Ashton Clemmons

Ashton Wheeler Clemmons was born on September 2, 1983. She is a former Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives who represented the 57th district, encompassing north-central Guilford County, from 2019 to 2024. She won her initial election on November 6, 2018, securing 68 percent of the vote against Republican opponent Troy Lawson. Clemmons was subsequently re-elected in 2020 and 2022. During the 2023-2024 legislative session, she served as Deputy Minority Leader.

Clemmons is a mother of three and resides in Greensboro with her husband, Bryan Clemmons.

Education

Clemmons graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. She later earned a Master's in School Leadership from Harvard University and a Doctorate in Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Political Experience

Legislative Service

During her tenure in the North Carolina House, Clemmons was appointed to the Commerce, Education K-12, Education-Universities, and Finance Committees. She also served as House Democratic Freshman Caucus Co-Chair and led legislative efforts on early childhood, K-12, and higher education issues.

Professional Background

Before entering the legislature, Clemmons built a career in education. She taught school in Durham and Guilford counties and later served as principal of schools in Rockingham and Guilford counties, where she led the turnaround of one of the state's lowest-performing schools. She also worked as assistant superintendent of Thomasville City Schools. In these roles, she was recognized as one of the Triad Business Journal's "40 Leaders under 40" and received the United Way's Human Rights Advocate award.

Current Role

Following her legislative service, which ended in August 2024, Clemmons assumed the position of Associate Vice President for P-12 Strategy and Policy for the UNC System Office.