Deliver presentations at conferences, schools, and industry events worldwide on topics including leadership, culture, innovation under pressure, value-driven brands, inclusion in design and technology, design in government, and the intersection of design and culture.Below is a selection of public talks:

Coforma is an award-winning digital consultancy specializing in complex service design and product challenges within the government sector, operating remotely. As CXO and COO, Ashleigh defined and managed Operations, Marketing and Communications, HR, and Design departments, driving strategic initiatives and fostering collaboration. Coforma achieved annual revenues exceeding $30 million and received notable recognition for excellence in government contracting and employee engagement.Awards and honors Ashleigh received related to her Coforma leadership:• 2024: OrangeSlices AI' Engage Federal Citizen Services Honor• 2024: GovTech Connects' Ignite Award• 2023: Coforma's Co-Leader of the Year Award• 2023: Association for Corporate Growth's Trailblazer Award Finalist• 2022: U.S. Small Business Administration's Small Business Persons of the Year• 2020: FedHealthIT's G2X Change Agent Award• 2019: DCFemTech's Power Woman in DesignKey Achievements:• Co-established the company’s mission, vision, and strategic focus areas.• Led brand development initiatives.• Increased annual revenue and expanded the team from a few to over 150 employees in five years.• Established essential business practices for growth, client relations, professional development, employee lifecycle management, and more.• Co-established and managed Coforma’s Health+ program, addressing critical health issues in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).• Launched and led the Design department, scaling it to 50 full-time employees across various disciplines.• Oversaw impactful projects, including developing a platform to reunite families at the U.S. border, enhancing the U.S. Web Design System, modernizing Medicaid data collection, and facilitating the Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.

Served as a leader for AIGA, the professional association for design, dedicated to advancing design as a craft, a strategic advantage, and a vital cultural force. Made history as the fifty-fifth president, becoming the first individual of known Black ancestry to lead the organization in its over 105-year history.Key Achievements:• Guided AIGA through economic downturns and social crises, fostering compassionate engagement during periods of uncertainty and stress for the profession, volunteers, and members.• Established new board committees, including the Audit & Ethics Committee (chaired by Art Taylor), Community Committee (chaired by Lisa Babb), and Membership Structure Committee (temporary committee; chaired by Manuhuia Barcham).• Implemented financially prudent updates to the organization’s membership structure, based on Membership Structure Committee recommendations, the first such changes in over a decade.• Championed initiatives aimed at promoting equity and positivity within the design profession.The links following are things offered starting in this timeframe:

Key Achievements:• Served as President Elect during Dana Arnett's final year, co-chairing the Executive Committee and the Search Committee for the new executive director.• Initiated AIGA's transition to remote work to enhance organizational resilience and relevance prior to the pandemic.• Facilitated the introduction and onboarding of the new executive director and provided ongoing support as a board partner.• Adapted in-person events swiftly during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce expenses and maintain engagement.

Key Achievements:• Chaired the multi-day AIGA Design Conference in Pasadena, California (2019).• Contributed to the AIGA Awards Committees for 2019 and 2020, responsible for reviewing nominations and presenting candidates to the board.• Led AIGA's national Racial Justice by Design initiative in 2016, addressing racial inequities in the design community through national and regional events and discussions.

Joined the private network aimed at increasing the representation of women in positions of power, fostering cross-industry idea exchange, providing equity-driven peer support, and driving top-down change. As a founding member in the DC region, I explored and promoted the network's value within the local community.

Founded and led the company’s in-house creative agency, focusing on innovative marketing, communications, and brand identity solutions. Developed robust operational frameworks that ensured the timely delivery of high-quality creative outputs within budget constraints. Fostered strategic partnerships across the marketing division and various product lines. Provided mentorship to project teams in crafting product identities, articulating compelling customer narratives, and effectively connecting clients to solutions.Key Achievements:• Brand Transformation: Directed the comprehensive redesign of the WordPress.com brand, including the development of the brand book and execution of the inaugural integrated marketing campaign.• Inclusive Design Advocacy: Chaired an online conference where industry experts discussed failures in creating inclusive experiences and explored actionable solutions for improvement.• Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives: Advised on company inclusion practices and launched a widely-accessed open-source guide to fostering more inclusive design solutions.

Design Observer publishes news and critical essays that connect design with various disciplines, including business, politics, science, journalism, music, media, history, and technology. The editorial board included prominent figures such as Sean Adams, Julie Anixter, Doug Powell, Christopher Simmons, and Design Observer co-founders Jessica Helfand and Michael Bierut. Ashleigh actively contributed to the editorial board by sourcing and highlighting diverse voices and perspectives within the design community.

Provided guidance to emerging leaders at organizations such as Nike, SY Partners, and Planned Parenthood, focusing on cultivating optimism, humanity, authentic communication, and creative skills. Empowered these leaders to unlock their full potential and enhance their leadership capabilities.

Co-founded and co-led DotGov Design, an initiative of AIGA DC dedicated to connecting and empowering government designers, enhancing U.S. government design standards, and attracting talent to the public sector. Co-directed the DotGov Design School, a continuing education program designed to strengthen leadership skills for designers across all areas of government. Founded and directed the DotGov Design Conference in 2015 and 2016, creating an annual event that elevated community engagement among government designers.

Spearheaded the visual representation of the White House and the Obama brand, leading and managing the design team to enhance public engagement through effective, user-centered design. Simplified policy communication, making it accessible and relatable while elevating the White House’s public-facing platforms. Fostered opportunities for interaction between the administration and public, articulating key priorities through digital channels, and championing the role of design in effecting change within the public sector. Balanced immediate news needs with long-term strategic campaign solutions.Key Achievements:• Website Redesign: Led the modernization of WhiteHouse.gov (archived at ObamaWhiteHouse.gov), ensuring the platform met current responsive design and accessibility standards for optimal user experience.• State of the Union Innovation: Developed innovative digital strategies and designs for the 2015 and 2016 State of the Union addresses, engaging online audiences in fresh and compelling ways.• Enhanced Petition Experience: Revamped the We the People platform (archived at Petitions.ObamaWhiteHouse.Archives.gov), significantly improving the user experience for more than 5 million monthly visitors petitioning the White House.• Digital Achievements Catalog: Compiled a comprehensive digital catalog showcasing the accomplishments of the Obama administration.• Iconic Symbol Creation: Designed the rainbow iconography for the White House, symbolizing global celebration in response to the Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage across the U.S.

Delivered comprehensive visual direction and digital strategy for the Obama administration, encompassing graphic and web design, content strategy, information graphics, and illustration. Provided design solutions for various policy offices. Collaboratively working across functions, developed a wide array of social media content aimed at informing the public about White House policies, humanizing the presidency, engaging Americans, and fostering interaction with the administration. Designed and occasionally coded digital campaigns to support major White House policy initiatives across web and social platforms.Key Achievements:• Policy Simplification: Created animated videos that distill complex policies into easy-to-understand, bite-sized, and shareable formats.• Maker Faire Branding: Developed the brand identity for the inaugural White House Maker Faire, highlighting the U.S. commitment to innovation and creativity.• Climate Change Campaign: Established the branding for President Obama's climate change initiative, including a comprehensive interactive infographic used for over four years.• Content Hub Creation: Designed and managed an online platform for shareable White House content across various issue areas.• Budget Design: Crafted the cover designs for the 2013 and 2014 United States budgets.• White House Application: Co-designed the first-ever White House mobile applications and their promotions.• Social Media Innovations: Co-created the inaugural White House Tumblr page and President Obama's official Facebook page.

Led the management of directors responsible for programming, communications, education, mentoring, the Design Continuum Scholarship, membership, and the AIGA 50 competition and gala. Developed initiatives to strengthen the local design community, support future designers, forge lasting partnerships, and highlight outstanding regional design.