Alexander Djerassi: A Model for Public Service

By  //  October 16, 2020

 

Few people have managed to build as sophisticated and impressive a resume by such a young age as has Alexander Djerassi.

The versatility revealed by a simple reading of his background and hallmark achievements is truly remarkable.

Those achievements include playing a pivotal role in developing a program currently helping thousands of Central Florida and Space Coast residents stay out of crippling student debt.

But in addition to his accomplishments as an entrepreneur, Djerassi has also proven to be a dedicated and effective public servant. He has been involved in several political campaigns and served with distinction at the U.S. State Department.

His passion and singular skill is to bring people together despite their differences, be they opposing ends of government bureaucracies, protestors and policy makers, or students and government administrators.

In his professional life, Alexander has worked intently on “building relationships and interpersonal understanding across divides of experience and perspective.”

In the private sector, Djerassi has worked tirelessly on building a college affordability service called Mos.com, a civic technology company of which he was the first formal hire.

The objective of the program is to eliminate gaps between government agencies, school counselors and students, ensuring that college students do not miss out on grant or scholarship funds to which they are entitled.

Naturally, as economic disparities in our society continue to widen, there’s a tremendous need for making higher education more affordable in the interest of leveling the playing field for all.

Thanks in large part to Djerassi’s contributions, this program has benefited tens of thousands of college students and recent graduates. Ultimately, it’s an excellent illustration of the ways in which Alexander has managed to imbue his professional pursuits with his values and desire to enact positive and transformative change.

But even before studying public policy and the Arab-Israeli conflict at Princeton University, Alexander has always had a great passion for public service.

He went on to serve as chief of staff in the US Department of State’s Near East Bureau, a position to which he was elevated after two years as a special assistant in that office and receiving a State Department Meritorious Honor Award in 2010.

The Near East Bureau oversees America’s relationships with countries in the Arab world, Israel and Iran.

Djerassi’s expertise and work-ethic afforded him the unique opportunity of helping senior government officials navigate the nuances, dangers and opportunities of an area of the world experiencing upheaval and too-often plagued by conflict.

It’s his innate insistence that the divides of experience, religion, and ethnicity can be overcome, matched with his rigorous grounding in regional history, that has allowed him to be successful in a foreign policy arena otherwise marked by cynicism and tragedy.

As a nonresident associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Alexander drew on his diplomatic and bureaucratic experience as well as his legal and academic training to generate a leading proposal for advancing Tunisia’s democratic transition.

It’s no secret that we are living in difficult times where regions like the Middle East are plagued with violence and increased tension.

Having committed problem-solvers serving as counselors in positions of authority in government has never been more paramount – especially as it pertains to dealing with such complex issues as the Middle East.

Beyond being a policy wonk and someone with a deep and vast knowledge of the intricacies of Mideast policy, Alexander is also an attorney.

He has an impressive educational background which he is able to leverage toward both his private and public sector work.

He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs and holds a law degree from Yale Law School.

Given his versatility and multi-dimensional career, Alexander Djerassi is certainly someone to watch out for.