Her Story
About Ashley
Ashley Sorensen is a Managing Planner and Air Quality Specialist at Anchor QEA, where she plays a key role in leading and growing the firm's air quality, climate, and sustainability practice. Over the course of more than a decade in the environmental consulting field, she has built a career centered on developing and managing programs that address air quality standards, climate impact, and long-term sustainability goals. Her professional path has taken her through a range of respected organizations, including Chevron, Ramboll, Joby Aviation, and Geosyntec Consultants, where she gained broad experience in emissions inventories, air dispersion modeling, health risk assessments, permitting, and corporate sustainability strategy.
A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ashley earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, with a minor in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Her time at MIT, where she was also a nationally ranked hammer thrower and Academic All American on the varsity track and field team, helped shape her drive to apply engineering principles toward environmental improvement, particularly through pollution control and renewable energy solutions. She remains connected to the honor societies Tau Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon, and is a member of the Air and Waste Management Association.
Guided by values of integrity, honesty, and determination, Ashley approaches her work with a strong sense of purpose, striving daily to help individuals and businesses strengthen their environmental performance. She credits her professional growth to a persistent curiosity and commitment to excellence, and she is passionate about mentoring the next generation of women in her field, encouraging them to seize opportunities, advocate for themselves, and pursue the projects that matter most to them.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ashley
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my love of learning new things and my natural curiosity, which drives me to keep asking questions. I strive for excellence in everything I do, pay close attention to detail, and stay motivated by the desire to make a difference every day.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is not to take criticism personally, but instead to learn from it so I can continue to improve. I've also learned to be bold and to speak up, because my opinion matters.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women entering this industry to make the most of every position and every opportunity that comes their way, since there's always something valuable to gain from it. I'd also tell them not to be afraid to advocate for themselves, whether that means putting their name forward for projects they're interested in or taking small, deliberate steps through conversations that move them closer to where they want to be.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I see the biggest opportunity in my field as continuing to help individuals and businesses improve their air quality, while supporting them in growing stronger every day.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, honesty, and determination are the values I hold most important, both at work and in my personal life. I believe in encouraging and supporting the people around me, and I try to bring positivity to others by leading through example.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.