Ashley Baxter is a visionary leader and the  Founder of Mission Forward Consulting,  LLC. and Mission Forward Network. Her client-focused approach has  enabled Mission Forward to deliver top-tier consulting services, specializing in  leadership development, cultural  transformation, and strategic marketing. 

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Before founding Mission Forward, Ashley served as Executive Pastor at Anchor Bend, where she led a diverse team of staff and volunteers to implement transformative community initiatives with global reach. She directed the Anchor Bend Leadership Academy, developing over 250 leaders and launching The Anchor Bend Network—a coalition of more than 450 mission-driven leaders. Under Ashley's strategic leadership, Anchor Bend achieved milestones such as a $7 million building campaign, annual fundraising success, and the creation of robust leadership pipelines and growth strategies that continue to shape the organization’s impact.

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Ashley also brings deep sales expertise from her roles in the healthcare industry, including her tenure as Post-Acute Sales Manager for Medtronic

and Vice President of Sales for Bosch Healthcare Solutions  GmbH. In these roles, she fostered key relationships with C-suite leaders, exceeded revenue targets, and consistently closed high-value contracts.

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Currently, as the Vice President of Business Development at Connect  America, Ashley leads and develops a national team of Sales Executives and Client Managers, with plans for expansion into Canada in the coming months.  She oversees a client portfolio representing $100 million in annual revenue and is responsible for setting the strategic vision for growth within the healthcare and payor segments. Ashley works closely with C-suite partners to empower healthcare organizations to enhance care quality and reduce costs through connected care solutions that enable at-risk populations to age in place with dignity and independence. 

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Ashley's decades of multifaceted experience in non-profit leadership, healthcare sales, and organizational consulting underscore her ability to deliver strategic, measurable results while fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence. She is a licensed and ordained minister, a highly sought-after speaker, and well-known for her ability to connect vision to action and inspire impact.