Alexandra Ash is reshaping what modern leadership looks like—integrated, intentional, and human. As the first woman under 40 to lead The Y Australia in its 180-year history, Alex is steering the organisation through bold transformation while championing a culture that values empathy, inclusion, and lived experience.
Her leadership is deeply personal. A mother of two and lifelong advocate for young people, Alex brings her full self to the role and encourages others to do the same—challenging the outdated idea that professional identity must come at the cost of everything else.
In this conversation, Alex shares what it means to lead with trust, navigate invisible barriers, and build a career—and a life—that makes space for family, community, and real connection.
You’re the first woman under 40 to lead The Y Australia in its 180-year history. What does that milestone mean to you, and how are you reshaping what leadership looks like at the top?
If you had asked me in my 20’s if I would be a CEO by 34, I would say no way. Yes, I was ambitious, however I had that voice in my head saying, ‘you’ll be found out soon, they are going to figure out you’re a joke.’
So now as I sit here as National CEO, I know I need to believe in myself more than ever. I often remind myself I am here for a reason and I’m making a difference. I felt like trust was put in me from the very beginning of my career 13 years ago at the Y, so I’ve learnt that leading with trust is the best for my style and gets the best out of the team.
I’ve also learned that leading with power and strength and utilising control only gets you so far. I lead an enabling environment to fail fast, give things a crack, learn from experiences, and own your successes and failures (which aren’t really failures, if you’re learning from them).
On top of my identity as a CEO, I’m also a mother, a sister, a daughter, and a wife. I now know there is no such thing as a work life balance, it’s about having an integrated lifestyle. My kids swim at The Y, learn at The Y and are part of the furniture in the office during school holidays. I leave the office loudly when I’m heading out at lunch to see my son run in cross country and have some hard boundaries around my availability for bedtime stories.
I’m proud that the Y is so passionate about supporting female leadership – our Australian President and World President are also female, so gender diversity and equality is baked into our DNA.
You’ve spoken about the importance of being seen as a whole person, not just a CEO. How do you personally navigate the balance between professional responsibility and family life?
It’s about integration, not ‘balance.’ Integration means the kids come to work with me and I do work at events with my kids. I can’t compartmentalise and women shouldn’t be asked to. I’m open and honest with everyone about sometimes having to leave early to be with them and feel no shame about that.
I often think about my children (now eight and five) and wonder what kind of world they’ll grow up in. I ask myself how I can lay strong foundations for their future, while also worrying about how they’ll remember these years. Will they recall a mum who was always on the phone, or will they remember the warmth of feeling safe together, the adventures we had, and the diverse communities they were part of? I hope it’s the latter – that they see not just the work, but the love and intention behind it.
I’m a great project manager who prides myself on delivering several projects each morning before 8:40am. As a leader, I’ve learnt the value of aspiring to achieve progress over perfection and realising that chasing greatness sometimes isn’t worth the the stress.
What does a typical day look like for you right now—from early mornings to evenings with your kids? Are there any small routines or habits that help you stay grounded?
I gave up on quality sleep years ago and gave up on having a clean house at the same time. First thing in the morning I try and have 10 mins of alone time which centres me for the day and always appreciate when I make time to do it.
Then my kids wake up, and the cuddles I get in the morning make up for the whinging I cop later on. My kids are firecrackers, very energetic and full of beans. Getting them dressed in the resemblance of a uniform and hair that doesn’t look like a mop is a successful morning.
When I’m in Melbourne I try and do as many drop offs and pickups from school as I can. It probably means more to me than it does to my kids as I want to be as present with them as possible. One of my close friends from my son’s school mentioned to me recently that considering the job I have, I’m one of the most present mums that she knows. That meant so much to me.
The reality of having a national role is that there are a lot of weeks that I travel interstate or internationally. I try and communicate to my children and my family about the impact that my work has on people’s lives. I don’t just work for a pay check, I work because I enjoy it, it satisfies me, and it drives me to contribute to community and society.
And then there’s weekends full of sport, birthday parties, play dates and activities. Something I didn’t expect was the amazing group of Mum friends that I would make when my son started school. These women make my life fun and I wouldn’t be able to get through the next 13 years of school without them. We are an army that supports each other in our own professional pursuits and I am so fortunate to call them my friends.
The Y is undergoing major transformation under your leadership. What has been the most energising (and the most challenging) part of driving that change?
As I’ve described, The Y holds a special place in my heart and mind. It was my first place of full time employment and the experiences in that environment set me up to be the leader that I am today. The on the job learning along with the skills and leadership capabilities gained from my time at The Y has been amazing.
The responsibility of my role is enormous. I’m serving the legacy, our board, staff, stakeholders and young people of Australia. We have an opportunity to transform the way The Y works together, all while complementing not duplicating, being impact obsessed, demonstrating our thought leadership when it comes to civics education, safeguarding children and young people, and advocating for the education needs of young people around us.
We have some foundational pieces that we need to get right before moving to some aspirational markers. But we have 180-year legacy and heritage to build upon.
Many women still face invisible barriers on the path to leadership. What changes do you believe workplaces need to make—structurally and culturally—to better support women at every stage?
Culturally: Workplaces need to embrace a more holistic view of individuals, recognising that people bring their whole selves to work. In my experience, having mentors from diverse backgrounds was invaluable. In male-dominated fields like sport, male allies and mentors play a crucial role in opening doors and challenging biases. Creating a culture where mentorship, empathy, and inclusion are prioritised can make a significant difference.
Structurally: Organisations must design systems that support integrated lifestyles, acknowledging the complex realities of work and life without compromising professional standards. This means offering flexibility while maintaining clear expectations and boundaries. It’s a nuanced balance, but when done right, it empowers women to thrive without having to choose between personal and professional success.
Those who’ve worked with me know that my diary is my lifeline; it holds everything. While I’m flexible, I do need adequate lead time to balance my professional responsibilities with my family life. In some past roles, interstate commitments were communicated too late, making it difficult to manage both.
I noticed that some of my male peers in senior leadership roles could respond more easily as they often had a partner at home managing the domestic load. That may sound stereotypical, but it was the reality I observed. Annabel Crabb’s The Wife Drought captures this dynamic powerfully.
In the last 18 months, my husband’s really had to step in. I had a challenging year in 2023, and he saw firsthand how much trying to do it all affected me mentally and our dynamic as a family. Being a CEO can be very lonely and in the past 12 months I’ve needed him to listen to me and help me work through professional and personal challenges which has made a huge difference.
Young people are at the heart of The Y’s mission. What have you learned from them about leadership, belonging, and the future of work that older generations may be missing?
You’ve got to meet people where they’re at. You can’t expect everyone to come to you in the way that you see the world or the way you expect.
Young people want a place to belong. They want a place to express their ideas, to be creative, and to have an impact on the world (whether that be big or small). They want to see a future that has meaning and impact. I am intent on The Y empowering them to see that future become a reality.
