Thobeka Mnisi is an aspiring public policy maker focusing on education. Up until 2021 she has been a University Guidance Fellow at African Leadership Academy, where she ushers students from 36 countries across the African continent to universities around the world. Thobeka is also a 2013 graduate of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls

Thobeka studied at Oberlin College (OC) '18 where she majored in Politics with an International Studies Concentration and a Rhetoric and Composition minor, and graduated Magna Cum Laude. While at Oberlin, she also served as Chair of Student Senate, worked as an associate in the Writing Center, and tutored high school students through the Ninde Scholars Program. Her Honors Thesis, for which she earned High Honors, explored the foundational symptoms of poverty that militate against educational access and progress in public schools through the Oberlin College Research Fellowship.

Concurrently, she served as a dialogue facilitator for the Interfaith Student Council. Prior to joining Student Senate, she worked for the Office of the President, and the Office of Disability Services. In keeping with her commitment to accessibility and inclusion, Thobeka served as a student representative for the Strategic Planning Advising Task Force, as well as the Implementation Committee on Diversity, Inclusions and Equity. She gained insight into curricular development from her work on the Educational Plans and Policies Committee. These experiences enrich her current volunteer role as a member of the Trustee Search Committee for the Oberlin College Alumni Leadership Council.