"In the Trenches: Ashton Wray’s Journey Through Service and Impact"

“I want to be in the trenches,” said Ashton Wray. These seven words sum up the eleven years she has dedicated to The Perfect Step. More practically, she thrives in the hands-on environment that defines activity-based therapy.

Ashton Wray is the Director of Development Education and recently transitioned to Director of Operations. She has been with The Perfect Step since 2014. Before joining the facility, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder. During college, she completed several internships, which helped her realize she did not want to work in a traditional hospital rehab setting. That experience motivated her to pursue a more active, client-centered approach.

With well over 9,000 hours of direct client work, a number that continues to grow, and a Level IV certification as a Paralysis Recovery Specialist, Wray has become a cornerstone of The Perfect Step community. Her depth of experience qualifies her to work with clients of all backgrounds and positions her as a mentor and trainer for staff learning the foundations of activity-based therapy.

Her path to paralysis recovery was not conventional. Initially focused on general rehab, she was drawn to the physical and mental side of recovery through her athletic background and her experience watching her mom recover from multiple knee surgeries. After college, unsure of her next move, she took her dad’s advice to look into the Be Perfect Foundation, an organization he connected with after his spinal cord injury. That connection led her to what was then Project Walk, now The Perfect Step.

She joined in 2014 and quickly saw how therapy could go far beyond injury recovery. Activity-based therapy helps people rebuild their lives and reclaim independence. When Ashton started, most clients were older and had lived with paralysis for years. Earning their trust was not immediate. She had the education and drive, but confidence and leadership only came through daily hands-on experience.

Those early years taught her to balance empathy with challenge, to meet clients where they were, and to push them beyond what they thought possible. The intensity of the work forced her to grow quickly, both as a specialist and a leader. She also learned the importance of holding firm in her approach. Over time, her training style shifted from timid to direct. As she often tells her team, you are not going to get what you want out of the body, and you are not going to get what you want out of the client if you are afraid to challenge them.

That lesson came through trial and error, especially in moments when clients questioned her experience or assumed she was too young to make a difference. Instead of backing down, she learned to lean on her knowledge, trust her training, and communicate with confidence. Motivating clients to push past their limits taught her as much about herself as it did about them.

Working in this field also changed the way she saw her father’s injury. Before joining The Perfect Step, she never fully understood the daily struggle he faced. Now, after years of working with clients who have suffered spinal cord injuries, she has gained a deeper appreciation for the physical and emotional effort that recovery requires. Her work has given her the chance to educate her family and deepen their understanding of her father’s experience.

Today, Ashton’s hands-on approach continues to shape her leadership. In addition to working with clients, she mentors new specialists and helps train staff. She believes in learning through doing and embraces failure as a tool for growth. Her training blends classroom instruction with real-world application, focusing on adapting to different learning styles while reinforcing the values of perseverance and consistency.

Her impact is reflected in long-term client relationships. One client with ALS, originally given five years to live, continues to walk with assistance more than a decade later. Stories like this drive her work and reinforce her belief in pushing past expectations.

Ashton also sees herself as a glimmer of hope for her clients. She knows they have gone through something life-altering. Her goal is to be the person who helps change their perspective on what is possible.

Looking ahead, she is focused on expanding The Perfect Step’s reach. Plans are underway to open new facilities in other states and launch a certification program that will share their methodology with professionals nationwide. She is also working to raise awareness about paralysis by educating industries like airlines, sports venues, and gyms on accessibility and inclusion.

She believes education is a key part of advocacy, especially with insurance providers. By showing the physical, psychological, and financial benefits of activity-based therapy, she hopes to help more clients gain access to the support they need.

Ashton brings a balance of discipline and connection to her work. She holds clients accountable, keeps sessions engaging, and uses the emotional intensity of the job to stay focused. Her leadership is grounded in service and passion.

When asked what keeps her passion alive after all these years, Ashton points right back to the people.

"I would say my passion is fueled constantly by our clients. We get new clients in all the time with new stories, new dreams, and it’s easy to be fulfilled and led by passion when hearing about their stories and their journeys. Another part of that is my professional growth and how I have gone up the ladder in the company and learned more professional skills and tactics, and taken on new positions and duties for the company. Also, Hal is such a visionary and a big, big dreamer, and working under him and alongside him, it has been easy to be like-minded in those ways. And lastly, I would say my mindset of just my morals and values, and what I was raised on, of what you give when you commit to something."

That commitment has not gone unnoticed. Hal Hargrave, founder of The Perfect Step, has seen Ashton’s leadership transform the organization from the inside out. “Since stepping into the role of Director of Operations, Ashton has become the backbone of our daily operations, elevating every system she touches and empowering every person she leads,” he said. “With a strategic mindset and unmatched dedication to execution, she’s not just managing operations, she’s redefining them.”

Hargrave continued, “What sets Ashton apart is her rare combination of decisiveness and empathy. She anticipates needs, navigates challenges, and leads with both grit and grace.” He added, “Her clarity, consistency, and conviction bring out the best in our team. Ashton is the kind of leader who doesn’t just fill a role, she transforms it.”

Ashton hopes to be remembered as someone who always showed up, gave her best, and stayed true to her purpose. For her, this is more than a job. It is a lifelong endeavor rooted in belief, effort, and a drive to help others move forward.

By: Zachary Grech - Student, University of La Verne, Class of 2025

Journalist Intern at The Perfect Step