Ashley Harrington

Ashley Harrington is the senior advisor to the Chief Operating Officer at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid. In this role, she advises the COO on policy implementation, operations, and external communications related to the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio. Prior to joining FSA, Ashley served as federal advocacy director and senior policy counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). Ashley led CRL’s federal advocacy efforts, helping to shape fair lending and consumer protection reforms to address racial wealth disparities. Her portfolio included a range of consumer lending issues, with a focus on student debt reform.  Ashley also previously worked at UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) and in the New York Governor’s Office.  She is the author of articles and reports on student debt, particularly as it affects Black borrowers; a frequent media contributor; and she has provided testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Financial Services Committee and Small Business Committee. Ashley received her B.A. in Public Policy Analysis from UNC-Chapel Hill and her J.D. from New York University School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in New York.