Her Story
About Dr. Ashley
Ashley Kolb, EdD, is a District Partnership Manager at NextPath, bringing 17 years of experience across K-12 education and educational technology to her current role. She began her career as a special education teacher working with students with autism, an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to problem-solving, goal-setting, and optimism in the face of complex challenges. She went on to serve as a school counselor and District RTI Coordinator in the Appleton Area School District, where her work on data-driven decision-making and RTI implementation earned district recognition, and she was later named Teacher of the Year in 2019 from Illluminate Education. Ashley subsequently served as Elementary Principal and then Director of Pupil Services in the Neenah Joint School District, where she led systems and supports for students at a district-wide level, including a social-emotional learning and character-development initiative that earned strong staff buy-in and helped reduce major behavioral incidents. Ashley holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Edgewood University, a Master of Education in School Psychology from Concordia University-Wisconsin, and a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from UW-Oshkosh. Her doctoral research centered on retention and resiliency among special education teachers, an issue she considers one of the most pressing in the field today, particularly as educators contend with rising administrative demands and constrained state budgets. She has also taught graduate courses in Educational Leadership and currently serves as a dissertation chair for doctoral candidates at Edgewood College, extending her expertise in systems building and leadership to the next generation of educators. In her current role at NextPath, Ashley partners directly with school districts to help districts strengthen their MTSS systems and make strong data based decisions while examining the whole child. She views this work as a natural extension of the systems-building mindset she developed throughout her career as a teacher, counselor, and administrator. Beyond her professional life, Ashley is active with professional organizations and volunteers as a nursing home advocate through Volunteer Fox Cities, where she supports residents in building resiliency — reflecting her enduring belief that meaningful, lasting change comes from listening closely to people's needs and building the right systems to support them.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dr. Ashley
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the foundation I built early in my career in special education, which taught me to approach challenges from multiple angles, find solutions where none seem obvious, and stay optimistic even in difficult circumstances. As I moved through roles as a teacher, counselor, RTI coordinator, principal, and Director of Pupil Services, I developed a deep expertise in building systems and leading change. Above all, my success comes down to passion and heart — I care about taking something complex, understanding its moving parts, and finding ways to make it work better for the people who depend on it.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received didn't come in words so much as in example. I come from a lineage of strong women — my mother, who I sadly lost to cancer while finishing my doctorate, along with my grandmother and my aunt — who instilled in me the strength to never give up, and that has stayed with me throughout my career. My former superintendent, Dr. Mary Pfeiffer, who held her position for fifteen years, also took me under her wing and opened doors for me, bringing me into spaces alongside other superintendents that helped me grow and build genuine relationships, some of which I'm fortunate to continue fostering in my current role.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering this field to lead with passion and dedication. The days in this profession are long, so it's essential that the work aligns with your values and that service feels like your greatest reward — that alignment is what will keep you on the path and help you hold onto optimism through the harder moments.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
State funding and budget cuts remain a persistent and growing challenge for schools and teachers. Teacher retention is one of the issues I continue to see most, and it was actually the focus of my doctoral research, which examined retention and resiliency factors among special education teachers specifically. I've seen firsthand how demanding this profession is, especially as teachers juggle growing responsibilities like IEPs, 504 plans, and administrative requirements with limited resources. At the same time, I see real opportunity in technology — artificial intelligence and other educational tools like NextPath Education have the potential to ease administrative burdens and free up educators to focus on their students, even as districts continue to navigate tight budgets.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value professional communities that move beyond transactional relationships to tackle the bigger challenges facing education, which is part of why my connection with organizations like WASDA and AASA have meant so much to me. Ultimately, I want my work to create impact that extends beyond my individual role. That's also what draws me to my volunteer work as a nursing home advocate with Volunteer Fox Cities, supporting residents and helping them build resiliency — it reflects the same values that have guided my career: listening to people, understanding their needs, building systems that support them, and helping them move forward.
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