Ashley joined the Center in April 2023 as a staff attorney with the Legal Center for Foster Care and Education. Before joining the Center, Ashley worked at the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) in Virginia with the Youth Justice Program. Her work focused primarily on education civil rights and youth justice matters at the local, state, and national levels. Ashley worked with attorneys and organizers in solidarity with resilient individual clients (e.g., parents/grandparents and youth), community groups (including youth-led campaigns), and policy advocates through direct representation, community lawyering, legislative advocacy, and coalitions in pursuit of educational equity and justice (i.e., racial, social, and economic).
Ashley previously worked at the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia where her practice focused on public benefits (e.g., Medicaid, SNAP, SSI/SSDI, and TANF). Before that she worked at the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) focusing on youth justice and education policy, in-house legal matters, and pro bono family law cases. CDF leaders often said: “Children don’t come in pieces.” That statement is an apt reminder that children and youth must have their holistic needs met with family and caregivers at home, school, and in the community to thrive. To that end, Ashley strives to help create better experiences and outcomes for children and families.
Ashley has also worked as a litigation associate at Fried Frank in DC following a clerkship at the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. She graduated with a dual B.A. in Psychology and Government & Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Ashley received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she served as a student attorney at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau working on family law matters.
Outside of work, Ashley enjoys connecting with family and friends. To recharge, she likes to bike and/or run for a good cause!