Ashley McCarthy
Ashley McCarthy is a strategic human resources and talent acquisition professional whose career has been built around helping people, solving problems, and creating stronger workplace cultures. Based in the United States, Ashley has worked across social services, healthcare, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, bringing a people-first approach to every role she takes on. She currently serves as Director of People Success at Vurvey Labs while also leading her own consulting practice through Full Count Consulting. Known for her authenticity, empathy, and honesty, Ashley specializes in transforming HR from a support function into a true strategic business partner.
Ashley began her career in social services after studying sociology and psychology at Bowling Green State University. She worked in community health, homelessness prevention, and family self-sufficiency programs before discovering a passion for recruiting and talent acquisition. In 2014, she transitioned into healthcare recruitment, where she recruited physicians, nurse practitioners, executives, and other leadership roles across hospitals and dental organizations, including UC Health and Aspen Dental. Her ability to connect with people, understand organizational needs, and uncover hard-to-find talent helped her build a reputation as a proactive recruiter with a talent for solving even the most difficult hiring challenges.
Over the years, Ashley expanded her expertise into cybersecurity and technology, spending several years with Vigilant before joining Vurvey Labs in 2025. She has become known for her work in recruiting across highly competitive sectors such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, information technology, healthcare, and executive leadership. Ashley believes in giving candidates complete transparency so they can make informed decisions, and she sees every hiring decision as something that can change the course of a person’s life. Her leadership style combines strategic thinking with compassion, making her a trusted advocate for both employees and organizations alike.
• Learning Personal Branding
• Making Quick Decisions
• Grit: How Teams Persevere to Accomplish Great Goals
• Influencing Others
• Communicating with Confidence
• Using Questions to Foster Critical Thinking and Curiosity
• Critical Thinking for Better Judgment and Decision-Making
• Subtle Shifts in Thinking for Tremendous Resilience
• Cultivating Mental Agility
• Building Resilience as a Leader
• Become an Inclusive Leader
• Communicating about Culturally Sensitive Issues
• Bowling Green State University- B.A.
• Character Award
• Best Places to Work Finalist
• SourceCon
• American Cancer Society
• UC YMCA Parkinson’s Disease Exercise Initiative
• Girls on the Run Greater Cincinnati
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of the best pieces of advice I received was the term 'wait' - which stands for 'why am I talking?' This taught me not to just jump in and say something for the sake of making my presence known, because you run the risk of looking like you don't know what you're talking about. Instead, it's better to be present to observe and listen. That advice really stuck with me and changed how I approach professional situations.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't ever apologize for asking questions or asking questions to provide yourself reassurance. That isn't a weakness - it actually showcases that clarity of communication is equally as important to you as communication itself. For women trying to transition into tech, the world is our oyster to learn it. Sometimes just being at the table is a great step before jumping into needing to have a say at the table. I've learned that I'm such a people pleaser that I have to turn that off sometimes, because I need to ask myself: am I people-pleasing because I'm trying to read the room and be proactive, or am I being reactive? Having that sixth sense and being able to read a room helps. And remember, you only get what you have the courage to ask for, so don't be afraid to ask questions, even if it's numerous times. It's better to receive clarity than to feel like you don't know. Give yourself some grace - it's okay to ask the question a few times or go back to the drawing board again. At some point, I realized what was considered socially acceptable versus what was being a female and having felt professionally diminished, and taking back that power and paying it forward is tenfold.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
With the landscape of technology changing, I want to stay ahead of the AI that's happening while still showcasing my own company's values that our AI is powered by people. I enjoy being that first interaction with my candidates to show that we walk the walk, we don't just walk the talk. I want to continue being an advocate that AI doesn't have to be scary - it doesn't have to be that we're all wearing microchips or whatever. There's a real opportunity to demonstrate that AI and human connection can work together.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
What's most important to me is making sure people feel safe and also, equally as important, appreciated. I like being in places where I can be myself, where I don't have to mask or put on a facade. I'm a homebody, but I'm definitely the mom who's decorating the dugout with streamers and stuff, because once morale goes down, that's it. If it looks like a party, let's keep the cheers going. I just try to be there for everybody and always make everybody feel safe. I think people just need a safe space to vent and share ideas. I put motivational cards on people's cubicles, send them in the mail, put them on desks of new hires - if somebody's having a bad day, it's just some kind of pick-me-up. A little bit of kindness goes a long way.