VIP Profile: Ashley Wilson Quinn

Story By: Amelia Bowen

There are some people who seem to carry the energy of a community with them wherever they go. Ashlee Wilson Quinn is one of those people. Born and raised in Bowling Green, Ashlee has become one of the city’s most recognizable faces, not just because of the roles she has held, but because of the way she shows up. On television, at the ballpark, on stage or in the middle of a community event, Ashlee has built a life rooted in connection, storytelling and a genuine love for the place that raised her. After spending time away in New York, returning home felt almost more surprising than leaving. “There’s something so special about coming back to my hometown and throwing myself into everything,” she says. “To be part of that growth and be able to say, ‘This is my hometown,’ is really special.” For Ashlee, that desire to be involved started early. She grew up watching her family engage with the community and saw firsthand the impact that comes from showing up, volunteering and building relationships. When she returned to Bowling Green, she wanted to follow in those footsteps in her own way. That mindset became especially clear during what she calls her “yes year.” “If it wasn’t a heck no, it was a yes,” she says. So she said yes. To volunteer opportunities. To committees. To performances. To conversations that opened doors she did not always expect. One of those doors led her to the Bowling Green Hot Rods, where she began as Corporate Marketing Manager before eventually becoming the first female Assistant General Manager in the organization’s history. Along the way, she also stepped into the role of on-field emcee, bringing her performance background into the ballpark experience. A lifelong theatre kid, Ashlee believes her background in performance has shaped nearly every chapter of her professional life. Theatre taught her how to read a room, collaborate with others, improvise when things do not go as planned and connect with people in a meaningful way. “You hire the theatre kid,” she says. That creativity and sense of connection have followed her into nearly every role she has held. Through local theatre, music and community events, Ashlee has continued finding ways to contribute to Bowling Green’s creative community alongside her husband, Shawn, whose own creative background has made their involvement even more meaningful. Together, the two have embraced opportunities to perform, collaborate and invest in the community they both care deeply about. Today, Ashlee is perhaps most widely known for her work with WNKY News 40, where she helps tell the stories of the community each morning on News 40 Sunrise and News 40 at 9. With her deep roots in Bowling Green and natural ability to connect with people, the role has become one of the most meaningful parts of her career. “It’s become one of my favorite things,” she says. “There’s so much history to tell, but there’s so much exciting newness to share.” Whether she is interviewing a nonprofit leader, promoting a local festival or highlighting a local business, Ashlee approaches each conversation with the same goal: making people feel comfortable enough to share their story. “I want it to feel conversational,” she says. That approach is part of what makes her presence feel so familiar. Ashlee is not just reporting on Bowling Green. She is part of it. Her love for the city is deeply personal. Family was one of the biggest reasons she wanted to return home, but once she was back, she began to see Bowling Green with new eyes. The city had grown, but to Ashlee, it had managed to grow without losing its identity. “Seeing all these things, the city was growing, but it wasn’t trying to be something that it wasn’t,” she says. That sense of responsibility is part of what drives her. Ashlee wants to see Bowling Green thrive, and she believes one of the city’s greatest strengths is the way people support one another through mentorship, collaboration and community involvement. Recently, Ashlee was honored with the Athena Young Professional Leadership Award from the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, a recognition that felt especially meaningful because of the women she has long admired within the community. “To be recognized and to now be in this league of women I have admired for so many years is really special,” she says. For Ashlee, the award was not about recognition as much as it was a reminder that the work she has poured into her hometown is making an impact. “I hope I can be that for a younger generation,” she says. At the heart of Ashlee’s story is a willingness to embrace opportunity. Yes to the stage. Yes to the interview. Yes to the community event. Yes to building relationships and helping others feel seen. Ashlee has spent much of her life finding different ways to tell stories, but her greatest role may be the one she plays every day in her hometown: connector, storyteller and advocate for Bowling Green. “I love the community where I live,” she says. “I want to see it grow and prosper.” And through every story she tells and every opportunity she embraces, Ashlee continues to do exactly that.