On August 1, Ashley L. Brown joined the Office of Civic Engagement (OCE) as Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives. In the role, Brown will oversee strategic lines of effort, including economic and community development, government affairs, inclusive innovation, communications, and other OCE-led, university-wide initiatives, working closely with staff who lead those areas of work. She will also partner with the OCE team to coordinate the office’s next strategic planning process.
“Ashley’s significant experience in government affairs, policy development, community partnerships, and management of public persuasion campaigns will be a tremendous asset to OCE as we work to build stronger relationships with neighboring communities and the city of Chicago at large,” said Christian Mitchell, Vice President for Civic Engagement for the University of Chicago.
In her recent experience as Head of Government Partnerships at Spin, Ford Motor Company’s former micromobility division, across North America, including eastern U.S. and Canadian markets, she partnered with a broad variety of internal and external stakeholders, including elected officials, trade associations, community groups, and corporate partners to build consensus and drive deliverable results.
Prior to her time in the private sector, Brown served in public sector and higher education roles. From 2011 to 2016, she served as Legislative Director for the current Majority Leader of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and then in the Division of Government Relations & Public Affairs at the University of Massachusetts Boston, managing high-level projects and ensuring priorities were coordinated and implemented across the senior leadership team.
In addition to her professional experience, Brown also served as Political Action Director for the Boston NAACP, Connections Chairman for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Psi Omega Chapter and was an elected delegate for President Joe Biden for the Democratic National Convention in 2020.
Brown earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and currently serves on the department's Board of Visitors. She also holds an M.P.A. from Northeastern University in Boston.
