Ashley Hodges

Ashley was appointed Chief Executive of Young Citizens in 2021. She has previously held senior leadership roles within education and social mobility charities including as the founding Executive Director and CEO of the UK charity Speakers for Schools in 2013. Her career to date has focused on innovative design of education initiatives that bring together strong cross-sector collaboration to increased equitability of opportunities, inclusion and support for young people from under-served and disadvantaged backgrounds. A former Barack Obama Campaign staffer and community organiser, she has alongside her education experience a long-held interest in how we drive civic participation through democratic dialogue, community engagement and nurturing civic identity. She previously served as Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors at Welbourne Primary School, in Tottenham, North London, and is currently a trustee at Elizabeth House Community Centre in Finsbury Park and a non-executive director of Democracy Club.