Ashley Womble, MPH — Mental Health Tech Growth, Marketing & Policy Leader
Growth Marketing · Communications · Mental Health Tech

The mental health system, from the inside out.

Growth marketing and communications executive with 20 years driving innovation at the intersection of media, technology, and mental health.

Currently Director of Marketing & Partnerships · Brave Health (Series C)
Background VC-backed startups, nonprofits, public health organizations
Expertise Integrated marketing, PR, government relations, partnerships
Credentials MPH Health Policy · CUNY · 2× Lone Star Award
500+ National placements
in a single year
Series C Current stage
Brave Health
20+ Years driving innovation
in media, tech & mental health
Federal Hotline launch
HRSA / Biden Admin
Expertise

Building brands, driving growth.

01
Integrated Marketing & Brand

Building high-impact brands through integrated marketing strategies — from positioning and messaging to campaigns that transform narratives in start-up and scale-up environments.

02
Growth & Partnerships

Driving patient and audience growth across VC-backed digital health companies. Strategic partnerships with healthcare systems, payers, advocacy organizations, and government.

03
Content & Editorial

Deep editorial experience across national magazines and digital health — building content strategies that drive credibility, organic reach, and thought leadership.

04
PR & Government Relations

Deep relationships across health, policy, and national media. Proven ability to generate 500+ placements and shape mental health and suicide prevention policy strategies through advocacy and communications.

Career

Start-ups, scale-ups, and everything in between.

Brave Health
Senior Director, Marketing & Public Affairs 2022 — Present

Built the marketing function at a Series C B2B2C telehealth company

Joined as first marketing hire at Brave Health, a Series C mission-driven telehealth provider delivering therapy and psychiatry to individuals with complex mental health needs. Responsible for new patient growth, brand positioning, and partnership development across Medicaid populations. Promoted to Senior Director of Marketing and Public Affairs in March 2025.

Health tech Medicaid B2B2C Growth Partnerships
U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Project Director · Contract Jul 2021 — Jun 2022

Secured $6M to launch the first federal maternal mental health hotline

Secured $6M in HHS funding under the Biden Administration on behalf of Postpartum Support International to develop the infrastructure, operations, budget, training, and brand for the first-ever phone and chat hotline for pregnant and postpartum women and their families — launched on Mother's Day 2022.

Federal funding HHS / HRSA Program development Maternal health
Crisis Text Line
VP of Public Affairs Nov 2018 — Jun 2021

$80M TED grant, 500+ placements, Congress lobbying

Led marketing, communications, government affairs, partnerships, and international teams serving ~100K texters monthly. Worked with the CEO to win TED's Audacious Project — an $80M collaborative funding initiative. Generated 500+ media placements in 2020 covering COVID-19 mental health — CNN, MSNBC, NPR, NYT, WSJ, Washington Post, and Newsweek. Lobbied Congress and the FCC to increase suicide prevention funding and improve access to crisis counseling via 988. Led B2B2C partnerships with Maybelline, Nike, Harry's, Kenneth Cole, Ad Council, and Reddit.

PR & media Government affairs Brand partnerships TED Audacious Project
Speaking
2025
Mental Health Marketing
Workshop
2020
World Economic Forum
Featured Speaker
2020
Active Minds
Featured Speaker
2019
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Policy Forum · Keynote
Founded 2026 · 501(c)(4)

Therapy Without Borders

A policy advocacy nonprofit dismantling the state-by-state licensing barriers that keep millions from accessing mental health care. Because where you live shouldn't determine whether you can get help.

Visit the nonprofit →
Let's connect

Building something meaningful in mental health?

I'm always open to conversations with people doing interesting work at the intersection of health tech, policy, and communications. Whether it's a role, a collaboration, or just a good conversation — let's talk.