Skip to main content

Accessibility menu

Skip to main content Skip to footer

Profile for Ashley Nowak

Ashley Nowak profile photo

Contact me

Ashley Nowak

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Director Center Civil Dialogue & Engagement
Ctr For Transformative Justice University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

FirstGeneration badge
FriendlyFace badge
Accessibility badge
DiscussionProject badge

Ashley Nowak Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Director Center Civil Dialogue & Engagement

Ctr For Transformative Justice

Brief biography

Ashley has dedicated her entire career to the field of education. Before stepping into her current role as a director, she spent over a decade as a secondary classroom teacher and served as a district-wide equity coordinator. Her work is driven by a deep passion for fostering civic engagement and a true sense of belonging through education, meaningful dialogue, research, and community-based initiatives.

Outside of work, Ashley enjoys spending time outdoors, being with her family, and diving into a good book, especially historical fiction and memoirs.

UWL Committees:  Bias Support & Education Team, Campus Climate Research Committee, Joint Committee for Civil Discourse, Civil Discourse Program Committee

Education

Ed. D., Student Affairs Administration and Leadership, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse (in progress)

M.Ed., Secondary Social Studies Education, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 

B.A. Sociology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 

Inclusive Classroom Teaching Certificate, University of La Verne

 

Career

Teaching history

University Adjunct Positions: Sociology of Racial and Ethnic Groups (2013), Techniques of Secondary Methodology (2019)

Kudos

presented

Nevin Heard, Access, Belonging & Compliance; and Caleb Colon-Rivera and Ashley Nowak, both Center for Civil Dialogue & Civic Engagement; presented "It Hurts My Soul" at National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education on May 31 in New York City, NY. This session explored the concept of moral injury, including its symptoms and the contexts in which it arises. Participants learned four evidence-based strategies to mitigate its impact and applied them through an interactive case study.

Submitted on: June 2

presented

Nevin Heard, Access, Belonging & Compliance; and Caleb Colon-Rivera and Ashley Nowak, both Center for Civil Dialogue & Civic Engagement; presented "From Mandate to Opportunity: Reframing Campus Climate Challenges" at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education on May 29 in New York City, NY. Higher education institutions face the challenge of balancing free expression with inclusion, especially in politically charged environments. From Mandate to Opportunity: Reframing Campus Climate Challenges explored how UWL navigated these tensions and offered strategies to engage in inclusive dialogue while upholding free expression.

Submitted on: June 2

presented

Ashley Nowak, Center for Transformative Justice, presented "Navigating the Next Chapter" at the Wisconsin College Personnel Association PDI 2025 on April 10 online. Ashley led the closing session, guiding participants in reflecting on core values, their roles in the broader social context, and how connections shape campus culture. She emphasized intentional discourse, personal reflection, and collective responsibility.

Submitted on: April 16

Memberships & affiliations

[{"organization":"Greater La Crosse Area Diversity Council","position":"GLADC Board Member","url":"https://www.glaxdiversitycouncil.com/"}]