Ashley Vang
she/her/hers
Executive Assistant to the President/CEO and Board Liaison
Joined Northwest Area Foundation: September 2024
EMAIL“Life is not what you alone make it. Life is the input of everyone who touched your life and every experience that entered it. We are all part of one another.” — Yuri Kochiyama
Connection, relationship building, and collaboration are key facets of Ashley’s life. At the Foundation, she provides high-level support to our president and CEO Kevin Walker, while also serving as the liaison between Kevin and our internal and external stakeholders. She supports board meetings, manages board logistics, and ensures the smooth functioning of the president/CEO’s office.
In her most recent position at College Possible in St. Paul, MN, Ashley had a similar role. She served as the point of contact for external communications to numerous executive directors, provided administrative support to the executive team, managed relationships with contract vendors, and ensured 70+ team members had supplies and clear policies.
She first began honing her communication skills working with autistic students during the early years of her career. She has a bachelor’s in elementary education from Crown College in St. Bonifacius, MN.
Her experiences growing up as a first-generation Hmong/Asian American are central to who she is. Her parents emigrated from Laos with no knowledge of the English language or our country’s culture. As a tribute to them and how hard they worked to give her opportunities to thrive, Ashley has made it her mission to live a life devoted to helping others and giving back to underserved communities like those supported by the Foundation.
In all areas of her life, Ashley strives to create a welcoming space for others where people can come for a listening ear, an open mind, and ideas on how to solve problems.
From friendship to food to music to family, Ashley is all in. She’s a fan of MasterChef and is game for trying just about any food. Or you might find her playing her guitar, as she once did for a small girls band. But without a doubt, she’s happiest investing time in her family—exploring parks, meandering on trails, or just hanging out with her husband and daughters.