Alissa Lester

Alissa Lester serves as Community-Based Services Manager at Westside Community House in Cleveland, Ohio. In this role, which she has held for six months, she is rebuilding the entire community-based services department, overseeing case management with county children protective services, providing families with essentials such as food, clothing, and transportation, updating visitation spaces, managing social media and community engagement, and planning events and fundraisers. Lester brings seven years of experience in the non-profit sector, beginning in 2017 while pursuing her psychology degree. Her career path includes serving as a mental health specialist supporting transitional-aged youth in Akron, Ohio, followed by positions at Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio where she progressed from art teacher to SEL coordinator and then SEL and data manager, creating surveys that secured $150,000 in funding and tailoring programs based on data. She later served as Assistant Director of Programs for the Big Futures initiative at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County, focusing on career and college readiness. Lester earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Kent State University in 2020 and holds a Presadium guardianship certification obtained in 2023 as well as certification as a Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor.