Frank Ashley III, Ed.D.
Chair, Clinical Operations Board St. Luke’s Health, Houston
Texas Healthcare Trustees presents the Founders’ Award to a distinguished health care trustee with an exemplary record of leadership, dedication and excellence in health care governance. The Founders’ Award is the highest honor bestowed to a trustee.
Frank Ashley, III, Ed.D. is the executive associate dean and senior professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. He came to the Bush School from the College Board, where he was senior vice president of membership and higher education engagement.
As Executive Associate Dean, Dr. Ashley oversees graduate education and research activities as well as strategic planning, faculty affairs, student affairs, program development, diversity, assessment, communications and external relations, student services, and extended education programs in the Bush School. He also teaches the Managing Diversity in Public and Nonprofit Organizations course.
Dr. Ashley earned his bachelor’s degree from Louisiana College and a master’s and doctorate from the University of Alabama. He began his academic career as a science teacher and coach. His previous appointments include faculty positions and service as dean of the College of Education and interim provost-vice president for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University-Commerce as well as director of admissions and associate dean for Undergraduate Studies and Teacher Education in Texas A&M University’s College of Education. From 2007 to 2010, Dr. Ashley served as vice chancellor for academic affairs for the Texas A&M University System, where he served as chief academic officer for the System and represented the System at the state level on all academic issues.
In 2010, he was named vice chancellor for recruitment and diversity and chief of staff. In this position, he collected and analyzed System data on diversity and assisted System universities and agencies in recruiting and retaining diverse students, faculty, and staff. A former College Board trustee, Dr. Ashley has also served on boards and committees for numerous other organizations, including the Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley, CHI St. Joseph Health, the North American Society for Sport Management, and the Commerce Independent School District. He currently serves as the Chair of the Clinical Operations Board of St. Luke’s Health. He was also a member of the editorial board of both the Journal of Applied and Athletics Research in Coaching and the International Journal of Sports Management.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Frank Ashley III as the winner of the 2025 THT Founders’ Award.