Ashlee Ammons Halpin is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), where she focuses on the Talent x Opportunity Initiative (TxO), supporting the growth and success of emerging founders through the TxO University program. As one of the first 50 Black women in the U.S. to raise over $1M in venture capital, Ashlee has paved new paths for entrepreneurship, particularly in the Southeast and beyond.
Ashlee’s entrepreneurial journey is rooted in her background as a founder and her career in experiential marketing, where she worked with iconic figures like Oprah Winfrey, LeBron James, and Jay-Z, as well as global brands including Coca-Cola, Nike, and LVMH. Her innovative work has garnered attention from media outlets such as Forbes, Business Insider, Inc., Entrepreneur, and CNN. In 2022, she was recognized as a Female Founder 100 Honoree by Inc.
A sought-after speaker, Ashlee has shared her expertise at prestigious venues such as the Kauffman Foundation's ESHIP Summit, Google, Capital One, VentureBeat, Babson College, Georgia Tech, and Ole Miss. She also serves as an advisor to the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and has contributed to initiatives supporting diverse entrepreneurs and K-12 students.
Ashlee holds a BA in Mass Communications and Public Relations from Baldwin-Wallace University. She resides in Atlanta, GA, where she enjoys mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs, exploring art and culinary scenes, and staying active with her family.
"Engaging, energizing, and exciting - Ashlee's presentation kept our students entertained and interested (no small feat) throughout her talk. She shared candidly about the 'real life' of a start-up founder and provided valuable and actionable advice to budding entrepreneurs in particular, but general lessons to all heading into the workforce soon. No reading assignment, case study, or class discussion can have the same effect as listening to Ashlee tell her story!"
"Engaging, energizing, and exciting - Ashlee's presentation kept our students entertained and interested (no small feat) throughout her talk. She shared candidly about the 'real life' of a start-up founder and provided valuable and actionable advice to budding entrepreneurs in particular, but general lessons to all heading into the workforce soon. No reading assignment, case study, or class discussion can have the same effect as listening to Ashlee tell her story!"