Ashleigh Axios believes that great design and strong leadership can positively transform public services, businesses, and communities. As an executive, she has built and co-led organizations that scaled to $30M+ in revenue while maintaining profitability—prioritizing a values-driven culture, operational excellence, and inclusive innovation.

She served as the Creative Director and Digital Strategist in the Obama White House, leading high-impact digital initiatives that made government more accessible, responsive, and effective. Later, she co-established and led a government-focused digital consultancy, partnering with public-sector organizations, foundations, and nonprofits to modernize services and expand social impact. Under her leadership, teams, programs, and initiatives earned national recognition for innovation in government contracting and workplace culture.

Beyond government, Ashleigh has collaborated with mission-driven foundations, nonprofits, and civic organizations committed to advancing social good. She also founded DotGov Design, a nonprofit initiative that connects and empowers government designers, and launched the DotGov Design Conference to foster knowledge-sharing among public-sector creatives. In addition to her executive work, she serves on boards and advisory committees that support innovation in design, education, and mission-driven leadership.

Alongside her work in civic innovation and public-sector transformation, Ashleigh is passionate about building and leading businesses that challenge standard practices, align with strong values, and prioritize people-first approaches that benefit both society and the environment. She frequently shares insights on scaling impact-driven companies, ethical leadership, and sustainable growth, sparking conversations with fellow leaders who are shaping the future of business and public service.

Recent Article & Illustration

“‘The American public needs us now more than ever’: Government designers steel for regime change”
November 26, 2024
Categories: Analysis, Democracy

Select Accolades

Trailblazer AWard Finalist

ACG National Capital
2023

ACG National Capital recognizes executives who challenge the status quo to drive innovation in all facets of business to drive results, and who represent the next generation of leadership, for their contributions to the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area’s business community.

Select Interviews

MagazineS &
Online publications

• Nasdaq in 2022, “Crafting Creative Solutions That Elevate Human Needs”

• Offscreen in 2018, “The creative director of Obama’s White House calls on designers to tackle the biggest challenges of our time.”

• 28 Black Designers in 2018

• The United State of Women in 2016

• FastCompany: “How Designers Can Help The Black Lives Matter Movement” in 2016

Podcasts

• Clever Podcast with Amy Devers in 2022

• The Reflex Blue Show
  with Donovan Beery in 2020

• The Design of Business | The Business of Design
  with Michael Bierut and Jessica Helfand in 2017

• Giant Thinkers Podcast
  with Ram Castillo in 2017

• Revision Path
  with Maurice Cherry in 2016

Ashleigh wants to see diversity and equity across design, government, tech, and in the work produced in these spaces. She steps into the spotlight and shows herself — her journey, successes, and quirks — to help demonstrate that there’s also space for everyone. She works to see obstacles and burdens recognized and leveraged for the ingredients — empathy, endurance, grit, and the clear-eyed hope — they produce, which can be used to enact positive social change.

She has spoken at dozens of conferences, schools and institutions, and marketing, advertising, and design events across the globe. She often speaks about leadership, culture, innovation under pressure, value-built brands, inclusion in design and technology, design in government, the intersection of design and culture, and more.

To invite her speak, visit the Contact page and submit a thoughtful request.

Following are select speaking highlights.

Speaking Announcement

Ashleigh Axios is scheduled to speak at Circles 2025, a premier conference focused on creativity, design, and film. The event will take place in Grapevine, TX, from September 22–26, 2025.