Ashley Michelle Celada 

CHCI Public Policy Fellow

Presented by Open Society 

Hometown: Long Beach, California 

School: Stanford University 

Degree: B.A. in International Relations 

Placement: Office of Rep. Adriano Espaillat 

Ashley Celada (she/her/ella) is the eldest daughter of two Guatemalan immigrants who settled in Long Beach, California. Raised by a resilient community of working-class immigrants, Ashley was deeply shaped by acts of collective care, such as her mother using her limited English to help others in the community, or church members offering support in times of need. Witnessing these sacrifices defined public service for her and ignited her passion for expanding access to citizenship and resources for under-resourced communities. 

Ashley graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in International Relations, a minor in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, and a Cardinal Service Notation recognizing her dedication to public service. On campus, she served as the Outreach Coordinator for El Centro Chicano y Latino and as a Resident Assistant for Casa Zapata, planning events and providing resources for Latine students and clubs. For her capstone, Ashley co-developed a new sub-sector classification system with Accountability Counsel, identifying patterns across international development sectors and informing targeted policy advocacy.  

Off campus, she deepened her commitment to human rights and legal advocacy. In Nogales, Sonora, she co-developed organizational manuals for community-based nonprofits supporting students with disabilities. At the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Ashley helped launch the #IMIIBA campaign to uplift immigrant voices. With Freedom for Immigrants, she monitored detention conditions through hotline work. She later interned with the Santa Clara Public Defender’s Office, reviewing body-worn camera footage and jail calls for potential case evidence. She also led bilingual board communications as Board Coordinator for Pan Peru USA. Most recently, as a Human Rights Research Intern at the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, she completed country condition toolkits and co-created a legal guide for Pro Se asylum applicants. 

As a CHCI Public Policy Fellow, Ashley looks forward to building on her grassroots and legal experience by learning how policy is created, negotiated, and implemented. She hopes to explore how community-centered approaches and advocacy can translate into meaningful systemic reform. Long-term, Ashley plans to attend law school and work at the intersection of immigration, transitional justice, and international human rights.