Ashley Harris Philippsen, Senior Director of Engagement & Advocacy

Ashley Harris Philippsen is a systems, culture, and equity coach with over a decade of experience in education, leadership development, civic engagement, and school and curriculum design. Ashley uses her experience to partner with students and families, districts, and partner organizations as they navigate system complexities. Through her career, with roles including Executive Director at Met Cares, Managing Director of Teacher Leadership Development at Teach For America, and Founding Dean of Students at YES Prep Public Schools, Ashley has developed skills in small and large team management, effective program design and implementation, strategic thinking and planning. As the Deputy Chief of Community Development and Policy at the City of Tulsa, she was responsible for designing and facilitating community engagement processes for urban planning and development, amongst other City initiatives. As ImpactTulsa’s Senior Director of Community Engagement and Advocacy, Ashley partners with teams to drive policy, systems-change, and programs that create sustainable outcomes for students in the Greater Tulsa area.


Ashley graduated with honors from the University of Oklahoma. She has been a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated for nearly two decades and serves on the Greater Tulsa African American Affairs Commission. She is a Tulsa Development Authority trustee and serves on the board at Met Cares Foundation, 9b Corp, and Tulsa Area Human Resources Association.