A Tampa-based entrepreneur and mother of two teenage sons, Ashley is the Founder and President of Empowering Differences, a professional development consulting business rooted in a four-step empowerment program that provides leadership training courses, mentoring, and self-assessments utilized by individuals and corporations to encourage workplace equality. Early in her career while seeking employment at a major financial institution, Ashley overcame harassment, discrimination, and homelessness, went on to start as a part-time bank teller, and then ultimately rose to National Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion in less than 5 years. Differences in her personal experiences with gender, education, ability, and religion all challenged her throughout her life, which inspired her to create and develop the Empowering Differences four-step program to help others navigate similar challenges.
Ashley has received numerous awards for her work to promote awareness and acceptance of gender identity and expression, including the University of South Florida’s 2014 Community Pride Award, Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Business Woman of the Year in 2016, the Voice for Equality Award from Equality Florida in 2016, and the LGBT Leadership Award from the Florida Diversity Council. Notably, she also accepted the Florida Commission on the Status of Women’s Spirit of Community Award in 2022.
As an entrepreneur and a leader and educator in LGBTQ+ advocacy across the state and nation, Ashley would be ready on day one to be a champion for women, families, and small business owners. Ruth’s List is incredibly proud to name Ashley Brundage as the first transgender candidate we have ever endorsed in our sixteen-year history, but we know that because of trailblazing women like her, she won't be the last.
