2025 40 Under 40 Winners

Ashley has secured more than $12.5 million in major gifts at SickKids Foundation, including gifts as large as $7.5 million, significantly advancing the hospital’s mission. She co-launched and led the Breakthrough Fund, Canada’s first venture philanthropy program focused on pediatrics, raising $1.9 million and bringing in 27 new donors to SickKids. 

Ashley led the relaunch of the Young Professional Fundraising Committee at Women’s College Hospital Foundation, increasing revenue by 300% and doubling membership. 

Her leadership extends beyond SickKids. At Campfire Circle (formerly Camp Oochigeas), she managed a portfolio of 150+ major donors and prospects, driving annual revenue growth from $200K to $800K in one year. She played a key role in securing several $1M+ gifts and managed relationships with five campaign cabinet members, contributing to a $35 million campaign. 

I went to business school (Queen’s Commerce shout-out!) and quickly realized that traditional paths like consulting, marketing and accounting weren’t for me. I’d always cared deeply about giving back, but—like many—I didn’t initially realize fundraising could be a career. I have always been passionate about health and fitness (even considered going to school for nutrition), and I began having coffee chats with people working in the charitable sector. Those conversations opened my eyes to the possibilities, and I realized fundraising was the perfect blend of the things I cared about.

Healthcare philanthropy brings together so many things I love—connecting with people, making an impact, and supporting incredible advances in healthcare. I feel lucky to work alongside brilliant doctors and researchers and to learn from them every day. Their passion is contagious, and I love helping find the funding that moves their work forward. I also get to meet amazing donors and volunteers who have interesting lives and are driven to give back. Being the link between the two is what makes this work so meaningful to me.

From the moment I realized I could have a career in healthcare philanthropy, I knew I wanted to be at SickKids. I was not alone in those aspirations, though, and landing a role at SickKids is not an easy feat. I started my career working in smaller organizations and felt it gave me great exposure to the breadth of work in fundraising—from events to major gifts to prospect research. At the same time, I volunteered in Child Life at SickKids and met with several SickKids team members over the years (shoutout to Katie, Colin, and Adam). Eventually the right role opened, and I landed my dream job at SickKids. I will forever be grateful to the team that hired me. I remain as passionate and dedicated to SickKids now as I was then.

My kids are my number one passion – I have a 3-year-old daughter and (almost) 6-year-old son. They always keep me busy and on my toes! Prior to becoming a parent, I would have said travelling is my greatest passion. I love exploring new areas of the world and going on adventures. So combining those two things, my ultimate answer is travelling with my kids 😉. Seeing the world through their eyes makes every travel even more special and rewarding.

Expose yourself to as many parts of the business as you can – to not only learn how things work, but to build connections and relationships with everyone across the organization. It also helps clarify the pieces that you are most passionate about. Equally important is to stay curious and open-minded—don’t assume you have all the answers. Listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and be willing to learn from everyone around you. That mindset will help you grow and make a real impact in this field.