Ashley Harris Philippsen is the executive director of ImpactTulsa, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring over 100,000 Tulsa youth are on a path toward economic mobility by 2030. At ImpactTulsa, Ashley leads cross-sector collaborations that shift power, resources, and practices to create equitable opportunities for all students. Recognized as one of the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Model Communities, her work has demonstrated transformative community impact through evidence-based initiatives.

Ashley began her career as a 2007 Teach For America corps member in Houston, where her five years with YES Prep shaped her beliefs about educational equity and liberation. Her work with students and families deepened her commitment to creating enabling conditions that support students’ lives in and outside the classroom. This commitment guided her leadership roles at Teach For America Oklahoma, Leadership Tulsa, Met Cares, and the Mayor’s Office of Tulsa, where she spearheaded inclusive urban planning and Tulsa Race Massacre initiatives, prioritizing community voices in policymaking.

Ashley serves as chair of the Tulsa Development Authority and as a trustee on the Tulsa Authority for Economic Development. She also serves on the boards of the Oklahoma Media Center, Oklahoma Policy, Tulsa Higher Ed Consortium, Leadership Tulsa, and Met Cares. In 2021, she was named an Oklahoma Forty under Forty recipient.

Ashley holds a Master of Human Relations with an emphasis in organizational dynamics and social justice and a Bachelor of Arts in Letters, both from the University of Oklahoma, where she graduated magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

A passionate student of history and literature, Ashley brings a nuanced understanding of cultural and historical contexts to her work, challenging conventional thinking to co-create systems where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.