Dr. Deborah Ashton
President | Planet Perspective, LLC
Dr. Deborah Ashton is President of Planet Perspective and a veteran human resources executive, as well as a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategist with over 40 years’ experience in multiple industries and serves as an executive coach for the Diversity Woman Network. As an executive coach, she guides clients to optimize their leadership style, lead effectively and compassionately, manage organizational change, and build strong business relationships.
Dr. Ashton has led diversity and inclusion offices at Medtronic, Darden Restaurants, Harley-Davidson, Novant Health, and Argonne National Laboratory, and previously served as Chief ofTest Development and Validation for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Her work involves executive coaching, evaluating inclusive culture and leadership effectiveness, advising boards, and supporting organizations in meeting the needs of diverse global customers and employees.
Dr. Ashton’s contributions to the field have earned her a place in Inclusion Magazine’s 2021 D&IHall of Fame, recognition as one of Savoy Magazine’s 2014 Top Influential Women in Corporate America, and the title of Health Equity Pioneer by the American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity in 2023. She is also a recipient of Clarke University’s 2021Distinguished Alumni Award and 2025 Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters.
She has served on the Advisory Committee Board for the American Diversity Report and the Mill Road Progressive Governance Fund, Mill Road Capital, and as a member of the board for over a dozen nonprofit boards. She served on The Conference Board as a Diversity & Inclusion Council Member and Chair of the Metric Committee and served on its Council of Global Diversity & Inclusion Executives.
Dr. Ashton is a member of the NYSE Board Candidate Network and serves on Clarke University’s Board of Trustees. She has authored articles for the Harvard Business Review and other prestigious journals on pay equity, inclusion, diversity, and diversity maturity models. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She specializes in executive coaching, board advisory, and assessing and promoting inclusive leadership and an inclusive organizational culture.
She is a licensed psychologist, who completed a Postdoctoral Clinical Fellowship at Harvard Medical School and earned both Ph.D. and Ed.D. degrees in Clinical Psychology & Public Practice from Harvard University. Her academic achievements include being a Ford Foundation Fellow, graduating with honors in Psychology from Clarke College, certification from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Climate Leadership certification from Diligent Academy, LaMarsh Master of Managed Change™ designation, and a Certificate in Diversity Management from Georgetown University & The Institute for Diversity-American Hospital Association.
Coaching Specialties: Mitigating Unconscious and Systemic Biases in the Workplace, Challenging Organizational Culture, Self-Promotion and Bias Navigation
