Alaina Beverly

Alaina Beverly is an expert in politics, urban policy, civil rights, diversity and inclusion.  A frequent commentator on MSNBC, Alaina regularly provides insights on race and electoral politics on MSNBC Live with Alex Witt, Craig Melvin, Deadline:White House, Politics Nation, and The Reid Out.

Alaina began her career as a voting rights attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and Advancement Project.  She left the practice of law to serve as a political operative for the 2008 Obama for America Campaign where she executed political engagement strategies for primaries in South Carolina, Connecticut, Ohio, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Michigan.  During the General Election, Alaina served as the National Deputy Director of African American Outreach. 

After the 2008 electoral victory, Alaina joined Obama Administration as Associate Director for the White House Office of Urban Affairs. In that role, she laid the foundation for President Obama’s urban office by identifying models to make cities more sustainable, competitive, and inclusive.  Alaina also served as Principal at The Raben Group, a prestigious public policy and advocacy firm in Washington DC. 

Alaina currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Urban Affairs at the University of Chicago Office of Civic Engagement where she is the founding director of the Urban America Forward program, an annual convening of national leaders committed to equitable urban policy.

Alaina is a graduate of Stanford University and University of Michigan Law School.