Ashley Swearingen

Ashley Swearengin is president and CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation, a charitable foundation serving the six counties of Central California and helping secure over $600 million in philanthropic and public grant funding to over 950 civic organizations over the last five years. As CEO, she is responsible for supporting the CVCF board, staff, and partners in pursuit of the organization’s vision of a Central Valley with “no barriers; just opportunity; all people.” She has nearly 25 years of experience in community and economic development in California’s Central Valley, including serving as mayor of Fresno from 2009 through 2016, where she focused her efforts on improving distressed neighborhoods, revitalizing the downtown and urban core, promoting local businesses, securing the city’s long-term water supply, addressing chronic homelessness, and stabilizing the city’s financial position. In addition, she has led the Governor’s Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno State’s Office of Community and Economic Development, the Regional Jobs Initiative, and the Central Valley Business Incubator. She was an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow and serves on numerous boards dedicated to inclusive economic growth, promoting democracy and civic engagement, and fulfilling America’s promise, including New America, the Urban Institute, the College Futures Foundation, California Forward, and the James B. McClatchy Foundation, as well as the PPIC Economic Policy Center Advisory Council. She holds MBA and BS degrees from California State University, Fresno.