Meet Ashley E. Jones, a Junior League of Charlotte, Inc (JLC) Transfer Advisor. She is a speech language pathologist by profession and has a second job where she contracts independently for Kannapolis city schools. Ms. Jones also has her own business where she helps others with date planning and other small events. She is active in her church, serving as a bible study teacher, board member and choir member. Ms. Jones further serves the community on a board for Barre Belle, which is a nonprofit community dance class. Learn more about this impressive JLC member below.
10 Fun Facts About Ashley
1. I was born in Wilmington, Delaware to proud parents, Dr. Robert and Elizabeth Jones. After my 10th birthday, my parents moved my sister and me to Orangeburg, SC. It was a major culture shock going from a northern city to a small southern town. My first thought was “I can’t wait until I get old enough so I can leave here.” After a while, I adjusted to the southern hospitality and can say it has played a major role in my character development.
2. I absolutely love the Junior League. From the very beginning of my Provisional year, I enjoyed being with a group of diverse women, coming from different ethnic groups, career backgrounds, and lifestyles. Even though we were all different, we found more commonalities in our character, morals and things we were passionate about rather than reflecting on differences. I love the fact that in the JLC, we are passionate about making an impact, whether big or small. We show up for our community and each other. It’s almost like the old tv show Captain Planet :“With all our powers combined we are Junior League!” We bring so much experience and expertise to the organization and use it for the advancement of others. I’m moved every time I go to a meeting or training. I feel like the Junior League gives me the opportunity to meet women that share similar passions and actually put our passions to work. The JLC continues to curate my leadership skills, professional development and everyday work/life balance.
3. My favorite childhood memories are Saturday morning swimming classes. My father would take me to the local YMCA, then stay and watch to make sure I didn’t give my instructor a hard time. After class we would go across the street to the Sheraton hotel and eat breakfast, just me and him. It was a buffet bar so I was not confined to certain food items my mom cooked, but I was able to eat my favorite cereal with bacon and a blueberry muffin.
4. In a perfect world or if I could do anything for a day, I would have a spa date with some of the world’s most influential women: i.e. Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Sara Jakes Roberts, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Malala Yousafzai and everyone else I listen to on podcasts. I would love to just listen to their experiences and learn life lessons from careers, personal life, relationships, children, and balancing it all while still accomplishing personal goals.
5. My favorite thing about my career as a speech language pathologist is the flexibility and the diverse caseload I have. I go to different skilled nursing facilities to treat adults with dementia, swallowing difficulties, traumatic brain injuries, voice deficits, and aphasia (speech deficits from a stroke). I also see children during the school year with articulation and language deficits. Overall, helping people is very humbling. It really makes me feel like I am making an impact on people’s lives.
6. What motivates me to work hard are my friends. Iron sharpens Iron. We make each other better. It’s not a competition because we are all ecstatic when we accomplish goals. They make me feel like if they can do it, I can do it too! We give each other kudos, but also tell each other when we are setting the bar too low.
7. One thing people would be surprised to know about me is that I have a fear of public speaking. I often get told I have a great speaking voice and articulate well. However, when I have to speak in front of large groups of people, I feel like my entire body shakes and you can hear my voice quiver.
8. If I could go back and change anything in my life, I would study abroad and minor in Spanish. I absolutely love to travel and I have a serious infatuation with the Hispanic culture. I love going to new places and experiencing things I could not do at home. I love seeing the differences and similarities around the world, whether it’s architecture, food, art, people, or language. My favorite places to travel to are Spanish speaking countries, and it would totally benefit me if I didn’t have to use google translate all the time.
9. I think my friends would describe me as a fun, caring, adventurous, passionate, involved, busy, yet controlling person.
10. The one thing I would never do again is take a ride share after dark alone. I have had one too many creepy rides.
