Ashleigh Nowakowski was born in 1984 in southeastern Wisconsin. Growing up with a sibling who struggled with substances created a home environment that was less than ideal.

Once her brother found recovery, Ashleigh, along with her parents, created Your Choice to Live Inc., a non-profit organization specializing in drug and alcohol prevention education.

For more than a decade, Ashleigh has been speaking in middle and high schools educating parents, teachers, and community members, and working with high-risk youth. Ashleigh is the voice of many who are silently living through their siblings' addiction.

Ashleigh has a Master of Public Administration, a prevention specialist certification, and is working towards her substance abuse counselor certificate.