Biography

The Reverend Dr. Willard Walden Christopher Ashley is the Director of Supervised Ministry and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Will was the director of the Blanton Peale Pastoral Studies Program in East Orange, New Jersey. He was also the director of pastoral care at Barnert Hospital Paterson, New Jersey, where he set up a clinical education program for clergy. He also set up the clinical education program for clergy at the Hackensack University Hospital, Hackensack, New Jersey.

Will is a native of New York City. He is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Theory at Montclair State University. Will has a master’s degree in theology and an earned doctorate in leadership development from the Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, Massachusetts. Will holds an honorary Doctor of Humanities from Natchez College, Natchez, Mississippi. He completed the residency program in Marriage and Family Therapy, as well as Psychotherapy at the Blanton Peale Graduate Institute, New York City. Dr. Willard Ashley lectured at Princeton and The University of Pennsylvania. He taught at, Drew University, Andover Newton Theological School, and The New York Theological Seminary.

The Rev. Dr. Willard Ashley has served as the senior pastor at churches in New Hampshire and New Jersey, since 1982. For the past 12 years, he has served as the founder and senior pastor of the Abundant Joy Community Church, Jersey City, New Jersey. He has a long history as a community organizer and social activist. Ashley has testified before Congress on environmental, health and urban issues. As one of eight named plaintiffs, Ashley won a $400 million dollar federal lawsuit, against Honeywell International (ICO v Honeywell). He is a contributor to The Men of Color Study Bible. Will hosted his own program on Black Entertainment Television (BET). He was on the radio in New York City for six years. Ashley was the assistant dean of students and director of recruitment at the Andover Newton Theological School. Will worked with senior level executives and major law firm partners as an executive coach. He was in demand by Fortune 50’s following September 11, 2001.

Reverend Ashley was a staff psychotherapist at The Riverside Church, New York City and the Montclair Counseling Center, Upper Montclair, New Jersey. He holds associate membership in The American Association of Marriage Family Therapists, the American Group Psychotherapy Association and The Black Psychiatrists of Greater New York. Will is the past president of the Blanton Peale Alumni Association. Ashley is the chair of The Instituto Latino de Cuidado Pastoral, Inc. in New York City. He was the Project Director for the Care for the Caregivers Interfaith Program, Council of Churches of the City of New York. It was the largest clergy resiliency program in the United States. Dr. Ashley published a book with Rabbi Stephen Roberts, entitled, Disaster Spiritual Care. He has published articles on disaster recovery, led seminars on disaster response and served as a keynote speaker. Ashley was awarded a grant from the New York Community Trust, to work on a research project, which studied new interventions to address racial disparities in health care. Dr. Ashley is the recipient of numerous awards. He is in Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. He is the proud father of an adult son and married to Tanya Pagan Raggio-Ashley, MD, who is board certified in pediatrics and preventive medicine.