2019 Tillman Scholar
Ashley’s commitment to service began at a young age with volunteerism and philanthropy. However, as the wife and now widow of Captain Nicholas Schade Whitlock, U.S. Air Force, sacrificial service has taken on a deeper and more personal meaning.
Since losing her husband, she’s worked to discover the type of public service that utilizes her experiences and expertise for the greatest possible positive impact. In co-founding the Capt. Nicholas Schade Whitlock Foundation and working with organizations such as the Travis Manion Foundation and Kate’s Club, she has supported survivors of trauma and loss, as well as veterans and service-minded leaders. Furthermore, her twelve-year career at Edelman Public Relations has deepened her understanding of how to advance public service initiatives through integrated communications campaigns.
Ashley recently completed her Master in Public Administration at Harvard Kennedy School in order to begin a new professional chapter focused on helping other women facing the shared challenge of starting over. She seeks to pair her strengths, passions and personal journey with a broader perspective of the breakdowns and barriers to connecting available services to those in need, equipping her to improve the outcomes of trauma survivors by helping them navigate personal crisis in a way that realizes their fullest potential.