About XB Strategies

XB Strategies was founded in January of 2021 to provide creative, authentic solutions to address  systemic racial and economic injustice in the U.S. and beyond.

Founder and Principal Alexandra Bastien has extensive expertise in the fields of public policy, nonprofit management and philanthropy with gender, racial, and economic justice as through-line  in her career. 

She was the former Senior Advisor for Racial and Ethnic Equity in the Inclusive Development Hub at USAID where she managed several economic empowerment activities in historically marginalized religious and ethnic communities globally.   Prior to USAID, she co-Founded The Imperative - A nonprofit fund dedicated to promoting wealth, health and connection in the US, Africa, and across the African Diaspora.   The Imperative is based in the US  with core projects in Atlanta and Boston, as well as partnerships globally in Brazil, the UK, Kenya, South Africa, and Haiti. 

Prior to launching The Imperative, she led the $10M COVID 19 Non Profit Emergency Relief Fund and the Financial Stability grant making strategy at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF). The portfolio included a focus on benefits access, EITC expansion, free tax preparation, cash assistance and basic income. Alexandra was also a Senior Associate at PolicyLink, where she led a variety of projects related to advancing economic opportunity including federal tax policy, workforce/employment policy, addressing government issued fines and fees and the development of policy agendas to advance financial security. An avid messenger on the consequences of a growing racial wealth gap, Alexandra was invited to present at TEDx on what key policies are needed to address it. 

Alexandra holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a B.A. in Communication from Boston College.