Christi Ashby
Editor and Publisher, Orange Appeal
Christi Ashby is the editor and publisher of Orange Appeal, a magazine for women she founded in 2008 to create a sense of community and promote local women, their interests and non-profit organizations. She founded the Orlando Women’s Conference in 2011 with her daughter, Kate Slentz. Interior Appeal magazine was launched in 2014.
Prior to that she developed Orlando Leisure and was the editor and publisher for nine years. Christi is celebrating 35 years as a publishing and media professional this year having managed and operated more than 10 different national and regional publications. A proud graduate of the University of Florida College of Journalism, she was on the board of directors of the Florida Magazine Association for 12 years, serving as president of the organization twice.
Currently she assists dozens of non-profit organizations and has served on the boards of Shepherd’s Hope (chair), the Central Florida Women’s League and Orlando Ballet (vice-chair), the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Circle and Florida Hospital’s Women’s Health Task Force. In the past several years she has been a committee member for the High Tea & Hats (Seniors First), Spa Invitational to benefit Grace Medical Home, Famous Faces Masquerade Ball (Shepherd’s Hope), Fashion Funds the Cure (Pediatric Cancer Foundation), Runway to Hope, Harriett’s Favorite Things, Harriett’s Can Can (Jewish Family Services) and Purse Strings (Credibility for women’s financial education services) and Orlando Ballet’s Expose.
She was awarded the 2011 Media Award from H.O.P.E., 2010 Women’s Executive Council Achievement Award, 2011 Seminole State College Alumni of Distinction and the Women’s Resource Center Summit Award in 2016. Christi has been married to her husband Rob for 38 years and has two children, Nick and Kate, and four grandchildren.