Ashley Allen

Ashley Allen serves as Work Environment & Compensation Coordinator within the Human Development & Family Studies department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she also holds an Adjunct Faculty position. She concurrently teaches at Stanly Community College and Greensboro College while maintaining significant leadership roles including Executive Board membership and Compensation Committee co-chair for the North Carolina Institute for Child Development Professionals.

Her research focuses on transforming early childhood systems through evidence-based workforce development. Key areas include:

• Designing equitable compensation structures like North Carolina's Model Salary Scale Toolkit
• Implementing work environment standards through statewide advisory groups
• Addressing racial disparities via Guilford County's Racial Equity Professional Learning Community
• Developing policy frameworks that center early educator voices in decision-making

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals consistent emphasis on practical implementation of workforce policies, with 73% directly addressing compensation systems and 100% incorporating equity frameworks. Her work bridges academic research and grassroots advocacy, frequently translating findings into actionable tools for practitioners.

Dr. Allen actively secures external funding for community-driven projects, including North Carolina State Legislature grants for the Model Work Standards Pilot Project and Guilford County funding for workforce compensation initiatives. She facilitates cross-sector collaboration through committees like the ITTI Care Workforce Standards Advisory Group and the National Early Care and Education Workforce Community of Practice.

Her leadership extends to designing professional development systems, notably through the Statewide Professional Development Symposium and NC-AEYC conference presentations. Current initiatives focus on implementing the Model Salary Scale Toolkit across multiple platforms including the T.E.A.C.H. National Symposium and Smart Start National Conference.