Her Story
About Ashley
I've been a professional journalist for 20 years, and my journey started when I was still a student at Ohio University School of Journalism. I began as a columnist for my school newspaper, writing a column called 'The Other Side' that focused on perspectives most people don't hear. In 2007, one of my columns went viral and was published by Townhall.com, which launched my career. Since then, I've been published in major outlets including the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner, PJ Media, the Daily Wire, and the Heartland Institute. I work as an independent journalist, represented by Point Made LLC, and I write on a wide range of topics, with healthcare and education being particularly important to me. What sets me apart is that I'm largely self-taught beyond my college education. I didn't have professional connections or extensive training when I started. I developed my research skills by being a prolific reader, consuming news from both conservative and liberal sources, following think tanks and nonprofits on all sides, and even reading multiple books on subjects I needed to cover. I'm also passionate about historical fiction writing and have independently published novels based on my Irish immigrant ancestors' stories, all set in Cleveland and the Great Lakes region. My books include 'Burning River' and 'Lake Erie Monsters,' and they're available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books A Million.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ashley
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being willing to do the footwork on my own and having low expectations in the beginning. I did this because I was really passionate about it. I didn't go in expecting to immediately make a lot of money off the bat. I started writing about the issues I cared about most, what was going on in college campuses when I was there. You have to actually love what you're writing, not just thinking that it's gonna go viral or you're gonna get famous for it or anything like that. You have to care about the stories that you're covering. I never wanted to just print fallacious stories trying to get clicks. I wanted to have a well-written piece that was very well researched. I wanted it to be rock solid. I didn't want anyone to come along saying, this is clearly not true, or you're just showing one side. I did go viral several times, but that was just because of the hard work I did and the fact that it was well done and well sourced.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is to follow your own path with journalism. There's a lot of formulaic journalism out there. I decided that my column in college, called 'The Other Side,' would focus on things that people are not looking at, perspectives that most people don't hear. I wouldn't just rely on standard sources like Reuters or the newswire. I would go looking for unique voices and unique sources. You have to not limit your perspective to just one political viewpoint. You have to read all of them in order to get a true understanding. You have to understand the other side and where they're coming from, or even if you're just arguing against it. You have to have those sources, and you have to be willing to talk to people.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say spend less time in front of the camera and more time behind it, behind the scenes. Like I said, read all sorts of sources from both sides, or all sides, international sources, books. Not just social media, not just online news sources, but actually go to books written about the subject. You have to be well-researched. Don't just practice your camera presence. You have to know what you're talking about.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think anyone can be a journalist these days. Obviously, a lot of people get their news from social media now. The thing is, you have to have something to offer. Since anyone can get on TikTok or on Facebook with a video camera and a mic, you have to find some way to stand out to make your work better. Some people think that being more outrageous or chasing more salacious stories is gonna do it. I say just being good at what you do and finding good sources, finding the right stories, knowing how to cover it, finding people to interview is much more important. There is a lot of opposition, but you have to find ways to stand out that don't equal becoming a spectacle. You have to put the work into it.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty is extremely important to me. I've definitely tried to check my work for unfair bias or slant. Integrity is crucial. I always try to be fair to my sources. I don't take quotes out of context, I don't try to ask questions just to get what I want to hear. I let my sources speak, and I make sure to accurately reflect what they have told me. It is very easy to chop up quotes and take things out of context and twist words into something people didn't say, and I try not to do that.
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