Dr. Ashley Finley is the Vice President for Research and Senior Advisor to the President for the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). She oversees AAC&U’s Office of Public Purpose and Opportunity which develops integrative approaches to linking students’ career preparation, civic engagement, and well-being. Through research, campus-based projects, and partnerships, this work advances higher education’s commitments to supporting economic, community, and individual thriving. Her publications include: "The Career-Ready Graduate: What Employers Say About the Difference College Makes;" "A Comprehensive Approach to Assessment of High-Impact Practices;" and "The Effects of Community-Based and Civic Engagement in Higher Education." She also currently serves as a commissioner for the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Dr. Finley was previously the senior director of assessment and research at AAC&U and also national evaluator for Bringing Theory to Practice. She also served as the Associate Vice President for Academic affairs and Dean of the Dominican Experience at Dominican University of California, where she implemented a comprehensive framework for student learning and success centered around high-impact practices. Dr. Finley began her career as a faculty member at Dickinson College. She received a BA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an MA and PhD, both in sociology, from the University of Iowa.