Ashley Gray

Education: BA in Global Affairs, with a concentration in Human Security. Minor in international security

Other Education: MPP concentration in National Security Policy

Mentorship Commitment Preference: Engage in a long-term mentorship (connect with your mentee throughout the semester, outside of LinkUp events — frequency and format are flexible). Available for both online mentoring and in-person.

Industry: Government

Employer: U.S. Department of State

Job Title: Foreign Affairs Officer

Areas Ashley is interested in mentoring:

Internship Guidance
Work-life Balance
Career Planning
Interview Preparation
Time Management
Industry Insights and Trends
Goal Setting and Motivation
Graduate School Advice

Bio: Ashley Gray is a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State
specializing in security policy and programming, emerging threats, and disrupting criminal networks. She has earned a Master’s in Public Policy and National Security Policy and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Global Affairs with an emphasis on human security and international security from George Mason University. She has received formal recognition for her dedication to public service on multiple occasions, including two Meritorious Honor Awards for supporting the United States’ government response to crises in the Middle East and Africa.

If you were starting your career today, what is the one piece of advice you would give yourself? Challenge yourself to allow your opinions to evolve as you receive more information.

In what ways has your career path been unique or unconventional? During college, I have limited ability to gain career experiences as a result of limited resources. I was selected for my first internship in my last semester of undergrad that led me to a number of opportunities and my first full time job working with senior government leadership. This was not originally a goal of mine or even in “the plan” for me on the way to securing my dream job. However, that experience is been the single most valuable regarding continued career progression. What looked like a detour was actually a fast track - and a reminder to remain flexible.

Affinity Groups involved with at George Mason.

Black and Caribbean Student Alliances
Phi Beta Kappa
Intelligence Community Network

Ashley Gray open to participating in informational interviews