Ashley Womble, MPH

A career at the intersection

Ashley's career spans journalism, marketing, public affairs, and large-scale health interventions — all grounded in a core belief: seeking help should be seen as a strength, not a weakness.

She is known for translating complex policy into plain language, pairing rigorous data with human stories, and driving reforms that expand access without compromising safety or standards.

Building the Maternal Mental Health Hotline

Ashley served as Project Director for the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, where she led the creation of the first-ever 24/7 national phone and text line for pregnant and postpartum individuals.

With $6 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she built the hotline from the ground up — designing operations, training programs, crisis protocols, and public-facing messaging to meet the urgent needs of women and families navigating mental health crises.

The hotline launched under the Biden Administration and quickly became a trusted, nationwide safety net for people who had long been overlooked by the healthcare system.

Expanding crisis access

Previously, Ashley served as Vice President of Public Affairs at Crisis Text Line, where she oversaw government affairs, communications, partnerships, and international expansion.

During her tenure, she advocated to Congress and the FCC to expand crisis texting into the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, making it easier for people — especially young people — to access help discreetly.

She led global campaigns with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and led Crisis Text Line's media strategy during COVID, generating more than 500 media stories including coverage in CNN and The New York Times.

Why Therapy Without Borders

Ashley founded Therapy Without Borders to address one of the most persistent — and solvable — failures in the mental health system: state-based licensing rules that disrupt care when people cross state lines.

Her work through the organization is sharply focused on advancing interstate licensure compacts nationwide and ensuring they are fully enacted, operational, and effective. She approaches this issue not as an abstract policy debate, but as a public health imperative with real consequences for continuity of care.

Where she is today

In addition to her advocacy work, Ashley is a Senior Director of Marketing and Public Affairs at Brave Health, a virtual mental health provider that serves the Medicaid population.

She is also the author of Everything Is Going to Be OK and writes and speaks frequently about mental health and suicide prevention.

Ashley lives in Pennsylvania with her family. She is open about her lived experience as a mom with Major Depression — an experience that informs her leadership and strengthens her advocacy.