Dr. Ashley Cross is the Founding Executive Director of HOPE585, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening system-impacted youth and families. Through her leadership, HOPE585 has become a catalyst for community-based solutions that prevent unnecessary CPS involvement and support families before crisis occurs. The organization oversees key initiatives including the CarePortal, which mobilizes churches and community members to meet urgent needs, and the Reimagine Initiative, convening various stakeholders to co-design solutions that narrow the front door to child welfare. In 2025, HOPE585 was recognized with the Systems Change Award from Roc the Future for its impact at the local and state levels. As a former foster parent, Dr. Cross brings personal insight into the challenges families face and the inequities that too often shape their involvement with the foster system. This lived experience informs her commitment to building a relationship-centered approach that prioritizes dignity, stability, and prevention for youth and families. A practitioner of the Science of Hope, Dr. Cross equips youth, caregivers, educators, and service providers with practical tools to build hopeful thinking, increase resilience, and create pathways to meaningful goals. She brings this practice into spaces deeply affected by trauma, ensuring that hope becomes both a mindset and a method for transformation. Her recent article in The Imprint, “Surveillance Will Not Resolve Unaddressed Poverty,” reflects her commitment to advancing policies that address root causes rather than punish families in hardship. Dr. Cross serves on the boards of Causewave Community Partners and participates in the New York State Mandated Reporting Work Group. She was honored as a 2023 Forty Under 40 award recipient. Keynote presentationsKeynote presentationsKeynote presentations & Workshops portfolio& Workshops portfolio& Workshops portfolioKeynote presentations & Workshops portfolio biographybiographybiographybiography (585) 755-4341 across@hope585.org bookings & Inquiriesbookings & Inquiriesbookings & Inquiriesbookings & Inquiries 5