Ashley Flynn

Ashley is the Research & Evaluation Lead at aiEDU responsible for leading the research and impact measurement across the organization’s program and learning teams. Ashley works in a part time capacity to develop the programs and learning research strategy, collect, manage, and analyze data aligned to aiEDU’s impact metrics, and supporting the organization in setting data-backed priorities.

Ashley started her career as a Teach for America corps member teaching high school math and psychology in Baltimore City Public Schools. After five years in the classroom, Ashley transitioned to the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth where she served as the Associate Director of Research and Special Initiatives. In this role, Ashley oversaw a research lab at the intersection of education, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience and co-directed an academic enrichment program for Baltimore City students.

Ashley then moved to the Maryland State Department of Education where she currently serves as the Chief of Research and Data for special education. In this role, Ashley oversees all data collection and analysis activities involving children and students with disabilities, birth through age 21. This work includes the evaluating educational programs serving students with disabilities, conducting quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research to improve special education services, and developing reports and presenting data to communicate findings for a variety of stakeholders.

Ashley earned her doctorate in education from Johns Hopkins University where she specialized in educational neuroscience, research, and evaluation. Ashley lives in Baltimore with her family and enjoys long-distance running, traveling to new places, and spending time with her son in her free time.

At the age of 14, how would you have answered the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”: A psychologist or Latin teacher

Favorite subject in school: Math