Tessa Veksler, originally from the East Bay Area in California, is a 2024 graduate from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) where she received her B.A. in Political Science and Communication. During her first year of college, Tessa took a gap year in Israel and simultaneously studied Judaics at Bar Ilan University while remotely completing her first year at UCSB. She lived through Operation Guardian of the Walls and brought her experiences and dedication to Israel advocacy and fighting antisemitism to her campus community through her various leadership roles. She served in multiple fellowships, including ICC’s prestigious Geller Fellowship which took her to Israel and the UAE, learning about the Abraham Accords. After serving in student government for two years, formerly as a Collegiate Senator for the College of Letters & Science, Tessa completed her term as the Student Body President of UCSB. She represented 24,000+ students, and she made history by becoming the first ever Shabbat-observant Associated Students President at UCSB.

After facing targeted harassment and antisemitism in the wake of October 7th, Tessa has chosen to speak out bravely about her experiences while encouraging Jewish people nationwide to fight against hate. With 35,000+ followers on Instagram and videos racking up more than 6 million combined views, Tessa has become a prominent Jewish and Zionist voice on social media- with national sway. Her courage in the face of adversity has awarded her numerous recognitions, including an invitation to the White House Jewish American Heritage Month celebration in May and UCSB’s University Service Award. She now travels nationwide to share her message of strength, resilience, and continued activism while simultaneously working full time in public relations for Hiltzik Strategies in New York City.

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