Ashley Barbera

I’ve spent 15 years figuring out why people choose one brand over another, what makes them talk about it, and what brings them back.

My career has taken me across consumer, wellness, technology, food, retail, and media, but the work has always centered on the same question: what will make people care?

I’ve helped turn an air purifier into a design and culture brand, made product trial a growth strategy for a prepared-meal company, built experiential programs for some of the world’s largest consumer brands, and created new ways for people to experience mindfulness and behavior change.

I tend to work at the intersection of brand and business. I like finding the sharpest idea inside a messy problem, turning it into positioning people can understand and care about, then figuring out how that idea should show up across creative, content, partnerships, experiences, distribution, and growth.

I’m happiest close to the work. I like smart people with opinions, direct feedback, messy brainstorms, ambitious ideas, and teams willing to keep pushing until something feels right.

I live in Napa with my family. Outside of work, I’m usually dreaming up a business idea, disappearing down a wellness rabbit hole, or overanalyzing why a restaurant, hotel, campaign, product, or brand experience works so well.