Alexis Buchanan Thomas is the Senior Director of Development at Hip Hop Caucus, where she leads national fundraising strategy to advance climate justice, racial equity, and civic engagement through culture, music, and movement-building. A transformational fundraiser and justice-driven leader, Alexis brings more than 15 years of experience building high-impact development programs for national organizations at critical moments of growth.
Prior to joining Hip Hop Caucus, Alexis served as Director of Development at Black Voters Matter Fund, where she helped scale the organization’s revenue from $5 million to more than $40 million. She secured multiple six- and seven-figure gifts, built and led a national development team, and launched systems that supported long-term fundraising infrastructure across a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and PAC. She later led development at Greenlight America, designing national fundraising strategy, building donor portfolios, and aligning communications, policy, and executive visibility to drive philanthropic investment.
In addition to her fundraising leadership, Alexis is Co-Founder and Host of the Black Girls Do Politics podcast, a internationally recognized platform that centers Black women’s voices and translates complex policy issues into accessible, culturally grounded conversations. Her work in media also includes serving as Co-Founder of People’s Press Institute, where she builds community-centered journalism infrastructure and trains emerging storytellers in solutions-oriented reporting.
A 2024 Google News Initiative Fellow, Alexis is recognized for advancing innovative, community-centered approaches to journalism and media sustainability. She serves on the board of the Hammonds House African American Arts Museum in Atlanta and holds additional leadership roles across arts, education, and community institutions. Across all of her work, she bridges narrative power, culture, and philanthropy to mobilize resources and sustain movements for social change.