Founder | Her World Initiative Ashton Justice grew up in the downriver area of Michigan and moved to Dexter, MI in 2015. She attended University of Michigan Dearborn for her undergraduate studies and has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s in business and executive leadership. She enjoyed a 16 year-long career in development in the business and higher education sectors. Most recently, she spent three years as a corporate major gifts fundraiser at the University of Michigan working primarily on a $10M clinical facilities campaign for the School of Dentistry. During this assignment she also collaborated on additional university projects including sponsored research efforts, a global PHI initiative, and student support - particularly for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. In the summer of 2011 Ashton’s ex husband, a Detroit police officer, attempted to murder her via strangulation at their home. She narrowly escaped with her life, thanks to a neighbor who intervened. Justice was never served in Ashton’s case and her abuser continues to wreak havoc in her life, using any means available and the Wayne County family court system as a vehicle. Upon exiting her violent intimate partner relationship Ashton recognized a desire to understand the complexities of what had happened to her. Her pursuit of knowledge grew into a passion for affecting change and a new life mission: to empower domestic violence victims, protect their children, and stop domestic violence in its tracks by eradicating the disease instead of managing the symptoms. In 2018 she made her biggest step yet in accomplishing that by establishing Her World Initiative.
Ashton takes a progressive approach as the leader of the HWI team. She believes her role is to inspire and support her team as individuals, providing them with opportunities to access their creativity and apply their passion in ways that advance the HWI mission. Ashton lives with an invisible disability that directly resulted from the abuses she has endured. Consequently she understands the value of self-care and actively encourages her team to practice it. Her own methods include yoga, hiking, reiki, meditation, and quality time with close friends.
In 2014 Ashton began writing a book while vacationing in Florida, eventually tabling the project to focus on her career, graduate degree, and motherhood while surviving the effects of domestic violence and post separation abuse. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis she left Michigan to travel the continental United States and finish her book while living in major cities and small towns across America hearing stories just like hers from women of all different backgrounds. She is still out there writing and operating Her World Initiative among remote landscapes with indefatigable passion.
Ashton believes in loving fiercely, laughing often, and telling the truth. Most importantly, Ashton is a dedicated mother. She loves being a mom and says she gets up every day and persists in a world that has been unfair to her - to make the world a better and safer place for all of the daughters living in it, especially her own.