As we celebrate Women’s History Month and the week of International Women’s Day, Grit & Gravitas is marking the moment with a conversation about curiosity, courage, and the power of listening. Anne Deeter Gallaher and Anne Carnathan sit down with Ashley Walkowiak, Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women, who is leading the most comprehensive look at women’s issues in Pennsylvania in more than a generation.

Ashley’s path to this work is deeply personal. After surviving sexual violence as a teenager, it took years before she felt ready to disclose and begin processing her trauma. Over time, that experience helped shape her commitment to public service and to creating systems that better support victims and families.

She also shares a defining early moment in her career when curiosity pushed her out of her comfort zone. Her advice today reflects both her personal and professional journey: stay curious and listen well.

“It’s easy for us to take experiences and put them aside to get through the day instead of processing it, working on it, and integrating it into the fullness of who you are as a human being,” Ashley says.

Follow the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women on Facebook and Instagram: @pawomen.