The Lightning Round with Ashley Graff

Posted on June 11, 2012


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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er1bwzZCik0&w=420&h=315]

Ashley Graff

Food Systems Educator, Douglas County Child Development Association

Current Kansas University MPA Student

What book is on your nightstand?

On my nightstand right now is a novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz called En el Tiempo de la Luz.  I try to read books in Spanish every so often to keep myself fluent.

If you were to run for elected office, which position would seek?

I’m definitely not the elected-office type.

Your best piece of career advice.

The best piece of career advice I’ve received came from my dad.  He told me to “live close to where you work.” He’s right. Commuting long distances, at least by car, can be rough.


Biggest issue facing local governments?

The big, bad budget crunch.

If you were a baseball player, what would be your theme music while you were on-deck?

Without a doubt, I’d want to hear Machinehead by Bush.

What are three things people will say about you at your retirement party?

The three things I hope to hear at my retirement party are:

  • Ashley was always able to bring people together to get things done, and her work made a difference.
  • I always respected her reliability, work ethic and morals.
  • Ashley was a capable leader and demonstrated a balance of ingenuity, decisiveness and humanity.

If I turned on your iPod right now, what would be playing?

On my iPod now you’ll hear The Black Keys, Elliott Smith, and a band from the South called Hope for Agoldensummer.

Name two of your mentors.

From a professional perspective, and whether she knows it or not, I consider Tanya Brame a mentor. She supervised my work at Sylvan Learning Center and I learned a lot from her. From a personal perspective, my mom is my mentor. I hope one day I can be half as dynamic and resilient as she is.

(Fill in the blank) Government is…

…where we turn to solve the collective problems we can’t face individually.

(Fill in the blank) ELGL is…

…my new favorite LinkedIn group!

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