Meet Ashley Kirk.
TGS ATL MEMBER SINCE 2022
Meet Ashley Kirk.
| Ashley Kirk is an influential health policy leader and claims her full power to advocate for others to improve equity standards for vulnerable populations. She’s spent the last 12 years operationalizing Medicaid policy and finance, partnership, and client servicing engagement strategies for managed care plans (MCPs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and large public and private hospital systems who have a primary interest in helping underrepresented low-income communities gain access to appropriate healthcare services in California as well as several other several other states including Colorado, Washington, and Nevada. Aside from her superior expertise in healthcare policy and finance, Ashley is the Co-Founder of Empower Us Agency, a start-up that supports Black high-growth entrepreneurs and connect them to VC funding as well as provide health-policy client service & consulting for Black candidates running for office. Fun Fact: Ashley recently took the leap of faith and drove 2,400 miles across the country to make Atlanta her new home for personal exploration and a fresh start. She wanted a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the Oakland/San Francisco Bay area. |
GET TO KNOW ASHLEY.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT TGS?
I love how genuine, kind, supportive and ambitious TGS Members are. TGS , to me, is the epitome of a solid community of people from different backgrounds connected by our drive and courage to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful change for the Black community that is unique to us.
As a newbie to Atlanta, everyone I’ve met and interacted with at TGS are great folks and they are exactly the right people I want to surround myself with. Everyone makes me feel like I belong and it’s a great feeling. I look forward to spreading that same vibe and good energy back with folks I meet.
WHAT IS One piece of advice you’d share with your younger self?
One piece of advice I would tell my younger self is to not take life too serious and travel as much as possible. I focused so much on trying to make the right decisions, connections and meeting my professional goals that I forgot about my personal happiness and the joys of seeing the world and just living.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a scientist.
What’s one HIDDEN SKILL OR TALENT THAT YOU POSSESS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW?
I am a samba dancer in Rio de Janiero, Brazil and frequent every year for Carnival. I also go to train with my samba/afro samba teachers there throughout the year.
Connect with Ashley online at Empower Us Agency.