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Cohort 8

Jurisdiction: Lumbee Tribe

University: UNC-Pembroke

Hometown: Robeson County, NC

Ashton Bryanne Locklear serves as a Lead for North Carolina Fellow with the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, where she supports Tribal communications, internal policy systems, and long-term strategic planning. During her fellowship, Ashton will develop a comprehensive communications plan by assessing current practices, gathering input from Tribal leadership, departments, employees, Tribal members, community partners, media representatives, and the public, and creating consistent messaging standards, templates, communication calendars, website and social media practices, and crisis communication procedures. She will also inventory and reorganize the Tribe’s policies and procedures, develop a master policy index, identify outdated or missing documents, and recommend a more centralized and consistent policy management system. In addition, Ashton will assist Tribal leadership in developing a multi-year strategic plan with clearly defined priorities, measurable outcomes, implementation strategies, and a framework for tracking progress. Through these projects, she is gaining hands-on experience in governmental communications, public-sector writing, policy development, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, facilitation, performance measurement, governmental leadership, and cross-departmental coordination while helping strengthen the Tribe’s organizational capacity and service to its members.

Ashton Locklear earned degrees in Political Science and Public Administration and is passionate about public service, community development, and effective government. As a member of the Lumbee Tribe, Ashton is committed to leadership, policy, and creating positive change across North Carolina communities.

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