Ashley Dawson

Ashley is currently a Master’s of Public Health student with a concentration in Health Promotion at George Mason University (Va.). She has obtained extensive experience improving the health of Black and Brown communities through ElevateHER, a nonprofit organization. Serving as the Funding and Development Specialist, Ashley raised over $32,000 in grant money to fund their newly designed diabetes prevention program. During this period, Ashley held shared responsibility in budget management, accountability, allocation of resources, and streamlining communication among grant funders. Furthermore, she has built a great rapport leveraging the perspectives of marginalized populations and integrating cultural competence into service delivery.

Interestingly, Ashley is certified in Mental Health First Aid. This uniquely enabled her to serve as the Project Manager for the Black Youth Mental Health Project. Focusing on the key areas of mental health, navigating school environments, and programmatic outcomes, Ashley curated a digestible ‘survive and thrive’ guide for Montgomery County (Md.) students. Bringing this unique experience, Ashley will keenly work to improve the mental health and equity among our nation's students.