AFC Hires Ashling Preston as Federal Affairs Director

The American Federation for Children is excited to announce it has hired Ashling Preston to serve as its new Federal Affairs Director, beginning on December 15.

Ashling brings years of experience in the United States Senate with Senators Marco Rubio and Tim Scott and most recently, managed the education portfolio for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Ashling is widely known and well-respected among policymakers and allies in Washington, DC, and nationally, and she was a key member of the coalition that ensured Congress passed the first-ever federal scholarship tax credit in 2025. In her new role, she will lead our work to ensure successful rollout and future expansion of federal school choice.

Statement from Tommy Schultz, CEO, American Federation for Children:

“We are thrilled to welcome Ashling to the team at this critical moment in the history of the movement for education freedom. Ashling has worked closely with numerous members of our team for years, and we are excited for the opportunity for her to officially join AFC and help guide our federal work. Beginning in 2017, AFC was proud to lead the coalition that ensured the nation’s first-ever federal school choice legislation became a reality, and we are committed to ensuring it is a lasting success. Soon, children in every state will have school choice, and we know Ashling will help ensure we reach that goal.”