Alexis Carstensen Email & Phone Number

When I was younger, the question of “What do you want to do when you grow up?” led me to restless anxiety. It was only when I began to ask, “Who were you created to be?” that I had the freedom to start thinking about what is most important to me. I’ve realized that for me, it is ALL about people. I was created to love and care about the people surrounding me. People and the upholding of their dignity are the most important things. At Vanderbilt, my major was titled Medicine, Health, and Society. Within this interdisciplinary major, I learned about systems and the ways they affect people. In the classes that taught me the most, we engaged in discussions about the complexities of people’s individual experiences, needs, and motives. With multiple actors involved in a societal issue at hand, where do we begin? Like Mother Teresa said, “Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do.” I desire to begin with the proximate issues. This desire and the growing convictions of my faith led me to serve with Christ in the City for two years, where I learned that community is vital for everyone and that I want to strive to encounter others. In the words of Christ in the City’s founder Jonathan Reyes, an encounter is “when you’re actually looking into someone’s eyes and saying, “I see you, and I’m actually listening to you.”” I realized the necessity of encountering not only those on the streets but also my family, friends, and coworkers. I learned that poverty is just as much of an interior experience as a material one, and I became convicted of the need each person has to be seen. I am convinced that the answer lies within community. Currently, I am the Director of Permanent Supportive Housing at The Family Tree, where I support our team as they assist clients with navigating the complexities of obtaining and maintaining affordable housing. In this role, I also get to manage budgets, develop programming, and ensure that we are effectively putting Housing First into practice. My hope is to continue to learn about and discuss the importance of community in the supportive housing space.In my spare time, I love reading, writing, and quality time. I’m an introvert who loves people, and I want this emphasis on community to be a part of my everyday life, not just an aspect of my career goals. Who were you created to be? Connect with me, and let me know!