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Dr. Carey Hawkins Ash, J.D., Ph.D., is the Co-Founder & Principal of Foresight Strategy Solutions, a high-powered strategic consultancy specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion, business operations, public/government agency, Pre-K through 12, and higher education advising. He has extensive experience and leadership roles in law, legislative affairs, business operations, education administration, and partnership and policy development. He has a strong network, particularly in the areas of project management, complex program implementation, public advocacy, political campaigns, and policy reform.
Ensuring equal opportunity for every person to reach their highest potential both at work and in society is the bedrock principle driving Dr. Hawkins Ash’s work. He firmly believes that re-designing the way the world works from both policy and personnel perspectives “is a 21st century imperative that drives innovation, fosters creativity, improves productivity, and ultimately benefits companies, public agencies, schools and universities, and their constituents alike. I daily leverage my expertise in policy, strategy, executive leadership, and law to consult and advise people and organizations who are committed to catalyzing transformative outcomes for their futures.”
Before founding Foresight, Dr. Hawkins Ash was a Legislative Aide in the Louisiana State Senate and helped rebuild the New Orleans’ business districts and public school system after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Thereafter, he practiced public agency law in Sacramento, California, where he advised school districts, community colleges, and university administrators on issues pertaining to students’ rights, special education, litigation, labor and employment, workforce development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
After excelling in the practice of law, Dr. Hawkins Ash served as Chief of Staff for Business and Operations in Oakland Unified School District where he oversaw an $800 million unit consisting of 7 departments and 24 subdivisions in service of more than 40,000 students enrolled across 118 schools. Dr. Hawkins Ash also advanced equity as Vice-President for Partnerships for Making Waves Education Foundation where he led a $2 million expansion of college and career access programming for high-need students and launched an artificial-intelligence powered application to provide 24/7 access to college-going information to students in California and beyond. He currently advises the largest system of public higher education in the United States, the California Community Colleges’ Chancellor’s Office (1.8 million students), on its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. He additionally led that State Agency’s comprehensive revision of its administrative regulations pertaining to Distance Education, Correspondence Education, Competency-Based Education, TEACH Grants, and Accreditation & State Authorization, based on state and federal law.
Dr. Hawkins Ash earned both his law degree in Constitutional, Education, and Civil/Human Rights Law and his Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and Educational Policy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His Bachelor’s degree was awarded summa cum laude in Political Science and History by the Honors College at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr. Hawkins Ash is the father of one son, Clark, is an avid mini-golfer, and competitive axe throwing enthusiast.
About Foresight Strategy Solutions
Foresight Strategy Solutions is a leading strategy consulting firm supporting businesses, government agencies, and public education organizations. The company is renown for its two decades of specialized expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) encompassing policy, strategy, business operations, and law, and leverages its proprietary “5-E’s” Framework to help clients improve outcomes in organizational effectiveness; program development, management, assessment, and evaluation; community, stakeholder, and political engagement; and logistics and site operations.
