Asia Strasser

Asia serves as the Board Liaison & Special Assistant for Umoja Community Education Foundation.

A California native, Asia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Sonoma State University, and Masters in Counselor Education with a specialization in College and University Counseling, and Student Personnel from San Jose State University with the purpose of giving back to student support programs that work to uplift, empower, and advocate for BIPOC students. Being a first-generation, low-income, underrepresented student in higher education, Asia is proof of what a student can attain when holistic care, community, and love is poured into a student persevering to get their degree. 

Asia joins the team after spending nine years working in the University of California system, at the Davis and Santa Cruz campuses. She held the positions of Interim Dean of Students for Strategic Initiatives and Policy Analysis, Project Manager and Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Senior Executive Project Analyst in the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs office, where her worked focused on making institutional change for students, staff, and faculty with an equity minded lens. Most recently she worked as the Executive Assistant and Board Secretary for a local water agency in her hometown of Santa Cruz, CA, which focused on groundwater sustainability to supplement water resources for farmers in the south county city of Watsonville. She comes to the Umoja Community Education Foundation with a strong skillset in interpersonal relations, strategic planning, project planning, and executive advising and support. She believes the key to building strong relationships and communities involves mutual respect, appreciation of unique differences, and embracing people as their authentic selves. 

Asia would describe herself as an alpha female, with a giant sense of humor, and much love and loyalty for her people. She finds peace in the trees, specifically the California Redwoods, and enjoys binge watching shows or watching the Warriors on the couch, reading fictional books with strong women of color main characters, coloring, and cooking.