Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashleigh Morrell.
Hi Ashleigh, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story started as a first-generation Jamaican American, one of four girls, growing up in the DMV. My childhood was filled with curiosity, wonder, and an itch to discover—whether it was the world beyond my backyard or a world so small, I couldn’t see it. Some of my fondest memories consisted of collecting caterpillars with my friends on the playground to watch metamorphosis in real time, flipping through The Giant Book of Questions and Answers, attempting to replicate science experiments I saw on Bill Nye, and dreaming up what it would be like to see the Great Pyramids or go on a safari like what I would see on TV.
Thanks to my parents, my nose was in books—whether for school or leisure—because getting asked if I “took up my books mornin” was a priority to avoid. It was a mosaic of all these experiences, paired with my love of community and connections, that led me to who you see in the present day.
I’m now a Senior Clinical Research Associate, knee-deep in Neurology and Cardiology clinical trials that take me all across the country! In this position, I am able to examine and understand various diseases, acute and chronic conditions, and advancements in the medical field toward cures and management. I joke that for each year I’ve advanced in my career, I’ve also grown five extra arms to keep up with study start-ups and closeouts, data review, regulatory compliance—the list continues, and I’m still not quite sure where it ends.
What I love the most about my work is that I can explore different therapeutic areas pretty freely and gather opportunities in concentrations I have a passion for, such as Cardiology. I have grown in my scientific knowledge, and more information just keeps coming with each new study! I’ve loved science ever since I was a child, which carried me through a bachelor’s degree in Biology at FSU and a master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at FAU, where I actually participated in cell-based Alzheimer’s research. This same research was expanded upon when I became a study coordinator and then again during my current position.
So, as time progressed and I moved upward, my vision of the research field grew wider and wider and, with that, came more appreciation for each level. I consider it a blessing to have a career that puts me in a position to pursue a lifelong passion and a reminder that hits me randomly as I’m running through the ATL airport to my connection. Along the way, though, I’ve been privileged to work with amazing medical teams, study teams, internal organizations, and fellow CRAs who I now call friends.
Outside of the constant all-gas-no-brakes working environment, I’ve managed to make time for myself when I’m home and abroad. Since moving back to the DMV in 2024 from Florida, I’ve started a personal journey of rating matchas across the DMV (and beyond!) and sharing it on social media. This has honestly been key in venturing out to different areas and spending time with myself! I’m currently the Director of Growth and Partnership at Phictly and using my position to visit some amazing bookstores and amass my collection of physical books to create my dream library. I also found a love for attending networking events, which has gifted me with meaningful professional connections and friends. From seeing Beyoncé and Kendrick live to meeting my friends at a new restaurant, I love that there’s never a dull moment, and my biggest W for this season of my life was moving back to the DMV.
Over the course of my travels, I’ve also been gifted wonderful experiences. I’ve watched sunsets on the beach in Naples, got a wine bottle signed by the founder of Corner 103 in Sonoma—one of the few Black-owned wineries in the area, ran under the Charlotte skyline with MadMiles, and witnessed the creative wonder of the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum in Seattle. I’ve also traveled for fun which has currently taken me across the Caribbean and I’ll be in Costa Rica this summer!
The travel life now has slowed down to a point where I can enjoy life in the DMV and still seek fulfilling experiences in my role, but there’s still a chance you can catch me in a city near you!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some consistent struggles throughout my life have been constantly overextending myself beyond my capacity and not setting aside time for self-care, recovery and participation in activities that I enjoy. These were not born out of ill intent toward myself but out of the desire to be kind and supportive, the belief that many experiences were a once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, a sense of duty, or the idea that if no one wanted to or could do it, I needed to step up. These thought processes and behavior put me in positions where I was continually pouring from an empty cup and disregarding myself and my needs.
It began in high school with participation in multiple extracurricular activities while carrying the weight of AP-level courses and seeped into graduate school and then my professional life, where I was picking up extra visits with a full schedule and traveling non-stop. I have forfeited rest, personal time, and experiences to simply enjoy life and live in the present when it simply wasn’t the season to temporarily push through discomfort.
I found myself constantly burned out mentally and physically, even when I didn’t purposely express it or show it, and when I crashed, I crashed hard! This was also paired with never setting aside dedicated time for myself was an equation that would eventually lead to my own breakdown if I wasn’t careful. In my process of unlearning, I have found the beauty and humanity in unsubscribing from the constant grind culture, seeking a better work-life balance (even life-life balance!), and devoting time to myself and my well-being. I believe India Arie said it best “I’m dropping these bags and making room for my joy!”
Setting aside time for myself has extended beyond a spa day and into activities that benefit me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually while also allowing me to recharge my internal battery. These recharges range from moving my body (catch me at a yoga class near you or running with MadMiles on a Charlotte work trip!), spending quality time with my people, journaling in the stillness of the evening, practicing the piano, excitedly planning for Phictly’s next event, or simply sitting in silence in the comfort of my place. I also have no problem going to bed at 9:30 if the day calls for it, too (there, I said it!)! I have been reminded that after pivoting away from and taking accountability for overloading myself, and practicing deliberate self-care, I have the stamina for work, extending a helping hand to others, and going the extra mile when it’s needed, all without feeling drained.
After consistent practice with this, I’ve found myself to be a better employee, coworker, friend, family member, and, just as importantly, a better Ashleigh!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Senior Clinical Research Associate and Director of Growth and Partnership at Phictly, two sides of the coin that bring together my passions for Science, Healthcare, and literature. As a CRA, I work in the Neurology and Cardiology therapeutic areas, with my responsibilities consisting of reviewing source documents and the electronic data capture system for accuracy, auditing the investigational product for proper dosing preparation, storage, and accountability, etc.! All while traveling from coast to coast, although now I’ve scaled it back to more local travel to better balance prioritizing rest and self-care. My job is not well known outside of the clinical research field, so I find it enjoyable and informative to explain it to those who are unfamiliar with it. In fact, I “fell” into the clinical research field myself on a search for employment openings after graduate school! Being in this role has provided me with opportunities to see life in other cities, meet new people, grow in scientific and medical knowledge, remain in a field that I’m passionate about, and be involved in scientific innovation and discovery.
Becoming a Director at Phictly is the newest addition to my professional repertoire, but I also don’t really consider it work at all! Every time I’m asked what I would do if I were not working in the field that I’m in, I say that I would want to open my own publishing company. There are so many stories budding in the minds of people across the globe that are unable to be released due to finances, marginalization, lack of support, or lack of opportunities. I imagine my company giving those people an avenue to own their creative voice on a global scale.
I consider myself blessed with Phictly because, in a way, I’m taking part in getting stories out there by working with a platform that promotes book clubs and book discovery! We are even hosting a global Book Festival catering to independent authors and bookstores, which will generate more traction for reader exploration. I would have never thought that an interest I placed in the back of my mind, a chance meeting at a professional event, and taking a leap of faith would lead me so close to a dream I placed on the shelf for “later.”
What was your favorite childhood memory?
A childhood memory I cherish would have to be the summer I spent in Kingston, Jamaica, with my grandmother when I was nine. In my opinion, spending quality time with family in Jamaica is a rite of passage, whether it’s just once or multiple times a year. That summer was the hottest I recall experiencing in my short life, and as I profusely sweated across from the Lasco fan on Mama’s couch, that my first recalled taste of island life.
My two sisters and I were cared for solely under my grandmother’s watchful eye, and she was hesitant to permit the three of us to venture beyond the front gate. Even when my cousin visited and offered to take us to the beach or for ice cream, she refused to let us out of her sight, though I would have probably traded my entire suitcase of clothes for a beach day, a pint of Devon House ice cream, and a patty.
During the days, we were allowed to accompany her on errands up the road, a reprieve from the confines of the house. My initial errand trip was one I never forgot because the first time I witnessed my grandmother’s handwriting as she signed a letter she was sending out. I remember it puzzled me for a while afterward and was followed by sadness once I realized it looked similar to my own—a mark of her own childhood sacrifice and something I spoke about at her funeral.
To pass the time outside of the infrequent trips beyond the house, and to avoid getting scolded for playing with the stray kittens or chasing the chickens in the backyard, I decided I would write because I left my journal at home. What I initially thought would be the musings of a fourth grader turned into a full-blown 20-plus-page adventure story that I still cannot believe I wrote! At night, I would recite each “chapter” to my sisters, and inspiration would grip me, causing me to scribble until midnight on many occasions.
I regret not saving the story for the memories and simply watching as the pages were swept into the trash days before we left. In my naivety, I trusted I would simply remember it all and just write it again when I had a moment, but that moment never came, or at least the thought to recreate it didn’t. That’s how it works when you think you have all the time in the world.
It’s interesting now that I would constantly ask my mom when I would get to come home, but now I wish I had just enjoyed that summer. Mama passed on a few years ago, and I regret not spending more time sitting on the veranda with her. I wish I had gone on more grocery store trips and taken a few seconds to pick up the loose-leaf papers before they were swept away.
All I have now are those memories, but they are ones I cherish. To this day, I keep a pin with my grandmother’s picture in my bag no matter where I go, so as I move about the world, it’s like I’m showing her that I’m actually okay being beyond the veranda. I’m sure she asked God to keep an eye on me, though!
