Ashley Johnson Email & Phone Number

Anthropologist, Nonprofit, Grief and LossI am passionate about building a strong nonprofit network by creating opportunities for leaders to connect and collaborate. “None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.” -Mother Teresa Through my work as Program Supervisor at Samaritas, I realized the strength in bringing nonprofits together to meet the needs of the community as a unified force. My experience running the Afghan Placement and Assistance program is a testament to the impact that a united network of nonprofits can have. Through collaborative efforts, Samaritas led the resettlement of 300 imminently arriving refugees following the crisis in Afghanistan. We provided culturally appropriate food, housing, healthcare, clothing, worship, and more by joining forces with dozens of nonprofits and religious organizations. After taking a bereavement leave due to the unexpected passing of my mother from COVID, I returned to the nonprofit world with the intention of shifting my focus from supporting an individual nonprofit to supporting the Southeast, MI nonprofit ecosystem as a whole. So, I joined the team at Michigan Community Resources where I leverage my experience in the sector to navigate resources that benefit nonprofits, contributing to more equitable access and opportunity. I obtained both my Master’s (2021) and my Bachelor’s (2019) in Anthropology from Wayne State University. My undergraduate studies focused on bioarchaeological methods, including an internship in Sicily, Italy working with the population of Himera from 400 B.C. I specialized in dental anthropology. My graduate studies focused on applied anthropology and I made a shift towards working in nonprofit management. I completed a year of AmeriCorps with the American Red Cross Disaster Services program during my Master’s to aid in the transition. I am an open book about my experiences in the nonprofit world, navigating my career through grief and loss, and utilizing an anthropology degree for work outside academia. Please feel free to reach out and chat with me!