A Young Alum Thrives in an Unexpected Field

When Alexia Otchere ’20 looks back on her years at Cincinnati Country Day School, she sees more than a place where she learned, studied, and accumulated leadership roles. She sees the environment that shaped how she moves through the world today, confidently, thoughtfully, and with a clear sense of responsibility to the communities she serves. Now a finance manager in Privacy and Trade Fund Operations at Procter & Gamble (P&G) and the co-owner of a growing real estate development company, Alexia is already balancing a dynamic early career with a legacy of advocacy that began in the Upper School and continues to evolve.

Alexia joined Country Day in seventh grade, which she says was perfectly timed. “From the moment I arrived, I felt heard and seen by the Country Day community, especially the administration. The small class sizes were ideal for me; and the teachers I had were exemplary.”

Alexia didn’t always envision a career in business. She was accepted into the University of Cincinnati’s early assurance medical program, and was set on becoming a doctor until she decided that the life of a medical professional was not meant for her. She then leaned on an internship experience she had participated in while at Country Day with Lightship Capital founder and CCDS parent Candice Matthews Brackeen – an experience that introduced her to finance, strategy, and the world of start-ups. “I think it is so important to diversify your skill sets because you don’t know when they will come in handy.”

Today, she thrives at P&G as a finance manager in privacy and trade fund operations. “It’s like a city within a city,” she says of the diversity of people she gets to work with at P&G. “I get to meet people from all over the world. Everyone brings such impressive business sense and an overall intelligence that it inspires me to grow.”

Outside her corporate role, she runs a real estate development company with friend and classmate Ethan Reisenfeld ’20, a collaboration that emerged from reconnecting a few years after graduation.

Balancing two careers requires discipline and boundaries; skills she traces back to Country Day. “Efficiency is one of my superpowers. And I’ve learned to prioritize what matters, whether that’s work, family, or things that bring joy.” For Alexia, that includes horseback riding, figure skating, working out with her mom, traveling, and creating custom book covers.

Service is another constant in her life. She serves on the board of the Ghana Schools Project, a nonprofit founded by her parents that supports schools, women’s clinics, and hospitals in Ghana. They also help support the local economy by purchasing supplies in Ghana with the donations that they have received, rather than shipping supplies that were bought in the United States.

While at Country Day, she founded the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Council in the Upper School, believing there needed to be a body of power representing students of color that could influence change. This past school year, Alexia partnered with Upper School leadership to fund a new award for a graduating senior who has demonstrated meaningful leadership in the EDI space. She is financing the award herself, with a long-term goal of building an endowed fund to sustain it in perpetuity.

When she reflects on the adults who shaped her during her time at Country Day, Alexia struggles to narrow the list; Yvonne Green, Sarah Beyreis, Dr. Yven Destin, Angela Barber-Joiner, Jenn Weinheimer, and Pat Dunn all impacted her tremendously. “Every teacher I had left a mark. Their lessons follow me every day.”

Her advice to current students is simple: “Network with your peers because you never know what your classmates will go on to do. Take risks. Pivot quickly when something isn’t right for you. And make time for joy; it’s essential.”

Above all, Alexia carries deep pride in her alma mater. “Country Day is always striving to be better and to support future leaders. I want my kids to go there someday. I’ll always come back.”