Dr. Ashlye V. Wilkerson
AUTHOR-EDUCATOR-ENTREPRENEUR-SPEAKER-LEADER
Dr. Ashlye V. Wilkerson is a community leader and advocate who fully embodies the spirit of excellence.
Dr. Ashlye has a background in early childhood education and child psychology and formerly taught kindergarten and first-grade students. She also used her expertise as an adjunct professor in the College of Education as well as in Women’s Leadership Studies.
Dr. Ashlye began her leadership trajectory as a Vice President of her middle school student body. As a high school student, she was elected as a South Carolina state Vice President for the student led
organization DECA. She was a regional oratorical winner, a chapter officer for Future Business Leaders of America, elected as the Superintendent of Education for Palmetto Girls State, named a WLTX Student of the Week, and other service involvement and honors. She continued this passion to serve as she matriculated in her college institutions by serving as a university ambassador, resident assistant and campus queen at Winthrop University. She served as a graduate resident assistant and pep squad advisor at Hampton University. She served as a co-instructor and research assistant at the University of South Carolina.
Dr. Ashlye is lauded for her impact on education and literacy and was honored with a South Carolina Senate Resolution as well as an SC House of Representatives Resolution for her work with children’s literature. Dr. Ashlye has four published titles: Tori Finds Shapes All Around, Tori Finds Colors All Around, Tori Explores South Carolina, and Tori Visits the Farm: Counting 1-10. Her books we adopted by Richland County School District One, City of Columbia’s Together We Can Read Initiative and former SC Governor Nikki Hailey for her literacy platform across the state.
At the age of 29, Dr. Ashlye was appointed by the South Carolina General Assembly to the Board of Trustees for her alma mater institution Winthrop University. During her term, Dr. Ashlye serves as the youngest and only woman of color.
Hired as the inaugural professor for the Women in Leadership in South Carolina course at Columbia College, Ashlye developed a course that celebrated the local women from across the state by developing and implementing a ten-week speaker series, “Women Lead SC”. This series focused on topics that included Women Leaders in Faith and Religion, Business and Entrepreneurship, Health and Medicine, Non-Profit, Philanthropy and Community Engagement, Media and Publication, Education and Policy, Arts and Athletics, and Politics.
Dr. Ashlye served as the franchise owner and operator of Wine & Design for eight years. Her Columbia location was named the Best of Columbia by the Free Times as well as the Columbia Metropolitan Magazine. Tying in her love and passion for service, community, and education, Ashlye puts great emphasis on the Paint-It-Forward and Art Buzz Kids Divisions of her company.
Dr. Ashlye combines her expertise, knowledge, and dedication to helping motivate women and moms to live and lead phenomenally. She is the founder and thought-leader of the Phenomenal Women Leading- Women’s Empowerment community network that operates with the mission to educate, equip, and empower women to unlock their full potential, become better versions of themselves, achieve their goals, and attain their desired level of success. Services include coaching, consultant online courses, mentorship, and speaking engagements.
Dr. Ashlye earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a double minor in education and entrepreneurship from Winthrop University, a master’s of arts in teaching degree from Hampton University, and a doctoral degree in teaching and learning from the University of South Carolina. She also attained two professional certifications in servant leadership and executive leadership from Cornell University.
Dr. Ashlye is the wife of L. Kobie Wilkerson, III and mother of Alana (8) and Ariah (6). She is the daughter of Anthony (deceased) and Fannie Geddis and Johnny Rumph. Ashlye is also passionately engaged in the legacy work honoring her father, Tony, who fought a two-year battle with stage four colon cancer. Her touching story of the encounter between her dad and a state trooper, Officer Doty, who prayed with him went viral and garnered over 7 million views on her LinkedIn platform. She was featured on CNN, FOX News, in articles and news outlets across the country as an example of inspiration, compassion, and humanity. She speaks with corporate entities, teams, churches, organizations, and audiences about this powerful example.