Dr. Ashley is a leader with a big heart and a lot of passion. She established the first girls’ home in Tulsa, OK and raised awareness in the city about the issues concerning girls in foster care and youth aging out. Through civic engagement, the local church, a dedicated community and a lot of faith and hope, Dr. Ashley raised over 1 million dollars in funds and purchased properties to house girls aging out of foster care or experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma. Dr. Cross has dedicated her life to working in the community to build and sustain hope in vulnerable children, families, and people passionate about improving their communities and the lives around them. She does this by educating, coaching, and empowering individuals through powerful training, individual and organizational resources and direction that helps people build a culture of hope everywhere that they go.
She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Hub585, which oversees the Monroe County CarePortal, connecting children in foster care with physical and relational resources. She also sits on the board of Bivona Child Advocacy Center.
Dr. Ashley holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s in nonprofit management and a doctorate in Educational Leadership, all from Oral Roberts University. Dr. Ashley is also a Full Focus Planner Certified Pro.
Dr. Ashley also serves as a Pastor, alongside her husband Melvin Cross Jr, at Glory House International. She and Melvin have three amazing daughters: Jordan, Harper and Madison.