2025 BAA Annual Trainer Summit

Leslie Zeitler is the Director of Learning Strategies for the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), a program of Race Forward. She is responsible for development of self-paced online learning courses for racial equity practitioners in government. She has also been a California Regional Manager for GARE providing training, technical assistance, and capacity building in support of local, regional, and state agencies undertaking racial equity work both in California and nationally. Leslie also assisted California agencies in strategizing regionally and statewide to support racially equitable outcomes across a wide range of departments and sectors of government.

Ashley brings over 18 years of leadership experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion work and has trained, coached, and provided consultation to over 85 local and state governmental agencies and jurisdictions on how to advance racial equity. Ashley currently manages and supervises a diversified portfolio of equity, diversity, and inclusion policy, budget, data, and organizational capacity development work. She has also served as a Regional Manager at GARE. In this role, she developed the capacity of city, county, and state governmental agencies and jurisdictions in California to advance racial equity. Ashley has also led tribal, county, and state governments and coalitions through successful equity change initiatives in public health, mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, and early education.