167: Ancestry and Belonging, with Ashlee Davis - a podcast by Sara and Misasha

If you’ve ever heard about Ancestry.com and thought that this wasn’t something for you due to your own family’s immigration story, or alternately if you love nothing more than to have centuries of your family’s history in the United States documented for you, then this episode is for you. Or, if you’ve never heard of Ancestry before, but you work in corporate America and know you want to help make change for the better, or you’re a parent who wants to talk about origin stories with your own kids - you’ll still want to listen. This isn’t just about tracing your roots. This is about belonging, which is something that impacts all of us every day.

 

We had the amazing privilege of sitting down with Ashlee Davis, who is the Global Head of DEI at Ancestry, to talk not only about her road to her current position, but also really everything related to inclusion and belonging and psychological safety in so many spheres, and not just in her professional roles.  After this conversation, we left wanting so much more - and hopefully you will as well. Don’t sleep on this episode - you may want to listen to it a second time, and DEFINITELY share it with your friends.

 

What to listen for: 

• Major inspiration for getting involved in public service, based on Ashlee’s experience working in the White House during the Obama administration (hello, Air Force One?!)
• What role DEI programs play in corporate America - and what to do to make them more successful
• Honesty about what allyship is, particularly from White women
• The role belonging has played in Ashlee’s life

 

About Ashlee: 

Ashlee Davis, J.D. (she/her/hers) – Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

 

“One of the strongest and most important threads that unites all of us is the importance of family.”

 

Ashlee Davis brings 15 years of diversity and civil rights experience to lead Ancestry’s global end-to-end Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) strategy. Her professional experience spans the industries of private, nonprofit, and the Executive branch of the federal government, where she held roles in agriculture, finance, banking, and social services. Ashlee served six years in the Obama administration in positions including the Senior Advisor for Civil Rights and Director of the National LGBT Rural Summer Series, a national initiative to connect LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities with resources to address food insecurity, housing, and youth empowerment.   

 

In her role, Ashlee heads policies and programs to foster an inclusive and equitable work environment where there are diverse voices and backgrounds at the table. She also partners with product and marketing leaders to create inclusive product experiences to help everyone easily discover, craft, and connect around their family story.

 

Ashlee is a native of Nashville, TN, a proud graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Howard University School of Law, an avid sports fan, and someone with wanderlust who is always planning her next adventure with her life partner.

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