Ashley is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and was born and raised on Tiwa land, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She joined First Nations in February 2025 as a Program and Operations Assistant, after interning with the organization since 2024.
Ashley holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Environmental Science from Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI). Her work focuses on advancing Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and integrating traditional ecological knowledge into modern land stewardship practices. Ashley is passionate about advancing Native economies by supporting sustainable, community-led development initiatives that benefit Native communities economically and environmentally for the long term.
Ashley’s bubbly personality shines through in everything she does. She finds it an honor to work in the Indigenous nonprofit sector, where she can make a positive impact while staying connected to her heritage and communities. Before joining First Nations full-time, Ashley worked with the Pueblo Resurgent’s Cultivate Apprenticeship, where she supported the Isleta Pueblo community through traditional abundance land methods, including composting, irrigation, and cultivating food crops. She also interned at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, where she contributed to the Environmental Justice (EJ) Air initiative by assembling and calibrating air sensors, collecting air quality data, and presenting findings to the South Valley community.
Outside of work, Ashley enjoys adventuring in nature and attending powwows with loved ones. She also loves working out, dancing with friends, trying new foods, and spending time with her family. She is especially fond of caring for her two Shih Tzu mixes, Penelopie and ChewieOOIE, who she calls her first born and second born.