Ashley Rhodes-Courter delivers one of the most powerful and authentic messages audiences will experience – rooted in resilience, leadership, and lived experience. After spending her early years in the foster care system, Ashley was adopted as a teenager and went on to become an internationally best-selling author, nationally recognized child advocate, and nonprofit founder. Her story is deeply personal, but her message is universal.
Ashley is the international best selling author of Three Little Words and Three More Words, memoirs that have resonated with readers around the world and solidified her voice as a leading advocate for resilience, empathy, and personal responsibility. Her work as an author brings added depth to her speaking, offering audiences insight that is reflective, grounded, and enduring.
What sets Ashley apart is her ability to translate lived experience into insight that reaches far beyond her own journey. She connects themes of resilience, accountability, and possibility to leadership and organizational culture in a way that feels relevant, grounded, and actionable. Audiences don’t just hear her story – they reflect on their own responsibility to lead with empathy, courage, and purpose.
Ashley is also the founder of The Sustainable Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening families and supporting youth impacted by foster care and adoption. Her philanthropic leadership reinforces the credibility of her message – she doesn’t just speak about impact, she actively creates it.
Her delivery is engaging, thoughtful, and deeply human, maintaining energy and forward momentum throughout her presentation. Meeting planners consistently value her professionalism, preparation, and ability to tailor her message to align with the goals and audience of each event.
Ashley is especially impactful for organizations focused on resilience, leadership development, inclusion, education, and social responsibility. She is trusted by clients who want a speaker who inspires meaningful conversation, sparks reflection, and leaves a lasting impression.
Testimonials
“The buzz after the luncheon was palpable ~ our guests love Ashley! She is a brilliant speaker who tells a tragic story is a poignant way yet keeps you in stitches. Brilliant! And, on a personal level, I truly enjoyed meeting such a warm and engaging young woman. I so wish she lived closer ~ I’d love to take her to lunch to thank her, celebrate her and get to know her a little better.”
-M.F., CHAIR, DALLAS CASA
On behalf of all of us here at Pendleton Place, THANK YOU for being such an integral part of a very successful day! We’ve received so many compliments and messages of positive feedback about this morning’s benefit breakfast including high praise for your ability to share such a critical message in an accessible way (with plenty of humor inserted to keep us all smiling!). It was our honor to host you, and your words have already done much for the children and families we serve. If you are ever in our neighborhood in the future, we’d love for you to stop by our campus and check out what we’re up to!
-J.D.M.P., ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PENDLETON PLACE
Book Ashley
Call us at 630.330.7533, email us, or fill out the following form for booking information!