Alexandria Butler
Program Manager, Speaker, Community Organizer
Alexandria Noel Butler, affectionately known as Lexi B, wears many hats including program manager, speaker, and community organizer in the tech industry. Raised in St. Louis, MO and living in the Silicon Valley, she graduated from Stanford University in 2011 with majors in Communication and Spanish. Her first experience in the tech world was at NetApp where she program managed diverse programs in the engineering and finance departments.
After informally documenting her escapades as a young professional, Lexi B founded Grown Up Truth to discuss the professional and personal experiences of millennials. With statistics that include 10,000+ subscribers and 12,000+ monthly hits, Grown Up Truth became a premiere destination for candid conversations and opinions about navigating adulthood. In March 2016, Lexi B joined Airbnb as a project manager, working on cross functional initiatives in finance, compliance and legal. When she is not project managing, she spends her time speaking in panels, leading workshops and participating in keynote speaking engagements about a variety of topics including diversity in tech, Blackness in America, career growth and development.
Follow Lexi B on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, & her personal website.
What’s a challenge you’ve faced, and how did you get through it?
My biggest challenge in my career has been chasing this idea of perfection. Being a Black woman in America, I have been raised (like so many of us) to work three times as hard to have the possibility of the same seat as the majority. I have always wanted a prominent and successful career. When I started working, I worked very hard but I was also hard on myself for making mistakes. We all make mistakes. That is the definition of life. I am still facing this challenge but I am learning to let things go for my well being. I cannot be perfect all the time and in order to be great, I need to learn from the mistakes I make and not hide from them. I cannot be fearful that a simple mistake could cost me my job or a positive review.
“I cannot be perfect all the time and in order to be great, I need to learn from the mistakes I make and not hide from them.”
What’s something you’ve done that you’re really proud of?
I am very proud of my commitment to my personal health this year and making it a serious priority.
What’s something that’s been on your mind this Black History Month?
Unsung Heroes and SHEroes. I honor my ancestry everyday and I am so proud to come from a people with so much intelligence, resilience, strength, and glory. I am excited to learn about the innovators and revolutionaries that we don’t discuss often.
