Alex Joensen is a senior program officer on the Community Engagement Exchange and Community Solutions Programs in the Leadership Practice at IREX. Alex oversees all aspects of Fellows’ placement at U.S. community-based non-profit organizations, businesses, and public agencies.

In his role, Alex works to establish and nurture relationships with U.S-based host institutions, including implementing and monitoring processes to effectively match fellows to host institutions based on interest and fit.

In this role, Alex oversees all aspects of fellows’ placement at U.S. community-based non-profit organizations or government offices. As the placement program officer, Alex works to establish and nurture relationships with U.S-based host institutions, including implementing and monitoring processes to effectively match fellows to host institutions based on interest and fit.

Prior to joining IREX, Alex worked for over three and a half years on the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) as both a Program Officer and a Program Associate responsible for monitoring the Western Hemisphere, North Africa, and Middle East portfolios. Outside of his programmatic responsibilities at World Learning, Alex actively participated in U.S. Department of State program advocacy on Capitol Hill and is a passionate supporter of international exchange.

Before joining the Global UGRAD Program in 2017, while pursuing his graduate studies, Alex worked as a Communications Intern at the Embassy of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire in Washington, DC and as a French Graduate Assistant teaching undergraduate-level introductory French language courses. Alex also served as an English Language Assistant teaching middle and high school English classes in Strasbourg, France.

Alex holds an M.A. in French Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a dual B.A. in Political Science and French with a certificate in European Studies from the Catholic University of America. When not working, you'll find Alex crate digging for jazz records and sampling tea from around the world.