At 18 years old, just weeks into her first year of college, Lexi began experiencing symptoms that would lead to a diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a rare autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. College quickly looked different from what she had imagined. While her peers settled into campus life, Lexi learned to balance classes and friendships with lab work, medical appointments and the responsibility of advocating for her own health.

She also kept pursuing the parts of life that made her feel like herself, including her longtime love of performing arts. Eventually, questions surrounding her diagnosis began pointing her toward another interest: research. Lexi studied public health and health communications before earning a master's degree in public health nutrition and research from Johns Hopkins University.

Along the way, she became a RAREis Scholar. The RAREis Scholarship Fund, created in partnership with the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases, helped Lexi complete her undergraduate education debt-free and continue toward graduate school. Just as meaningful was discovering a community of students who understood the experience of pursuing an education while living with a rare disease.

Her career has since included clinical research supporting people with rare diseases and, today, research focused on nutrition and access to food. Her experience continues to influence how she approaches that work, particularly the importance of listening to people and asking questions that can lead to better answers.