ASHLEY LYNN PRIORE

Ashley Lynn Priore is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader, chess champion, and strategist working at the intersection of youth empowerment, education equity, and civic leadership. She founded Queens Gambit as a high school student to break down barriers in the game of chess and ensure that all young people - regardless of background—have access to the critical thinking, leadership, and life skills the game provides.

Under Ashley’s leadership, Queens Gambit has grown into a nationally respected organization delivering free chess-based enrichment programs, workforce development opportunities, and advocacy for equitable education models rooted in strategy and inclusion. A pioneer in integrating chess with life skills education, Ashley developed a research-backed curriculum that blends game theory with the World Health Organization’s 10 key life skills - an approach now used across schools and community programs.

Ashley currently serves on the boards of the Women & Girls Foundation and the Western Pennsylvania Bleeding Disorders Foundation. She was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2025.