In addition to her advocacy, Ashley is a motivational speaker, victim advocate, and author.

She holds a degree from Maryland University of Integrative Health and resides in the Austin, Texas metropolitan area. In 2025, she published Silent Witness: How DNA Uncovered the Truth and Empowered My Healing, a memoir blending her personal story with a call to action for DNA policy reform. The book details her journey from survivor to advocate, emphasizing how forensic DNA can transform lives, provide justice, and create safer communities. As a mother, Ashley’s work is deeply personal, driven by a commitment to protect future generations and ensure no victim endures the uncertainty she faced.  

Through her efforts, Ashley continues to bridge the gap between science, policy, and survivor voices, proving that one person’s story can spark systemic change.

DNA Justice Project is a 501(c)(4) association.

In the United States, donations for 501(c)(4) associations and legislative advocacy are not tax-deductible. Legislative advocacy is the cornerstone of our mission and purpose. In spite of this, we hope you will consider a donation, no matter how small, that we can use in our efforts to correspond with and educate lawmakers. If you cannot make a donation, contacting your own state legislators in support of DNA arrestee legislation and technology is just as important to us — please visit our Take Action page for further details.

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Ashley Spence is the founder and driving force behind the DNA Justice Project, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization established in 2022. Her passion for forensic DNA advocacy stems from her personal experience as a survivor of a brutal home invasion and sexual assault. In 2003, at the age of 19, Ashley was a college student at Arizona State University when a stranger broke into her apartment, assaulting her for hours in a violent attack that nearly ended her life. She survived physically but never saw her attacker’s face, and the case went unsolved for seven years. In 2010, a DNA match from the national CODIS database identified her perpetrator, leading to his arrest and conviction. He was sentenced to nearly 138 years in prison, bringing Ashley the justice she had long awaited.  

This life-altering event inspired Ashley to channel her healing into action. Motivated by the power of DNA to not only solve crimes but also exonerate the innocent and prevent future offenses, she founded the DNA Justice Project to educate policymakers, law enforcement, and the public on the critical role of forensic DNA technology. The organization advocates for legislation to expand DNA databases, implement advanced tools like RAPID DNA, and secure funding for DNA programs at state and national levels. Ashley has testified before legislatures across the United States, including in states like Arkansas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Texas, contributing to successful bills such as the Liza Fletcher Act in Arkansas. She partners with organizations like the Joyful Heart Foundation to address gaps in offender DNA collection, highlighting how 40-50,000 uncollected samples per state hinder justice.