Star Profile
Ashley Dusenbury of Palmetto Health Foundation
By John Temple Ligon Temple@TheColumbiaStar.com

Ashley Dusenbury

As the director of public relations for the Palmetto Health Foundation, Ashley Dusenbury maintains ties with current donors, establishes ties with potential donors, and somehow keeps close at hand her connections with volunteers and the community.

Dusenbury has been on the job since June 1 and has settled in for what appears to be long term.

Born in Allendale, S.C., Dusenbury grew up hearing stories of Jasper Johns, another child of Allendale, and the world's most expensive living artist. Dusenbury is actually related to Johns by way of her family's overlap with that of Dick Riley, S.C.'s former governor and the secretary of education in the Clinton administration. Riley and Johns are first cousins.

Dusenbury went to elementary and middle school in Allendale, and her high school experience began at Allendale Academy, but the school closed when she had two years of high school left. She had to commute 30 minutes each way to Erhardt Academy in Bamberg for her junior and senior years of high school.

With just 22 students in her class, Dusenbury took advantage of the sports that were offered for girls. Among other positions and titles, she was the school basketball team's point guard and a cheerleader. She was also on the yearbook staff.

Dusenbury's father was in the insurance business, and his last position was with Greenville- based, Liberty Life. Her mother was a security employee at the Savannah River Site, and her grandfather was a barber at Allendale's Warren Hotel.

After high school, Dusenbury stayed in Allendale and attended USC-/Salkehatchie for two years. She transferred to the Columbia campus and the School of Journalism in 1992, about the time and place she met her husband Jonathan.

In her senior year as a journalism major at USC, Dusenbury had an internship at WIS- TV. Upon graduation, she had a full- time position there, and worked with Joe Pinner and his Mr. Knozit Show.

After two years in television, Dusenbury went to work for the Lutheran Homes of S.C. in advertising and marketing. After more than three years with the Lutheran Homes, Dusenbury went with The Gillespie Agency where she was director of media/PR for eight years.

As director of PR for the Palmetto Health Foundation, Dusenbury provides support for all of their signature events, such as the First Ladies' Walk for Life...Steps Against Breast Cancer. The event, started by Beth Coble in 1990, is scheduled for Saturday, October 6, at Finlay Park. Dusen- bury expects to attract more than 14,000 walkers.

Also high on Dusenbury's list of signature events is the Festival of Trees, a few days of creative and elaborate Christmas decorations at the State Museum. The gala kicks off Friday, November 16, at 8 pm. Tickets are $125 each, and all proceeds benefit the Palmetto Health Children's Hospital capital campaign.

The capital campaign to help build the Children's Hospital is targeting a $20 million total. The hospital is under construction and is scheduled for completion in May 2008.

Dusenbury will be on board next year for the annual McDaniels Golf Classic, which last year drew 61 teams and raised $166,000. Next year's tournament is set for May 9.

Dusenbury and her husband Jonathan spent a week this summer in Colorado, making the rounds among Denver, Boulder, and Ft. Collins, and hiking the countryside. She says her skills in cooking Mexican food have to be honed and compared occasionally in the American West to see how they stack up.

In November, the Dusenburys will have been married 11 years. They have two boys. Justin is five years old and headed for kindergarten, and Garrett is eight months old.