​Ashley is a USPTO-registered patent practitioner who specializes in the development and management of patent portfolios for startup ventures and emerging growth companies. She takes a hands-on approach with each client, partnering with Engineering and Management teams to intimately understand each client’s business, competition, and product vision. Armed with this knowledge, Ashley is able to increase the value of her clients’ patent portfolios while reducing overall legal costs.

Ashley has significant experience building patent portfolios directed to a diverse array of technologies including robotic systems, intracardiac devices, wireless healthcare technologies, physical activity equipment, biotechnologies, surgical training systems, topical drug formulations, drug repurposing, and other medical and consumer product devices. Aurora Patents has rapidly grown since its start in 2016 and serves startup ventures and more established companies throughout the U.S. and internationally.  Aurora Patents also produces the Patently Strategic Podcast, for which Ashley is a frequent host. Check out one of her episodes below. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Traverse City's tech incubator, 20Fathoms. Recently, Ashley was recognized as Traverse City Business News' 40 Under 40 for 2024.

Ashley earned her Ph.D. (summa cum laude) in the biomedical sciences from the University of Michigan. In addition to her research in immune-mediated disorders, Ashley also worked as a technology transfer fellow in the Office of Technology Transfer at the U of M. There she analyzed nascent technology for commercialization potential (marketability, challenges, competitors, potential licensees) and patentability. During this time, Ashley authored or contributed to nine peer-reviewed publications, presented at over 25 research conferences and meetings, acquired over $25,000 in research funding, and served as an Associate Editor for Faculty of 1000, where she reviewed and highlighted cutting edge research in the biomedical research space.

After earning her Ph.D., Ashley served as a patent infringement researcher for the U of M and a regulatory writer for an Ann Arbor-based, early stage pharmaceutical company, in particular, drafting documents for approval by the European Medicines Agency. She also worked with Silicon Valley's Hudak Consulting Group LLC drafting and prosecuting patent applications and performing patent landscape analyses and patentability searches.
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Technical Patent Expertise

​Health Technology and IoT – wearables (e.g., wrist-based, head-based, patch-based, etc.), web-based platforms, sensorized medical equipment, pet-based devices

Robotics – roboticized surgical devices and platforms, last mile delivery robotics

Medical Devices – intracardiac devices, endoscopic devices, catheters, devices for use in the neuro-anatomy, stents, surgical training, physical therapy devices, medical device coatings

Biotechnology – cell detection, cell separation, diagnostics, computational microscopy

AR/VR – surgical devices and platforms

Drones – water-based applications, rescue-based applications, software optimization for use in drones

Consumer products – mobile phone devices, ice making apparatuses, eCigarette alternatives, accessories, sensorized equipment, resource conservation, watercraft, natural health products

Cannabis and Hemp – improved grow devices, new products made from Hemp, new methods of curing Cannabis and Hemp
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Software – e-learning, legal, data analysis, compliance, ticketing/events, machine learning/artificial intelligence applications
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Emerging/Developing Economy Technologies – water filtration, blood transfusion devices​