Ashley Basile Oeken

 

Executive Director
at Engage! Cleveland

 

by Nya Etchison, crew 2

 

 

Ashley Baisle Oeken is a modern day Renaissance person to me because she is the first executive director of Engage Cleveland. Engage Cleveland is a newer initiative that is focused on the attraction and young professionals to the Cleveland area. She is the age of 28. Her favorite thing about Cleveland is the people. Ashley moved to Cleveland four years ago.

 

Ashley was born and raised in Youngstown Ohio. When she was younger she wanted to be a pharmacist. She also said when she was younger she was similar “I was involved in a lot of activities”. Ashley went to high school at Boardman academy located in Youngstown. Advice she would give herself when she was younger self is “to dream big and experience as much as you possibly can.

 

“My mom inspired me because she didn’t speak English, and she moved overseas at the age of 16, and did everything to take care of me” Ashley feels that being the spokesperson and making sure young professionals are involved throughout the community. Her work is making a difference by putting Cleveland on a map for young professionals.

 

The progress she has made was hosting lots of events. Some advantages that she had been running a non-profit; the one that is geared at young professionals enabled her to fulfill a personal passion. “It is much more rewarding seeing you work in process face to face than reading a financial report and wondering if you played a part.” Some disadvantages are being a newer organization in town means constantly having to prove the value of your organization.

 

“I am always thinking about the organizations capacity and sustainability long term as we funded by others and not making a large enough profit to run EC without philanthropy.

We asked her did she still keep in touch with others who had success she said yes and gave us a story. Jason decides to go back to school in the thirties. He got a job at his internship. Then, he wrote a whole story in Cleveland Magazine. “Yes through E-mail”

We asked Ashley if she had any advice she would give us people, and she gave us two pieces of advice. 

Advice for students - experience everything you can. Truly embrace the Cleveland community and get engrained in it.