Background
Alexandra Vesalga, Esq., CIPP/US
I am a Privacy attorney, consultant, and subject matter expert specializing in developing and operationalizing privacy programs that support and enable business growth. I act as a partner to my clients, learn their operations, and produce flexible, strategic solutions that focus on futurity and evolve with the business.
I have been privileged to learn privacy from all sides: as a government regulator, advisor at a top tier law firm, external consultant, and in–house counsel.
I began my career as an Attorney for the California Office of the Attorney General, in the Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit, where I investigated and litigated privacy matters on behalf of the People and State of California. This experience provided me with direct insight into how regulators think and work, which continues to inform my approach to privacy.
As a consultant, I have worked with the world’s biggest technology brands including Google, Facebook, Intuit, and Uber, developing and implementing global privacy programs focused on GDPR and California compliance, helping companies navigate high-profile FTC consent decrees, and providing strategic and tactical privacy advice.
The diverse set of clients I have served, ranging from global marquee brands to unicorns to startups, gives me a unique perspective on varied risk tolerances and business objectives, and a strong understanding of how privacy evolves during a company’s lifecycle.
I have also served in several in–house roles and secondments, where I learned the art of activating business partnerships, embedding privacy across an organization, and building relationships between privacy and cross-functional teams.
Portfolio Highlights:
As an Attorney at the California Office of the Attorney General, Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit, I learned first hand how regulators operate.
In a year-long secondment at Uber, I helped the company fortify their privacy program and prepare for their first FTC audit.
I helped define and lead CPRA efforts at Intuit, including counseling Product and Data teams on requirements and helping develop operational solutions.
I worked on Privacy by Design initiatives for Facebook.
I advised on internal privacy policies and procedures for Google.
I have helped countless companies expand from U.S. markets into Europe and beyond.
The work I led for InMobi and Uber helping them navigate their FTC consent decrees was highlighted by Chambers in their review of Fenwick’s Privacy and Cyber practice, leading to a Band 1 rating in 2021.
I earned my J.D. with honors and specialization in Intellectual Property from Golden Gate University School of Law, where I served as the Editor–in–Chief of Golden Gate University Law Review. I currently serve on the Advisory Board for the Golden Gate University IP and Privacy Law Center.
Our Approach
Privacy is about more than legal compliance. When approached skillfully and intelligently, privacy can help you understand and enable your data holdings, strengthen your brand, reduce risk, and build products and offerings that are strategic toward the long term.
We partner with businesses to demystify privacy and develop and implement right–sized, practical solutions that achieve compliance goals with mindfulness toward the business’s priorities, resources, and vision. We build privacy solutions that are flexible enough to grow with businesses and that support and enable that growth through continued focus on long–term objectives.
Our approach is always collaborative and constructive. We build partnerships with cross-functional teams and create alliances that foster communication, learning, and growth from all sides.