Ashley Edwards is a youth mental health expert and technology innovator. She is also a startup and corporate advisor. Forbes recognized her as a 30 Under 30 social entrepreneur. The publication named her one of the top “Healers” set to shape the future of mental health, social innovation, and racial equity. Her work has appeared in ELLE, Business Insider, and Inc. She focuses on using technology to advance equity, healing, and justice.
Ashley grew up in New Jersey. She attended Yale University, where she received the Yale Franciscus Fellowship in Entrepreneurship. During her time at Yale, she discovered her passion for social innovation. She traveled to Haiti, Hong Kong, and Uganda to support sustainability and development efforts. After graduating, she moved to Newark, NJ, and began her career managing operations for a charter high school.
Her experience in urban education sparked her passion for creating healing opportunities for youth from marginalized communities. These youth often face trauma and lack access to mental health resources. This drove her to earn an M.B.A. and M.A. in Education from Stanford University. At Stanford, she received the Miller Social Change Leadership Award and served as President of the Black Business Student Association.
Currently, Ashley is the Founder and CEO of MindRight Health. This tech startup makes mental health care accessible and inclusive for underserved communities. She is the first Black female founder in New Jersey to raise over $1 million in venture capital. At the time, she was one of only 35 to achieve this in the U.S.
In addition to leading MindRight Health, Ashley advises organizations such as Forbes, Zoom, and NewSchools Venture Fund. She provides insights on social impact, racial equity, and mental health.
