We are thrilled to share that Ashley Davis Gallimore, our current Chief People Officer, has recently been promoted to President of RePublic Schools. As President, Ashley will continue to oversee Talent, Human Resources, and Student Recruitment/Family Engagement teams. Additionally, she will serve as the inaugural Executive Director of the Nashville region and lead the Senior Management Team.
Congratulations on this achievement! You joined the organization back in 2017. Did you see yourself making such an impact on the organization?
Ashley Davis Gallimore
When I joined RePublic in 2017, I didn’t know what my journey within the organization was going to look like. What I did know is that I was inspired by RePublic’s mission and that I would be joining a dedicated and relentless group of people committed to creating a better school experience for kids. That continues to be true to this day and I am incredibly honored to now be leading RePublic into our next decade of work as President.
In addition to the experience of the students, what are some things you’d like to see happen within RePublic as you settle into this new role?
Over these next three years, we will be implementing our strategic plan to advance love, achievement, and antiracism across our schools. Key initiatives that I’m excited for us to lead together this year include investing heavily in the coaching and development of our staff through asset-based coaching, fostering more authentic family and community engagement, and deepening our understanding of the unique needs of each of our regions of schools to ensure their long term sustainability and success.
Why is this particular work so important to you?
As an educator, a black female leader, and a mom who has a daughter who is early in her K-12 public education experience, this work is deeply personal. I know what it feels like to grow up as a black girl in the public K-12 space, for people to make assumptions about what you are capable of achieving, to have to learn how to advocate for oneself, and then to work twice as hard to prove you are worthy of those opportunities. This is the experience of so many black and brown children across the country. Looking bacon the experiences of my father, sisters, and now my daughter, I know that our children have experiences that signal their worth and opportunities are limited due to their race.
Without access to a high-quality education, that becomes even more difficult and ultimately sets us all back in creating a better world where we all belong and where we all can thrive regardless of our race, socioeconomic background, zip code, ability, or any other marker.
This is the kind of work that can’t be accomplished in just a day. You’ve already been a part of RePublic for six years. What is it about the organization that has drawn you in, and continues to do so?
Our mission and the people. When I joined RePublic six years ago I was inspired by the boldness of our mission which was to reimagine public education in the south. That boldness and that commitment to disrupting the status quo of expectations for children in the K-12 education system in the south, fueled me to want to be a part of the change and drive the direction of RePublic in how we were going to make that happen. Over time, our mission has evolved to more clearly define what that means for us- it means leading and supporting schools anchored in love, achievement, and antiracism. I can’t think of a more meaningful way to impact the lives of our children than by ensuring the schools they attend reflect those sacred commitments. I also can’t imagine a more dedicated group of people to make that a reality than our incredible teachers and leaders who model this every day in ways big and small.