NVCA Names Ashlyn Roberts Senior Director of Government Affairs

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) welcomes Ashlyn Roberts as the newest member of its Government Affairs team. Ashlyn brings to her role as Senior Director a track record of effective government relations and advocacy on behalf of life science venture capitalists and others in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. She has been on the frontline of the Small Business Roundtable and advised the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation on matters related to entrepreneurship, economic development, and workforce policy.

“With Ashlyn’s arrival, our members and their portfolio companies gain a valuable partner who is well-versed in policymaker engagement and possesses keen insight into the issues that hold significance for the startup industry,” said Bobby Franklin, NVCA President and CEO. “Her expertise in shepherding to fruition policy initiatives that reside at the crossroads of technology, economic development, and healthcare will boost NVCA’s impact in Washington, DC, and in innovation hubs around the nation.”

Ashlyn has robust experience working alongside the Department of Commerce and Small Business Administration identifying collaborative opportunities at the intersection of private, philanthropic, and public capital. Most recently, as Director of Government and Public Affairs at Prism Group, she developed and expanded a coalition of 500+ early-stage life science venture capitalists and innovators, where she implemented effective advocacy campaigns, fostered stakeholder engagement, and led thought leadership activities, all of which established the coalition as a trusted resource in the life science sector.

She also brings a deep understanding of government relations, as exemplified by her work over the past three years to secure increased appropriations funding for the Women’s Business Center program and her efforts to introduce program reauthorization legislation in Congress. A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Ashlyn graduated from Wofford College with degrees in International Affairs and Spanish. 

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The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) empowers the next generation of American companies that will fuel the economy of tomorrow. As the voice of the U.S. venture capital and startup community, NVCA advocates for public policy that supports the American entrepreneurial ecosystem. Serving the venture community as the preeminent trade association, NVCA arms the venture community for success, serving as the leading resource for venture capital data, practical education, peer-led initiatives, and networking. For more information about NVCA, please visit www.nvca.org.