Alicia Burns-Wright ’08

Competition Policy Counsel, TikTok
BA 2008, Rice University
JD 2011, Harvard Law School

Term as persident-elect: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026

Executive Biography: Alicia Burns-Wright earned her bachelor’s degree from Rice University in 2008 and her law degree from Harvard Law School in 2011. Since November 2023, she has served as competition policy counsel at TikTok. Prior to that, she was part of the competition legal team at Meta, investigated mergers and acquisitions at the Federal Trade Commission, and defended mergers and acquisitions on behalf of her clients at Vinson & Elkins. Burns-Wright lives in Washington, D.C., with her fiancé, Thomas Willis (Brown University, Class of 2006), and their dog, Rufus.
What part of serving on the ARA Board are you most excited about?: Returning to the board and seeing how things have developed since I departed in 2020!
What is your favorite “Only at Rice” memory or story?: Only at Rice can a student build relationships within their major, residential college, work study programs, intramural sports and more. Rice allows long-lasting relationships to build in so many different directions, which is not necessarily the case at other universities.
If you could give one piece of advice to Rice students, what would it be?: Follow your passions wherever they go — the Rice network is there to support you before and after you graduate!