From 1991–1992, Ashley was the president of the Society of Economic and Petroleum Mineralogists and chaired the Northeast Section of the Geological Society of America (GSA). She is active in the Association of Women Geoscientists to bring more women into scientific fields. From 1998–1999, she presided over the GSA and was the second female president in its history. From 1998 to 2002 she served as vice president of the International Association of Sedimentologists.
