Jenna was a founding member of the Google Human Truths team, using big and small data to better understand the way that different people use the Internet on behalf of Google's largest global brand partners.

Jenna has a master's degree in Behavioral Science from the London School of Economics, where her dissertation focused on the quantification of a brand bias through Implicit Association Tests and well as explicit preferences and their impact on brand action behavior. She also has a bachelor's degree from Brandeis University in American Studies, Business, and Film. The bi-coastal researcher and ambitious traveler now resides in L.A. with her husband Patrick, daughter Natalie, and pup Bridget.
Aaron is a licensed architect, award-winning designer, educator, and thought leader working in Los Angeles. She is enthusiastic about  architecture and design education. She is also an Assistant Professor and the Assistant Chair of Undergraduate and Graduate Architecture Programs at Woodbury University in Burbank, and holds a seat on the board of trustees at California College of the Arts. Together with her partner, she formed GenslerClipp, an architecture, design, and research practice doing work throughout California. Prior to GenslerClipp, she held design positions at a variety of firms around the world – from Los Angeles to Rwanda.

After Archer, Aaron earned a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College in Vermont, where she received several accolades from the Middlebury Museum of Art, Chellis House, and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for her work. She earned a Master of Architecture from Cornell University, where she was honored with the Alpha Rho Chi Medal for her leadership and service. She recently completed research on typologies of the Californian High Desert as part of the Eidlitz Travel Fellowship through Cornell.
After graduating from Archer, Clio attended the University of Chicago. She majored in the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine. Clio then earned a masters degree in bioethics from Harvard Medical School. At Harvard, Clio worked in the Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital and at Harvard Law School, focusing on the social and legal implications of genetic information.
 
Following her masters, Clio received her J.D. from Yale Law School. At Yale, she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, and Ethics and co-authored a book chapter on assisted reproductive technologies. Clio participated in the Gender Violence Clinic and the Reproductive Rights and Justice Project. She also externed at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the State’s Attorney’s Office, and received both of Yale’s named prizes for excellence in trial advocacy.
 
Clio now works as a litigation associate at Kirkland & Ellis. Following a year at Kirkland, Clio will spend two years clerking for federal judges in Portland, Oregon and New York City.
Vanessa Anderson is the Owner and President and at AM PR Group. Before launching her entertainment public relations company in 2010, Vanessa worked in both fashion and music public relations. Over the years, Vanessa has worked closely with a wide range of clients (celebrities, musicians, content creators, athletes, influencers, etc.) propelling them to the national and international stage. Her current roster includes the leading forces and names in music, sports, television and film as well as corporate behemoth Amazon Studios where she and her staff work on their original programming TV series slate and specials such as Homecoming and Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty Fashion Show.
 
Vanessa’s tenacity, vivacious personality and creative thinking has landed her clients in coveted outlets such as Vanity Fair, Glamour, VOGUE, Forbes, New York Times, Fader, People, Essence, UsWeekly, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Fast Company and many more.

The daughter of a Black man and immigrant woman from El Salvador, Vanessa was nurtured and  raised in South LA by her grandparents. Her love for Entertainment and PR is fueled by her commitment to uplift and share the voices and stories from people of color. Vanessa received her B.A. in 2007 from Barnard College, Columbia University.
Adrienne has dedicated her life to serving her community through food justice and advocacy. In 2016, she founded Feed Our Soul, a non-profit fighting food insecurity in Black-American neighborhoods, and more so, a movement sharing the power of locally sourced food by installing hydroponic gardens and teaching community members how to cook their homegrown produce. Through community activism, Food Foundations Coaching, and Community Health Impact Programs (CHIP), her company continues the mission of spreading nutritional awareness in her hometown, South Central Los Angeles. The organization's Founding Five Project, has developed gardening clubs at Augustus Hawkins High School and Hype Park Elementary School. 

Adrienne leads by example, fulfilling their purpose statement everyday: “To build a strong community of health-conscious people who will break the cycle of food insecurity and develop a foundation of healthy habits for future generations, by using practical tools through the education of nutritional wellness and the use of natural ingredients to improve the overall well-being.” Adrienne uses education to inspire others to embrace nature and become the best version of themselves through the power of food. 
Candy recently married the love of her life, Justin Ramirez-Hale, in a small courthouse ceremony. She then relocated to Oakland to start her first year at University of California San Francisco’s Masters Entry Program in Nursing. Candy will graduate as a Certified Nurse Midwife and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in 2024. She is passionate about becoming a nurse midwife to help bridge the gap in health disparities that exist in birth for marginalized communities. Candy is having fun embarking on this new chapter, and exploring the Bay Area with her husband and two dogs.
Chelsea is thrilled to have had her first book, Inexplicably Me: A Story of Labels, Worthiness, and Refusing To Be Boxed In, published this year. Inexplicably Me is a hilariously moving and inspirational memoir of a girl with two gay dads, navigating her way through life with joy, love, gratitude, and an excellent sense of humor. 
 
After a very successful, but ultimately unfulfilling career in real estate, Chelsea began creating a platform from which to spread love and acceptance. She does so through her book, podcast, “Worthiness Warriors,” blog, “The Girl With Five Names,” speaking engagements, and “Flip the Script” Courses and has continued her work as an LGBTQ+ advocate that began over a decade ago while she was still at Archer.
 
In 2020, Chelsea co-founded and now serves as the Executive Director of Dance In Color, a non-profit organization that works to support young dancers of color to create lasting systemic change in the performing arts. 
 
Chelsea is set out to empower individuals to love themselves and in turn love and accept others. She believes that acceptance of others begins with accepting yourself just as you are right now. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Dominic, and sweet puppy, Moe. 
A graduate of Princeton, with a BSE in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Harvard University, with a Masters in Public Policy, Lauren is a Senior Engineer at SpaceX, where she has worked on several revolutionary projects including Falcon 9 as a Mission Integration Engineer, Crew Dragon as a Senior Systems Certification Engineer and a Senior Flight Reliability Engineer on the Chief Engineering team, and now on Starlink as a Senior Starlink Engineer.

Before SpaceX, Lauren spent time as a Mars robotics engineer at NASA/JPL, dating start-up founder, and medical device engineer who also gives talks about the power of STEM education, and in her words, “does her little part to help make the world more empathetic, joyful, and just.”
Following her graduation from Archer, Leasly went on to attend Duke University, majoring in Spanish & Latin American Studies, with double minors in Political Science and Psychology. While at Duke, Leasly worked as a tutor for America Reads/America Counts and served schools in the Raleigh-Durham area. She went on to participate in programs centered around the immigrant community, like the DukeEngage summer program in Tucson where she interned with Casa Mariposa, an organization that provides solidarity and support for people affected by the immigration-prison industrial complex.
 
As the first in her family to attend and graduate from college, Leasly continued her passion for immigration justice and interned for a summer with the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic in 2016. She later joined the clinics operations team of the Loyola Social Justice Law Clinic at Loyola Law School, where she continued to provide support to the various legal clinics that provided critical and much-needed legal resources to indigent communities. Leasly then pursued the opportunity to go to law school at Southwestern Law School as part of the evening program while working full-time and received her Juris Doctor degree in May of 2022.

After graduation, Leasly continued on to complete a fellowship with the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice as Southwestern’s Domestic Violence Advocacy Fellow. She worked with survivors of sexual assault and violence who seek various forms of immigration relief. Leasly is now a fellow with Immigrant Justice Corps, a fellowship program designed to both empower new lawyers and advocates to join the immigration field and address the urgent need for direct legal services. She will be working as an IJC Fellow with Public Law Center, located in Santa Ana, CA, representing unaccompanied children in the immigration system.
The Archer School for Girls admits students of any race, color, religion, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or other legally protected status to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or other legally protected status in its hiring or in the administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions policies, financial aid programs or other school-administered programs. 

The Archer School for Girls’ mission is to educate students in an environment specifically designed for girls. As such, the school will consider any candidate for admission who identifies as a girl. Once admitted to Archer, all students in good academic standing who abide by Archer’s code of conduct and who meet requirements for graduation will be eligible to receive an Archer diploma, regardless of any change in sexual identity or other legally protected status.