FRANKFORT, Ky. — Being a chamber president has always felt like an accidental career for Ashli Watts. It’s not that Watts, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s first-ever female president and CEO, was unintentional in her professional ascension or that she fell into the role; in fact, her incredible journey to the top of the state’s largest business association has always been guided by thoughtful intentionality.
What You Need To Know
- Ashli Watts, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, is the first woman to lead Kentucky’s largest business association
- The Elizabethtown native was recently appointed as the first female chair of the U.S. Chamber’s “Committee of 100”
- She has led advocacy efforts for felony expungement, right to work legislation and workers’ compensation reform, among other initiatives
- Watts created the Women’s Summit, celebrating the success and diversity of outstanding Kentucky women
An Elizabethtown native and lifelong Kentuckian, Watts always had an interest in politics and public policy. Following in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother, Watts attended Campbellsville University after high school, where she majored in political science and history. She learned her way around the Capitol during an internship at the legislature, a role that only strengthened her passion for politics.
“I always knew my career would probably be centered around politics or public policy but I didn’t really know that there was a career that was available where you could influence policy, you could convene stakeholders, and you could make a difference and not have to put your name on a ballot,” Watts said, recounting her path to the Chamber. “I think that’s what I found with the chamber world.”
Watts has been with the Chamber for almost 12 years now, starting out as a lobbyist. She successfully led the organization’s efforts to pass major legislation for tax reform, workers’ compensation reform and right-to-work legislation. Her work gave her a front-row seat to the real-life effects of public policy. She helped to get felony expungement legislation passed in 2016, a bill that will always hold a special place in her heart.
Watts says, through their research, the Chamber learned past convictions were potentially preventing thousands of Kentuckians from getting their lives back on track. The organization identified felony expungement as a workforce issue, which proved to be transformative in getting the legislation passed.
“We realized that almost 80,000 Kentuckians had one single, non-violent Class D felony on their records that were really holding them back from the workforce. We were able to get it across the finish line, get it signed into law–and this is after other groups had been trying to do this for about 20 years,” Watts said.
The personal stories Watts has heard since the bill’s passage stick with her the most.
“[They’ve] been able to get better jobs and they’ve been able to gain better employment. They’ve been able to take their kids on field trips, where before they were not able to do that,” Watts said. “Sometimes policy seems really wonky and in the weeds, but then you see really what impact you have. It really does make a big difference.”
As the leader of one of Frankfort’s most powerful lobbying groups, making a big difference is certainly something Watts knows a thing or two about. She was just 37-years-old in 2019 when she was named the Kentucky Chamber’s president and CEO. Recently, she was appointed as the first female chair of the U.S. Chamber’s “Committee of 100”, which is the top 100 chamber leaders throughout the United States.
One of the first things Watts did as the Chamber’s leader was to form the annual Women’s Summit, an event celebrating Kentucky women who have found success on the state and national stage. Former Kentucky Gov. Martha Layne Collins, former U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft, former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman are among the women who have been honored at the summit.
“We really want to just give voice to these women that are doing really remarkable things and making Kentucky shine,” said Watts.
Watts also wants her eight-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter to see women can do remarkable things. After applying for the job during her maternity leave, Watts started working at the Chamber of Commerce when her daughter was just six weeks old. Instead of finding a work-life balance, she likes to think of it as “work-life integration.”
“I do think it’s really important, especially for my daughter, who’s almost 12-years-old, to see that her mom can do really kind of big and really important things and still be a mom, and still host the sleepovers, and still take her to the carpool, and fix her hair for school dances–and then the next day I can be in Washington D.C. testifying,” said Watts. “I think seeing that nice balance is really important for young women. So I’m hoping that I am a role model for my daughter.”
Watts, who serves on the board of directors for Campbellsville University and as chair of the academic committee for her alma mater, believes it’s especially important for leaders to give back to their communities and to their state, adding that it’s what makes someone a well-rounded professional.
“I give [Campbellsville] a lot of credit for really making me who I am today. Giving me the kind of the strength that I needed and the education I needed to tackle this career,” said Watts. “It’s a really important way for me to give back to a university that has given back so much to me.”
Watts also serves on boards for Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, University of Louisville President’s Advisory Council, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of State Chambers, and the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, where she was also named a 40 under 40 in 2020.
Watts attributes her own success to being present, intentional. She encourages young professionals to be cautious of the complacency that can come with virtual or hybrid work settings where they may not see their colleagues face-to-face.
“I do think it’s really important for young people in particular to be present, be seen, be visible because sometimes if you’re out of sight, you’re a little bit out of mind and for me I really do think one of the keys to my success was that I was always here. I was always around if someone needed something or if I needed to go to a meeting.” Watts said. “When you look around and see some offices that are empty or people working from home, sometimes that camaraderie and that relationship is not going to get built, so you really have to be intentional.”
As a trailblazing leader and a major power broker for Kentucky businesses, Watts has created a career built on relationships and trust–her presence and thoughtful intentionality guiding her to the top.