Meet Ashley Goeken

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Goeken and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, how does your business help the community?
At the heart of my work is a deep passion for nurturing more connected, resilient, and compassionate communities. Growing up amongst the trees and the wild animals on the farm my mom turned into animal sanctuary captivated my mind and heart instilling in me a profound passion and commitment to environmental conservation. This led me to spend my career helping attempt to find solutions to some of our world’s most pressing issues. I’ve had the incredible honor of serving locally as Vice Chair for the City of Aurora’s (The second largest city in the state next to Chicago) Innovation & Technology Commission working with the city and community to identify the latest sustainability solutions.

As President of the United Nations Association of Chicago, I work to advance the mission of the United Nations at the local level through education, advocacy, and community engagement. Our non-profit promotes awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, supports human rights initiatives, encourages civic participation, highlights the amazing work being done right here in Chicago, and creates opportunities for people to engage with global challenges and solutions in meaningful ways. My work in sustainability and human rights also led to me to some incredible opportunities abroad. It was a dream come true to have the opportunity to travel through the Himalayas for 1,000 miles on motorcycle for a documentary featuring the incredible work of Impulse Empower. A nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the root causes of human trafficking through creating sustainable livelihoods for the indigenous women across the North East of India. To date, Impulse has rescued over 75,000 individuals! The documentary just had its U.S. premier in Los Angeles and received recognition from the government of India. With so many global issues vying for our attention I realize day by day just how crucial story telling is to raise awareness and activate people to take action for the causes that need it most.
I am also in our third year of producing The Great Gathering Music, Theater & Arts Festival, a woman led, community-centered festival designed to celebrate creativity, connection, and belonging. The festival champions artists, musicians, performers, and makers at every stage of their journey while creating space for people to reconnect with nature, themselves, and one another. Through offerings such as foraging workshops, art therapy, movement practices, storytelling, and educational programming, attendees are invited to explore both personal and collective well-being. And of course rocking out to some killer bands all set amidst the magical forest that taught me the power and beauty of gathering amidst nature.
In addition, the festival highlights the work of local nonprofits, grassroots organizers, and community advocates, helping amplify important causes and inspire positive action. Whether through community building, arts in its many forms, or environmental stewardship, my goal is to create experiences and initiatives that bring people together and contribute to a more just, creative, and sustainable world. I want people to feel accepted for who they are, encouraged to use their creativity to build a more compassionate world, and wildly inspired by the impact that a single person can have.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work sits at the intersection of community building, sustainability, and social impact. Through my consulting and production work, I focus on bringing people, ideas, and organizations together to create meaningful change. Whether I’m helping develop sustainability initiatives, producing community-centered events, supporting social enterprises, or leading nonprofit programs, I’m most energized by projects that demonstrate how innovation, art, and human connection can be powerful tools for creating a better future.
Something that excites me is that I don’t see these areas as separate disciplines. I believe some of our most pressing challenges from climate change to human rights require us to think holistically, realizing how interconnected everything is. That’s why my work often brings together people who might not otherwise be in the same room: artists and activists, entrepreneurs and policymakers, environmentalists and community members. The most transformative ideas often emerge at those intersections.
Today, I serve as President of the United Nations Association of Chicago, where I help advance the mission and values of the United Nations at the local level. Through advocacy, education, and community engagement, we work to promote human rights, global citizenship, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Our goal is to create opportunities for people to engage with global issues in ways that feel tangible, hopeful, and actionable right here at home.
I’m also thrilled to be a producer (alongside an incredible team of women) of The Great Gathering Music, Theater & Arts Festival, a community-focused festival that celebrates creativity, connection, and belonging. The festival champions artists at every stage of their journey while inviting attendees to reconnect with nature, themselves, and one another. Through experiences like foraging workshops, movement practices, art therapy, live performances, and collaborations with local activist organizations, we’re creating a space where entertainment, education, and community impact are beautifully woven together and immersed in nature.
The path to where I am today has not been simple and definitely not linear. Like many entrepreneurs and community builders, I’ve seen countless setbacks, projects that didn’t go as planned, and moments of complete uncertainty as policies change at a pace that can feel impossible to keep up with. There have been times when opportunities seemed out of reach and times when I questioned whether I was making enough of a difference. What helped me move through those challenges was staying connected to purpose. I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about never failing, it’s about continuing to show up, adapt, and learn.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that meaningful change happens through relationships. Success is rarely the result of a single person acting alone. It comes from collaboration, trust, and a willingness to bring others along in the journey. I’ve also learned that some of the most impactful work happens quietly and behind the scenes, through small acts of service, community care, and consistent effort over time.
What I want people to know about me and my work is that I believe a better future is possible, but it requires all of us to participate in creating it. My beliefs are rooted in the idea that creativity, sustainability, community, and human dignity are deeply interconnected. Whether through a nonprofit initiative, a community festival, a sustainability project, or a conversation that sparks a new idea, my goal is always the same: to help create experiences and opportunities that bring people together and inspire positive change.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In Chicago hands down my favorite spot is The Green Mill, a historic 1920s jazz joint that makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time. Id recommend binging your dancing shoes and reverence for the spiritual experience youre about to have. My favorite nights are Sunday Soul Message for a more intimate show that happens behind the historic bar or Tuesday with The Chicago Cellar Boys if you’re wanting a livelier big band and a packed dancefloor . My go to move is to get dinner before at Demera Ethiopian which is right across the street. Just be warned that the food is so good you’ve got to pace yourself if you plan to still take a spin on the dancefloor afterwards. I’m still trying to lean this lesson myself. I highly recommend getting a bottle of the honey wine to share.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My incredible family that always taught me to shoot for the stars and believed in my wild ideas (of which there were many) every step of the way. Especially my mother for whom there aren’t enough words to possibly do her justice. She raised my two sisters and I as a single mother for many years while she ran her own business. She tuned our beloved family farm into a nonprofit and community space and raised us with the belief that for every blessing we received it was our duty to give back 10x more to the community. Every weekend growing up the farm was used for fundraisers, boyscout camp outs, church events of every faith, horseback riding lessons for the kids of the local homeless shelter, and countless other community events. On top of teaching us by example to live in service to others, she’s an all around badass that took care of business, looked fabulous while doing it, and made sure everyone around her felt encouraged to chase their dreams. From hearing her stories of the music she loved and the epic rock stars she was friends with in the 70s I knew from a young age I wanted to collect some of those stories for myself. She inspired my sister and I to our own band with our two best friends with no prior music experience (which led to some of the most fun ive had in my entire life). She blazed her own path and with no college education went on to do what most people told her a woman could never do. She worked around the world smashing barriers for women in business and leading from the heart. Tearing up as I write this because I know being blessed with her as my mother has to be the greatest gift i’ve received in this life.

Website: https://www.opalus.io/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygoeken/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-goeken-1a141165

Image Credits
The image o me on stage with guitar as well as in forest in hat and orange vest: Frank Mesina