Alberto Ledesma grew up in East Oakland and received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from UC Berkeley. He earned a Ph.D. in ethnic studies in 1996 and is a former faculty member at California State University, Monterey Bay, and a lecturer in ethnic studies at UC Berkeley. He has held several staff positions at UC Berkeley, including director of admissions at the School of Optometry, and writing program coordinator at the Student Learning Center. He is the author of the award winning illustrated autobiography, Diary of A Reluctant Dreamer.
Coordinates Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUF), delivers admissions workshops and presentations, works across division as a non-voting resource in providing holistic advice to admissions committees, helps facilitate campus climate workshops and presentations, provides inclusive advising to prospective and current Arts and Humanities undergraduate and graduate students needing climate-oriented support.