Ashley Lynn Priore of Queens Gambit Chess Institute (Pittsburgh, PA) Announced as 2024-2025 Obama Foundation Leader

Ashley Lynn Priore announced that she is among 205 leaders selected to join the Obama Foundation Leaders program. The program trains participants around the world in leadership development and civic engagement to help build their skills and scale their work across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Priore will be one of just 100 Leaders participating in the Leaders USA program.

Ashley Lynn Priore is the founder and chief executive officer of Queens Gambit, an organization dedicated to addressing diversity and inclusivity gaps within the chess world. A chess prodigy since the age of four, she founded her organization at 14 and uses chess skills to transform the ways youth acquire knowledge, while challenging perceptions of who can succeed in this space. Ashley serves more than 2,000 youth annually, ranging from first grade through senior year of high school. Through the Women and Girls in Chess Program she sheds light on sexism in the chess world and promotes confidence in this population, both on and off the chessboard. She has seen how the valuable leadership lessons taught through chess provide a comprehensive approach to education and critical thinking that aid students throughout their academic careers and brings an innovative approach to youth engagement.

As part of the six-month program, these dedicated changemakers will convene virtually each week for interactive sessions designed to help them drive change by honing their leadership skills, building deep relationships with their peers, and engaging with thought leaders and members of the Obama Foundation community. They will also have an opportunity to participate in various virtual experiences and special events, including one-on-one conversations with experienced mentors in the Foundation's global network.  

The Obama Foundation Leaders USA Program, now in its second year, was inspired by the leadership values and approach of President and Mrs. Obama. The program draws on the Foundation’s ‘Hope to Action’ curriculum to support Leaders in engaging diverse perspectives, building collective power, and making tangible, sustainable progress towards a better world. The Leaders USA Program has a particular focus on strengthening democratic culture.

The Obama Foundation Leaders program is designed to further inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States to change their respective communities and the world. To learn more, visit obama.org/leaders.

To learn more about Priore’s leadership in the chess community, visit here.