Ayesha Clarke, is a native of Hartford, CT. Ayesha has built a career centered on elevating the voices of those often left out around the city of Hartford. She is a fierce advocate who believes in the power of keeping and establishing meaningful relationships with the community and other stakeholders to accomplish tangible outcomes. Ayesha Clarke holds a master’s degree in social work with a policy practice concentration (UCONN) and public health (Benedictine University) with a healthcare institution concentration. She also holds a bachelor’s in economics from the University of Connecticut with a concentration in business.; Ayesha has a passion for policy and advocacy work centered on health, criminal justice, and education. Ayesha has a keen understanding of the intersection of community and policy. She is an appointed member of the Harford Community on Public Health and Addiction and worked with the State Department of Public Health to translate a report on the opioid crisis into actionable policy. She also connected with a broad spectrum of stakeholders as a Regional Field Organizer and Treasurer for political campaigns. Ayesha is a Co-Chair of the Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health for the State of Connecticut. Her public office position bolstered her professional career and community service, and Ayesha was the former Hartford Board of Education Chairperson, where she served in elected office from 2017-2021. She currently works for Health Equity Solutions as the Executive Director, where they focus on residents of CT obtaining optimal health care regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Ayesha is a member of The Citadel of Love, the Greater Hartford Branch NAACP, an adjunct professor, and an advisor for the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. Ayesha further serves the community through her active participation as the Board Chairperson-Elect for The Children’s Museum and an Executive board member of Community Health Resources (CHR). A proud member of the Hartford Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Ayesha is also a wife for 14 years and the mother of two young boys.

Ayesha enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, watching movies, and dancing.