Lehigh Valley native Alexa Dectis is an entertainment lawyer who was profiled in Forbes magazine for its “30 under 30” Hollywood & Entertainment list for 2022.

The achievement is even more noteworthy because Dectis has a progressive neuromuscular disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

Although Dectis has been confined to motorized transport since she was a child, she has refused to let SMA hold her back.

Dectis talked about her life and career in an online streaming conference.

Dectis, born in Allentown, moved with her family at an early age to Orefield, North Whitehall Township.

As a child actor she appeared on “Sesame Street,” “The Guiding Light,” “PBS Kids” and “Nickelodeon Jr.” She had a small part in the feature movie, “Admission” (2013), starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd.

“When I was at the Swain School for middle school I would travel to New York City three times a week, doing my homework in the car on the way home.

“I knew growing up that I loved the entertainment industry, but I didn’t want to be in front of the camera forever.”

After graduating from the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School with a dual enrollment for credits at Lehigh Carbon Community College, Dectis graduated from George Washington University and entered Chapman University School of Law.

“There are not a lot of people with disabilities in law school. The school was great because the staff figured out how to make it possible for me.

“They would take my law textbooks, which were thousands of pages, slice the spine off them, and run them through a scanner. I would read them and take notes on my MacBook.

“If I had gone to law school even 20 years earlier, I don’t know how I would have been able to succeed because the technology wouldn’t have been in place.

“Technology has opened my world. I met Apple CEO Tim Cook at my graduation from George Washington University. I told him I was going to law school, and he told me what kind of computer I should get.”

After graduation, Dectis was admitted to the California Bar in 2020. She works for a Hollywood entertainment company and lives in Los Angeles in an apartment where she is assisted by a team of about 15 visiting caretakers.

“I make sure that the studios are following child labor laws and not overworking child actors, so that the studios can make really great productions, and keep all the children safe that are making those great productions.”

Dectis enjoys being in the dynamic environment of Hollywood:

“It’s changing all the time. That’s part of what makes it so exciting, because there is always something new to learn. Learning is so much of the reason why I went into this industry. I love to learn and I love to be able to think through complex issues.”

Although there is no cure for SMA, drug treatment is now available. “I’m so thankful, because when I was in law school my disease was progressing. When you have the desire to do so much that is a real scary feeling.

“The medication has been able to stabilize me and it’s given me a lot of clarity about the future so I will be able to accomplish what I want to.”

Dectis tries to visit the Lehigh Valley as often as she can. “I love being in the Lehigh Valley and visiting with my family. My career is the only thing that pulls me away. There is no place like the Lehigh Valley.

“I love the people. Here everybody cares about everybody. There is a huge sense of community. Everybody’s connected in some way. My parents grew up here.

“I’ve been really fortunate to have a very supportive family. They have been amazing, and they never told me I couldn’t do something because I had SMA. That has largely contributed to my mindset today.”

Her parents are Peter and Julie Dectis. They run a second-generation family business, Charles Dectis Painting.

Her sister is Nicole Long, who is married to Ben Long. Nicole Long is an oncology nurse at the Lehigh Valley Hospital infusion center. Ben Long runs a second-generation family business, Lehigh Valley Water Systems.

Says Dectis: “I firmly believe that something good can come out of really challenging circumstances. It’s given me a perspective that otherwise I never would have had the opportunity to develop. For that I’m extremely thankful.”

Information: https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2022/hollywood-entertainment