Empower Work Volunteer Spotlight: Ashley Camenzind

This post is part of our peer counselor Q&A series, which shares perspectives of our dedicated and talented volunteers about why they joined Empower Work.

Ashley has volunteered 282 hours with Empower Work, over nearly 4 years. She is a career and leadership coach and founder of the coaching practice Unstuck Collective. She brings 10 years of experience in Human Resources, with a strong background in organizational dynamics, performance strategy, and systems thinking. Through her coaching, she helps people navigate difficult workplace challenges, recognize their own agency, and make intentional changes to build the careers and lives they want.

What inspired you to volunteer at Empower Work? 

I spent 10 years in HR, and some of the most meaningful parts of my work were the one-on-one conversations with people trying to navigate difficult situations at work. I’ve always been drawn to creating a space where people can talk through what’s happening, feel heard, and figure out what they want to do next. When I decided to pursue coaching, Empower Work felt like a natural fit and an opportunity to do more of the work I loved while supporting people beyond the organizations I worked for.

What’s a moment that deeply moved you on the text line?

What moves me most is when someone comes into a conversation feeling completely overwhelmed or unsure of themselves, and by the end, you can tell a weight has been lifted off their shoulders and they are more clear about what they want to do next. I’m always struck by how much can shift simply by giving someone a space to slow down, talk through what’s happening, and feel like they don’t have to figure it all out in their head alone.

Have you ever logged off a shift and thought about a conversation for days? What stayed with you?

Yes. The conversations that tend to stay with me are the ones where someone has been questioning themselves for a long time, especially when they’re in a difficult workplace or dealing with a challenging manager. What stays with me is how easy it can be for our work environment to change the way we see ourselves. Sometimes having another person listen, ask questions, and reflect back what they’re hearing can help someone reconnect with their own judgment.

What skills have you developed from volunteering that you didn’t expect?

I’ve gotten much better at trusting the power of a good question instead of feeling like I need to have an answer. My background in HR trained me to assess situations and think about solutions, but volunteering for Empower Work has reinforced that people often already know more than they think they do. Sometimes the most helpful thing I can do is create enough space for them to hear themselves.

How has your volunteer experience at Empower Work changed your perspective on the world of work? 

It’s reinforced for me how deeply work affects the rest of our lives. A difficult manager, a toxic environment, a layoff, or simply feeling stuck can affect someone’s confidence and sense of self far beyond the hours they spend working. It’s also reminded me how many people are navigating these experiences quietly and how valuable it is to have somewhere to turn where they can be honest about what’s happening.

What is your favorite aspect about being a volunteer at Empower Work?

My favorite part is the opportunity to make a difference for someone who may be going through a really difficult moment at work. I’ve also been incredibly impressed by Empower Work itself. The training was excellent, the team is wonderful, and you can tell how genuinely passionate everyone is about the mission.  

Have you dealt with difficult situations at work yourself?

Absolutely. I’ve experienced burnout, questioned whether the career I had built was still right for me, and ultimately left a successful corporate career to pursue more purposeful work. Those experiences have given me a lot of empathy for how complicated work decisions can be, especially when money, identity, stability, and well-being are all part of the equation.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Volunteering with Empower Work feels very connected to why I became a coach. I really believe that when people have the space to step outside of the noise, get curious about what’s happening, and reconnect with their own strengths and judgment, they’re much more capable of finding their way forward than they may realize in the moment.