A native of Montgomery, AL, Ashley has lived in Birmingham since 2004.  She is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College where she received a Bachelors of Music in Orchestral Performance and a Bachelors of Science in Psychology.  In 2010, she completed a Masters of Education in Marriage and Family Counseling from the University of Montevallo.  Most recently, Ashley completed the Alabama Association of Nonprofit’s inaugural “Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute” in April 2012.
 
While working towards her degrees, Ashley began seeking opportunities and experiences in Birmingham’s nonprofit sector with organizations such as AIDS Alabama.  In addition, she has worked on numerous political campaigns. Passionate about justice and equality, and because of her nonprofit workexperience, Ashley chose early on to stay in Alabama to continue her work towards social change.  In 2011, Ashley was a Reflection Group Leader for LEIClass X where she was able to see first-hand the impact the LEI program has on the lives of the young women it serves.  She is excited about continuing this work and advancing Leading Edge Institute’s mission.
 
Happily married, with two dogs and a cat, Ashley resides in Helena, Alabama and is an active member of Baptist Church of the Covenant. 




Dr. Suzanne Martin has been working with Leading Edge since 2006, initially in the position of Program Director.  In 2009 she agreed to serve as interim Executive Director and did so for three years.  She has now returned to her role as Program Director.  In this position Suzanne has developed the curriculum and provided the leadership training for our women.  In 2000 Suzanne brought three Samford women to the inaugural Summer Institute and has not missed one since. After 15 years of student affairs work at Samford, Suzanne transitioned into an adjunct faculty position that allowed her to serve the Leading Edge more directly. She is a member of the local chapter of Bread for the World and Alabama Citizens for Constitution Reform (ACCR) and the Homewood Environmental Commission. At Baptist Church of the Covenant, Suzanne serves as the chair of the Justice Issues Forum, a group that educates and equips the membership on issues that affect the “least of these” and require advocacy. Suzanne is wife to Mike, mother to sons Micah and Sumner. Suzanne loves to cook (and eat), attempts to garden, reads when possible, and loves yoga at 6 a.m.!