ASLC President Val Axtle & Vice President Kristina Hoessl Lead with Purpose & Voice
At Laney College, student leadership is more than a title—it’s a commitment to community, advocacy, and creating meaningful change on campus.
For Associated Students of Laney College (ASLC) President Val Axtle and Vice President Kristina Hoessl, that commitment is personal.
Both leaders bring different paths and perspectives to their roles, but share a common goal: making sure students feel heard, supported, and empowered.
Val Axtle & Kristina Hoessl
Finding Their Voice Through ASLC
For Axtle, stepping into student government was driven by a clear moment of purpose.
“I’ve always felt a connection to advocacy and community building,” she shared. “But what really pushed me to join ASLC was the Tower Relocation Plans. I felt a responsibility to speak up and make sure students had better learning spaces.”
That sense of responsibility quickly grew into leadership.
“I realized there’s power in our voices—and in our numbers,” she said.
Hoessl’s path began more gradually, starting as a senator before stepping into a larger role.
“I joined to better understand how everything worked,” she said. “Over time, I found myself taking on more responsibility, and that led me to the Vice President role.”
Paths That Shaped Their Leadership
Both Axtle and Hoessl bring nontraditional paths to their leadership roles—experiences that continue to shape how they show up for their peers.
Axtle, a Bay Area native, grew up in East Oakland’s Sobrante Park neighborhood. After briefly attending Ursinus College in Pennsylvania, she made the difficult decision to step away due to serious health challenges and returned home to focus on recovery. After several years of rebuilding her physical and mental health, she enrolled at Laney in 2023, drawn to the college’s strong sense of community.
Axtle is also a first-generation college student whose path to higher education reflects resilience and determination. Her mother immigrated from Jalisco, Mexico at a young age, and Axtle grew up navigating challenges in her community, including her father’s incarceration during her teenage years.
Those experiences continue to shape how she approaches leadership today—grounded in empathy, advocacy, and a commitment to creating opportunities for others.
“I chose Laney because of how welcoming it felt,” Axtle said. “There’s a real sense of community here.”
Hoessl, originally from Antioch, has deep family ties to Oakland and has called the city home since 2018. After completing high school through independent study, she took time away from school to support family and reflect on her next steps before enrolling at Laney. During that time, she became increasingly aware of the economic disparities across the Bay Area and the ways those differences shape people’s experiences.
Her experiences supporting family and navigating different communities have shaped her perspective on equity and access, reinforcing her commitment to ensuring all students feel represented and supported on campus.
Growing Through Leadership
Both leaders describe their experience in ASLC as transformative.
“Being part of ASLC has completely changed me in the most positive ways,” Axtle said. “It’s taught me how to work with different people and how to bring out everyone’s strengths to make real change.”
Hoessl echoed that growth from a different angle.
“Student government has helped me become more organized, think quickly, and figure out how to support the community as a whole while still meeting individual needs,” she said.
Both leaders shared that returning to school later than expected came with uncertainty—but that quickly shifted once they found themselves at Laney.
What they discovered instead was a campus community that defied expectations. In their classrooms, they found students of all ages and backgrounds—from recent high school graduates to parents and working adults—creating a space where they felt comfortable, accepted, and motivated to grow.
Why Student Voice Matters
At the heart of their work is a shared belief: student voice matters.
“Student government allows us to advocate for better educational experiences,” Axtle said. “We all come from different backgrounds, but we share one goal—access to a quality, equitable education.”
Hoessl added that student government plays a critical role in bridging the gap between students and decision-makers.
“Students deserve to be heard by the people making decisions that affect them,” she said. “Without that, those voices can easily be overlooked.”
For Axtle, that sense of belonging was reinforced early on through programs like Puente and courses like Counseling 521, taught by Laney counselor Terrance Greene, where she found mentorship and community.
“Puente is where I found my people,” she said. “It really helped me build confidence and get involved.”
A Strong Leadership Partnership
Together, Axtle and Hoessl have built a leadership style rooted in collaboration and trust.
“We take a very democratic approach,” Hoessl explained. “We present issues, explore options, and bring them to the group so everyone can share their perspective.”
Axtle emphasized the importance of that shared leadership.
“I rely on my team—and especially on Kristina,” she said. “We support each other in everything and make sure every voice in ASLC is heard.”
Their partnership has been especially important when tackling major campus issues like the Tower Relocation Plans, where they worked to ensure student needs remained at the center of conversations.
Learning Beyond Laney
Both leaders recently attended the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) General Assembly, joining hundreds of student leaders from across the state alongside eight other ASLC members—representing nearly the full board.
Their presence was especially meaningful, as they weighed in on resolutions and policies impacting community college students nationwide and voted in elections for State and regional student senate leadership.
The additional ASLC members in attendance were: Internal Secretary Justin Mora, External Secretary Bianca Ramirez, Treasurer Preet Singh, Club Affairs Officer Ahlam Ibrahim, Student Advocate Aniah Willis, and Senators Corde' August, Julius Chan, and Tatiana Harlan.
“It was powerful being in a room with so many student advocates,” Axtle said. “It made me even more motivated to bring that knowledge back to Laney and help future ASLC members feel confident in creating change.”
For Hoessl, the experience reinforced the importance of collaboration and respectful dialogue.
“We learned how to work through disagreements, listen to every voice, and stay focused on what’s best for students,” she said.
Encouraging Others to Get Involved
Both Axtle and Hoessl encourage students—especially those unsure where to start—to take that first step.
“Talk to people, go to events, get to know your community,” Axtle said. “You might be surrounded by people already involved and not even know it.”
Hoessl offered a practical approach.
“Sit in on a meeting, see how it works,” she said. “It’s more impactful than people realize—and it’s a real opportunity to make a difference.”
Leadership That Reflects the Laney Community
Supporting their leadership is Atiya Rashada, Ed.D., Director of Student Activities & Campus Life, who has mentored ASLC leaders year after year and plays a key role in developing student leadership at Laney.
“Student leadership is one of the most powerful ways students grow in confidence, voice, and purpose,” said Dr. Rashada. “Val and Kristina represent the very best of that growth—leading with intention, collaboration, and a deep commitment to their community.”
Together, Axtle and Hoessl represent what student leadership at Laney looks like at its best—collaborative, driven, and rooted in community.
For Axtle, that leadership is deeply personal. Her lived experiences growing up in Oakland, combined with the challenges her family faced, continue to shape her commitment to advocacy, equity, and community-centered leadership.
Looking ahead, both leaders plan to continue their education and remain engaged in advocacy and leadership.
Axtle will graduate this May and plans to transfer to a four-year university, where she hopes to continue her work in student government and community advocacy.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that I love working with different communities and making a difference,” Axtle said. “I want to keep doing that for the rest of my life.”
Hoessl will continue at Laney through next spring, focusing on her UC transfer goals while building on the work she’s started through ASLC.
“As Val is graduating and I am not, I want to continue building on the work we’ve started,” Hoessl shared. “I’ll be here through next spring, focused on my UC goals, and I plan to keep serving and advocating for Laney College, the Peralta District, and my community in every way possible.”
Their work is a reminder that student government is not just about meetings or events—it’s about shaping the student experience and ensuring every voice has a place at the table.