2024 40 Under 40 Winners

Ashley Wilson has demonstrated exceptional leadership during healthcare’s most challenging times, particularly throughout the COVID pandemic. Promoted from Director of Strategic Initiatives to Chief Strategy Officer at Ascension Texas Foundations, she and her team quickly adapted to meet unprecedented needs, providing crucial support like PPE, meals, and encouragement for caregivers, while achieving record fundraising results. Ashley’s commitment to her community is evident through her involvement in numerous philanthropic causes, including raising vital funds for NICU support after her daughter’s 31-day stay, and serving organizations such as LIVESTRONG, Dress for Success, and Hand to Hold. Over six years, she has significantly expanded her team, overseen innovative projects, and driven a 60% year-over-year revenue growth, earning her accolades like Becker’s Hospital Review’s 50 Great Health System Chief Strategy Officers in 2022 and Hand to Hold’s Central Texas NICU Champion in 2023.

I was fortunate enough to be served by our mission before becoming an associate. My first daughter was born at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin at just 32.5 weeks and spent 31 days in the NICU. The doctors, nurses, and care team took such great care of us. As I grew a career in nonprofit leadership in Austin, I was recruited to join the Foundations team where my family's personal health journey collided with my career.

As a mission-driven leader, healthcare philanthropy allows me a career that brings fulfillment and true impact to our community—impact that is very personal to me. Our foundations not only funded the first NICU in Central Texas, which provided my daughter's care, but I have been privileged to see our team work to grow our breast cancer services after my mother’s breast cancer diagnosis, to fundraise to open our region's first abdominal transplant clinic after my nephew’s kidney transplant, and to build the campaign for growth of our pediatric heart team after my brother’s congenital heart defect death. It is an honor to work in healthcare philanthropy and for our mission.

In 2012, I moved from for-profit work to nonprofit work with the Livestrong Foundation. That was also the year everything changed for Livestrong amidst Lance Armstrong’s professional cycling career controversy. The organization would lose its founder and largest donors or supporters. I would then spend almost six years learning, growing, and helping to lead and define Livestrong's mission forward amidst crisis and adversity. It would shape me into a better leader with a passion for philanthropy and the knowledge of how it can truly change the world.

My greatest passion is my family. My family is why I do what I do everyday and who made me who I am today. From my career in healthcare philanthropy to my community leadership or mentorship of young women, I want to leave the world better than I found it for my three daughters. I believe to whom much is given much is required.

To remember philanthropy is always for the betterment of the mission and community. You are not asking someone to donate to you, you are asking them to donate to the future healthcare they or their family or neighbor may need one day. Philanthropy allows them to be a part of the foundation of an organization to ensure it meets the needs of the community it is privileged to serve. We cannot do this alone. Community and donor investment help accelerate our healthcare growth, while also caring for those most in need. Great healthcare has always been created in partnership with the community and donors.