Originally from Olean, New York, Alexis graduated from University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor's degree in History, and a minor in Gender studies. Her undergraduate research focused on women's experiences during the Holocaust and arguing for a gender analysis of Holocaust experiences.

Upon graduation, Alexis was hired for an internship with the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh and co-taught a semester long “History of the Holocaust” course with the Center's director at the Community College of Allegheny County. After completing the internship with the Holocaust Center, Alexis pursued her Master’s degree in European History at Binghamton University. Her research focused on how the Holocaust is represented in contemporary cinema, and whether this can be connected to how we remember and memorialize the Holocaust today. While completing this degree, she worked as an academic adviser for Turkish students participating in the Dual-Diploma Exchange Program, as well as the academic advisor for undergraduate History majors. Alexis has also worked as an English language instructor at a small private school in Berlin, Germany.

In April 2008, Alexis moved to Chicago and began as the Youth Educator with the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, where she coordinated the museum's family and youth programming and provided outreach to youth as well as teacher trainings to elementary school educators and administrators. She recently left the Museum to pursue a Masters degree and certification in Elementary Education. Alexis has also just begun her third year as a teacher for the Secular Jewish Community and School and is a strong advocate for education through service learning projects and social justice.