Dr. Ashley Cross

Founding Executive Director, HOPE585

Dr. Ashley Cross is the Founding Executive Director of HOPE585, a Rochester nonprofit working to strengthen families and reshape how our community responds to the foster system. Under her leadership, HOPE585 has expanded community support through initiatives like the CarePortal and the Reimagine Initiative, both designed to prevent unnecessary CPS involvement and keep families together. In 2025, the organization received the Systems Change Award from Roc the Future for its growing local and statewide impact.

A former foster parent, Dr. Cross brings personal insight into the challenges families face and the inequities that often shape their involvement with child welfare. She is also a practitioner of the Science of Hope, equipping youth, caregivers, and professionals with tools to increase resilience and build pathways toward meaningful goals.

Her recent article in The Imprint, “Surveillance Will Not Resolve Unaddressed Poverty,” reflects her commitment to policy change rooted in both research and lived experience. Dr. Cross serves on the board of Causewave Community Partners, is a member of the New York State Mandated Reporting Work Group, and was named a 2023 Forty Under 40 honoree.

Dr. Cross is a wife and mother of four daughters, one of whom has navigated a history of epilepsy, which continues to shape her understanding of resilience, advocacy, and the importance of family-centered care.