Profound and magical
things are possible when
we work together.
Let’s tap into the wisdom that lives amidst our differences and all that’s possible when we are invested in moving forward together.
Sharing 20+ years of experience
facilitating people in the processes of
LEARNING
COLLABORATNG
& HEALING
People hire Ashley to
Facilitate community engagement and meaningful conversations
Design and convene learning experiences
Foster a more equitable, compassionate, and collaborative culture
Clarify a game plan and take the next steps towards more love, fluency, and collaboration in their life, organization, family, and/or community
Clients are nonprofits, schools, municipalities, businesses, philanthropic foundations, and grassroots initiatives (see examples of past work). These are determined individuals, mission-driven organizations, and groups that are ready for support to move forward intentionally and in connected, inclusive ways.
About me
Hi, I’m Ashley Cooper (my current favorite nicknames are AC and Ms. Two Rivers).
I was recently told that I’m a combination of soft, caring, direct, and diligently efficient; that people feel seen and heard with me while also experiencing my willingness to say the difficult thing or name the hard truth in order to support moving forward in meaningful ways. I appreciated this person seeing both my thoughtfulness and care mixed with a deep devotion for actual collaboration that supports learning, collective action, and healing. My work is a practice of cultivating more love, collaboration, and intentional action in groups, individuals, our society, and myself.
My approach is creative, relational, centers direct and consistent communication, and courageous when necessary. If our passion for what’s possible or respect for one another align, we are capable of creating powerful, magical experiences together.
I use she/her or they/them pronouns.
Why I Do This Work
I believe that each person has unique perspectives and insight and that everyone has a right to thrive. I feel heartache witnessing people being denied basic human rights and blocked from opportunities to contribute their gifts and experience joy. My work as a facilitator, educator, consultant, organizer, and evaluator is a practice of cultivating a more loving and just world. I cherish when the work feels like play and my colleagues are also friends.
My hope and intention is to partner with colleagues and clients in ways that allow us to do meaningful work while relating with each other in ways that offer care and connection in the face of the violence of injustice; where we experience tastes of liberation; and where I deepen and live more fully into my own humanity.
Offerings and Services
Community-Guided / Participatory Process
Consulting and Facilitation
Community co-creation. The people who a project, initiative, or decision impacts are engaged in processes to discern, understand, imagine, or implement what happens. The perspectives, insights, strategies, and existing relationships of people central to the matter are the expertise drawn upon to clarify direction and approach. Ashley (and other supportive, accountability partners) offer strategic direction, thought partnership, facilitation, and project management support. The approach is shaped by formal training and direct experiences with groups and communities of many sizes and compositions learning and moving forward together.
Collaboration and Team Dynamics
Because we are better together.
- Strengthening collaborative and co-creative skills within groups and teams.
- Facilitating community-wide or multi-stakeholder conversations and experiences.
- Growing muscles to move forward in caring, courageous, efficient, and collaborative ways.
Designing and Facilitating Learning Environments
Program/Initiative Evaluation
- What did we intend to do? What are we doing? How is it going? What are we learning? Now what?
- What is having a valuable impact? What obstacles are inhibiting positive movement? What outcomes are emerging from the efforts?
- What to continue? What to adapt? What to stop doing?
The methodologies and data points of evaluation processes center learning priorities for those involved in implementing the program or initiative. Data generated is also of value for funders and other relevant parties. People’s direct experiences inform the data and the people connected to the matter make sense of the data shared.
Trust-Based Philanthropy
- Some people have access to finances that are beyond personal/familial needs and desires and thus are able to invest in individuals and initiatives that are at the frontlines of enhancing more wellbeing in the communities they all live in.
- There are brilliant and creative people with direct knowledge, coherent strategies, cultural investment, and the personal relationships necessary to address existing community challenges.
- People can be trusted to use resources in ways that serve collaboration, healing, and community wellbeing.
Facilitating processes and connections between donors and grassroots initiatives led by local leaders. Communicating the opportunities and advantages of trust-based giving and initiatives that promote self-governance and financial decision-making autonomy with accountability.
A focus of this work is to create a safe-enough space where people can be brave and take necessary risks.
With me the journey isn’t always comfortable, but we move in a positive direction and people feel supported as they grow to be the badass individuals or group that the moment requires.
MY PATH
I am an expression of all the people I’ve learned from, the work of others that my approach grows out of, and formal and informal teachers.
I began as a preschool teacher, developed into a school counselor and social and emotional educator for adults and children, co-founded a multi-generational leadership organization, and grew a coaching, consulting, and faciliation business that continues today. I’ve worked with tens of thousands of people, from demanding and curious 4 year-olds to creative Executive Directors; board chairs, motivated teenagers, burnt-out organizers, idealist teachers, mission-driven organizations, social justice foundations, and grassroots nonprofits.
For the last 17 years, I’ve intentionally learned from Black, Brown and Indigenous colleagues, thought leaders, authors, and, most powerfully, the lived experiences of people I’m in community with and the lessons from our collaborations. I am grateful to and could never name all of the folks with whom I have learned and been on this journey. I’m especially grateful to youth for sharing their brilliance.
My life has consistently revealed that truly innovative and healing paths towards a more loving and just world are seeded with the wisdom, compassion, and power that comes from following the guideance of the people who have lived experience with the matter at hand.
I am a white woman, Jewish, queer, Southern, and constantly evolving; willing and able to move with the integrity and humility that is necessary in multi-racial collaborations to bring these visions to life.
MORE INFO
Examples of Past Work
Community Engagement
- Consulted with two rural county municipalities to implement a 10-month community-guided learning process around substance use to gather recommendations for spending Opioid Settlement funds and strengthen partnerships amongst local constituents. Used a Participatory Narrative Inquiry methodology.
- Partnered with the State of Black Asheville to pilot a Tuition Reparations initiative to support financial relief from student indebtedness for Black youth and to provide an opportunity for individuals who have personally benefited from racial discrimination to directly contribute financial resources.
Group Facilitation Trainings and Workshops
- Co-lead a semester long graduate studies course with Lenoir Rhyne University that was also open to local community leaders: Leading Through Engagement and Facilitation.
- Consulted with Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) to co-design and deliver a facilitation training program to develop skills in FTE’s unique facilitation methods.
Program Design and Curriculum Review
- Co-designed and co-facilitated staff training for summer camp counselors around how to cultivate community and belonging.
- Partnered with Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Faith in Women, and Collabyrinth Consulting to co-design and co-facilitate a Fellowship for Leaders of Moral Courage for faith leaders focused on reproductive dignity.
- Partnered with Faith Matters Network to review the curriculum for the Daring Compassion: Movement Chaplaincy course.
Racial Equity and Anti-Racism Trainings and Practice Groups
- Workshops, trainings, and equity coaching, co-facilitated with Black and Brown colleagues.
- Affinity groups for White and Jewish people.
Resumé
Click here to see Ashley’s Resumé
Short Bio
Ashley Cooper believes in the goodness of humans — in our abilities to collaboratively address the complex challenges we face and care for one another along the way. She is a consultant, faciliator, educator, community organizer, and coach with over 20 years experience working with thousands of people in schools, foundations, nonprofits and grassroots initiatives. Ashley’s approach is relationship-oriented, systemic in scope, and centers equity. She partners with determined individuals, mission-driven organizations and companies, and philanthropic foundations to co-design experiences that move forward in intentional and compassionate ways.
Full Bio
Profound and magical things are possible when we work together. That’s what more than 20 years of experience facilitating the processes of learning, collaborating, and healing has revealed to Ashley Cooper. As an educator, facilitator, coach, consultant, and community organizer, she’s witnessed the wisdom that comes alive when people of various ages, races, genders, class, cognitive, emotional and physical abilities, and life experiences lean into similarities and find strength and power in the differences. She’s also experienced the learning and growth that is possible and necessary when people convene in affinity groups to learn from and with others who share identities and life experiences.
Ashley’s work is a practice of cultivating a more loving and just world. Her focus is to create a safe-enough space where people can be brave and take necessary risks; actions that support shifting current conditions that limit human rights and collaboratively addressing the complex challenges we face while caring for one another along the way. Her approach is relationship-oriented, systemic in scope, and centers equity.
She partners with determined individuals, mission-driven organizations and companies, and philanthropic foundations to co-design experiences that move forward in intentional and compassionate ways.
Beginning her career as a preschool teacher, Ashley developed into a school counselor and social and emotional educator for adults and children. She co-founded a multi-generational leadership organization and grew a coaching and consulting business that continues today. Her experience has repeatedly shown that truly innovative and healing paths towards a more loving and just world are seeded with the wisdom, compassion, and power that comes from following the guidance of the people who have lived experience with the matter at hand. Ashley is a white woman, Jewish, queer, and constantly evolving. She’s willing and able to move with the integrity and humility that is necessary in multi-racial collaborations to bring these visions to life. She consistently shows up with authenticity, deep listening, and respect for whoever is in the room. For the last 17 years, she has intentionally learned from Black, Brown and Indigenous colleagues, thought leaders, authors, and, most powerfully, the lived experiences of people with whom she’s in community. Her courage, willingness, and ability to challenge is grounded in compassion and lived experience.
Because accountability for Ashley’s actions and the outcomes of her work are essential, Ashley collaborates in multiracial teams for all work that has anything to do with racial inequity.
