MEET THE TEAM

At Hire For Hope, we optimize our own team every day, each playing to our strengths through self-awareness by using behavioral data. By knowing what each of us brings to the table, we are able to leverage, value, and appreciate one another as a unified, optimized team. We practice what we preach by living it, walking it, and breathing it.

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THE HIRE FOR HOPE TEAM

ASHLEY WARD

CEO | Talent Advisor

Ashley Ward is the Founder and CEO of Hire For Hope. She leads community involvement, business development and sales, and acts as the liaison between our talent optimization department and our recruiting department. Ashley founded Hire For Hope in 2017 with a mission to start a philanthropic business.

Prior to founding Hire For Hope, Ashley was an Executive Recruiter for a boutique headhunting firm. Before that, she worked for a freight brokerage business based in Cincinnati and recruited the entire founding team for the new Grand Rapids office. Previous to her work there, she spearheaded the recruiting efforts for a national insurance company based in Grand Rapids. Ashley received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Cornerstone University and advanced through graduate coursework in counseling.

Ashley serves on several executive boards in the West Michigan community. She is on the board for Safe Haven Ministries where she chairs their Corporate Impact Committee, the Mayor’s Millennial Advisory Board, and Grand Rapids Sister Cities International’s Zapopan Committee.

Ashley is the proud recipient of recent awards such as Grand Rapids Young Professionals’ 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year, Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2019, and Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan in 2020.

The proud mother of an 8-year-old daughter, Ashley loves a balance between spending time at home and seeking adventure. She has a passion for travel, has been skydiving three times with more dives planned, and enjoys researching ways to expand her real estate investment portfolio. Ashley’s five-year goal includes opening a second Hire For Hope office in a warmer climate.

KELLY BOS

Business Manager

Kelly Bos is the Business Manager at Hire For Hope. She manages all the behind the scenes responsibilities including account receivables, account payables, vendor relations, inventory, HR and payroll.

Prior to joining the Hire For Hope team, Kelly worked for a local startup as their Operations Manager and was responsible for developing systems, helping with outside vendors around the country, coordinating logistics, collaborating data that came in and helped with marketing material. Previous to that role, Kelly worked in healthcare for more than 20 years. She worked as a Business Manager for a large private office in Grand Rapids and managed the HR for more than 70 employees.

Kelly volunteers at Relay for Life and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Grand Valley State University with a focus on business management and healthcare.

Kelly enjoys spending time with her 3-year-old son and her husband. She loves to travel and spend time with family and friends. Kelly’s fun fact? She is a bee-keeper and tends to a colony of honeybees in her backyard.

JESSICA STRAYER

Recruitment & Marketing Intern

Jessica is Hire For Hope’s recruiting and marketing intern. She helps with sourcing and recruiting candidates, scheduling social media posts, and ensuring brand consistency.

Previous to her work for Hire For Hope, Jessica worked as a marketing intern for Venue3two, a Showspan intern for the International Wine, Beer and Food Festival and the Cottage and Living Show and she was the marketing, development, volunteer recruitment and gift intern at Samaritas. Jessica moonlights as a bridal stylist at Bianka Bridal on the weekends, which she loves.

Jessica received her Bachelor’s Degree from GVSU in public and nonprofit administration with a concentration in community development.

For three consecutive years, she has served as a chairperson for Samaritas’ annual Be the Rock celebration dinner. Through her familial involvement with Venue3two, she also enjoys working with various nonprofit organizations like Women At Risk, Equine Assisted Development and Family Promise.

Jessica enjoys spending her free time outdoors. Most days, you can find her wake surfing or hiking with friends. When she’s inside, Jessica loves enjoying a new show or movie on Netflix, which recommendations are openly welcome.

PRESS

Rise Up LIVE: Episode 27- Hire for Hope

Rise Up LIVE: Episode 27 features Ashley Ward, Founder/Owner of Hire For Hope. Hire for Hope recently launched a new division to help companies with their hiring process as they get back to business. Hire for Hope was founded by Ashley to help women. After surviving an abusive relationship and receiving help from Safe Haven Ministries, Ashley started a recruiting firm in order to help give back. 10% of all profit goes to Safe Haven Ministries

Posted by West Michigan Woman on Wednesday, July 1, 2020

West Michigan Woman | Rise Up LIVE: Episode 27- Hire for Hope

Women’s Lifestyle Magazine | Taking Back Her Light

WZZM13 News | Women’s Lifestyle Feature: Be Bold

Bella Vista Beacon | Getting To Know Ashley Ward & Hire For Hope

West Michigan Christian News | Hire For Hope Founder Grateful Safe Haven Ministries Helped Replace Distress

Grand Rapids Business Journal | Local First Honoring Good For Grand Rapids Winners

WZZM13 News | Good For Grand Rapids Awards Honor Local Businesses

mLive | 8 Business Spotlighted for doing ‘Good for Grand Rapids’

Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce | Good Company: The Podcast

Grand Rapids Business Journal | Recruiting Firm Brings Survivor Full Circle

Grand Rapids Business Journal | Women Who Mean Business

Grand Rapids Business Journal | Business Journal Names 40 Under 40 Nominees 2019