View source for Dan Ashley

{{Short description|American journalist}}
{{Infobox person
| name                      = Dan Ashley
| image                     = Dan Ashley, Rob Reiner (8452222920).jpg
| image_size                =
| caption                   = [[Rob Reiner]] (right) poses with Dan Ashley (left) before they head to the stage of [[The Commonwealth Club of California]], February 2013
| birth_name                =
| birth_date                = {{Birth date and age|1963|08|29}}
| birth_place               = [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]]
| death_date                =
| death_place               =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| nationality               = American
| other_names               =
| citizenship               = [[United States]]
| education                 = [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] English, Speech Communication
| alma_mater                = [[University of North Carolina]]
| occupation                = TV News Anchor/Reporter, Broadcaster, Journalist
| years_active              = 1986–present
| employer                  = [[KGO-TV]] (ABC7), [[San Francisco]]
| known_for                 = What Really Matters, Investigative Reporting
}}
'''Dan Ashley''' is an American journalist. He graduated from the [[University of North Carolina]] in 1985 with degrees in English and Speech Communication. He is an [[News presenter|anchor]] of ABC7 ([[KGO-TV]]) [[San Francisco]] Bay Area News.
Ashley came to ABC7 in 1995 as the weekday 5:00&nbsp;p.m. news anchor and investigative reporter.  One year later, in 1996, he was promoted to the anchor of the 6:00 and 11:00 broadcasts in addition to the 5:00 newscast.<ref>{{cite web |title=ABC7 KGO News Team |url=https://abc7news.com/about/newsteam/dan-ashley/ |website=ABC7}}</ref>
== Career as a journalist ==
In June 1996, Ashley replaced anchor [[Richard Brown (journalist)|Richard Brown]] on the 6 & 11pm news broadcasts.<ref>{{cite web|last1=RUBIN|first1=SYLVIA|title=Chronicle Staff Writer|url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Anchor-Brown-Out-At-KGO-Dan-Ashley-replaces-2978144.php|website=SF Gate|accessdate=22 June 2016}}</ref>
In February 2013, Ashley was given an inside look at the White House while there for a 1-on-1 interview With President [[Barack Obama]].<ref name="Yahoo">{{cite web|last1=Yahoo News|title=ABC7's Dan Ashley gets inside look at White House|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/video/abc7s-dan-ashley-gets-inside-052339330.html|website=Yahoo|publisher=Yahoo|accessdate=28 June 2016}}</ref>
Other notable interviews conducted by Ashley include [[George W. Bush]], [[General Colin Powell]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/archive/podcast/general-colin-powell-6712|title=General Colin Powell (6/7/12)|website=Commonwealth Club}}</ref> [[Rob Reiner]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/person/?danashley|title=Dan Ashley &#124; C-SPAN.org|website=www.c-span.org}}</ref> [[Tom Brokaw]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2011-11-21/tom-brokaw-silicon-valley|title=Tom Brokaw in Silicon Valley|website=Commonwealth Club}}</ref> [[Rahm Emanuel]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://player.fm/episodes/255464376|title=Rahm Emanuel: How Mayors Run the World|first=Player|last=FM|via=player.fm}}</ref> and [[Ben Carson]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abc7news.com/974461/|title=Ben Carson discusses Republican nomination in San Francisco|date=September 9, 2015|website=ABC7 San Francisco}}</ref>
Ashley is the longest-tenured main male news anchor in the history of ABC7 ([[KGO-TV]]) in [[San Francisco]].<ref name="Soundbites">{{cite web|last1=Wang|first1=Kevin|title=Soundbites with Dan Ashley|url=http://emmysf.tv/files/2016/09/Soundbites-Ashley-Dan-0214.pdf|website=National Academy of Television Arts and Science|publisher=NATAS}}</ref>
When [[Hurricane Hugo]] struck [[Charleston, SC]] in 1989, Ashley was the last broadcaster to remain on the air covering the events.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.counton2.com/weather/hurricane-hugo/former-wcbd-anchor-dan-ashley-remembers-hurricane-hugo-30-years-later/|title=Former WCBD anchor Dan Ashley remembers Hurricane Hugo 30 years later|date=September 22, 2019}}</ref>
In 2005, he reported from Poland on the [[March of the Living]] with Bay Area holocaust survivors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jweekly.com/2005/05/13/kgo-anchor-dan-ashley-joins-shoah-march/|title=KGO anchor Dan Ashley joins Shoah march|first=Dan|last=Pine|date=May 13, 2005}}</ref>
=== Awards ===
During his news tenure in Charleston, Ashley received the prestigious DuPont Columbia and the Edward R. Murrow Awards.<ref name="EmmySF">{{cite web |title=Silver & Gold Circle |url=https://emmysf.tv/circles/silver-circle-members-a-m/ashley-dan/ |publisher=National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences}}</ref>
In 2015, Ashley was inducted into the ''Silver Circle'' of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences San Francisco/Northern California Chapter .<ref name="EmmySF" />
Ashley has won numerous Emmy Awards for his reporting, anchoring, and producing as well as a National Emmy Nomination for reporting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Journalism Alums Nab Emmy |url=http://now.humboldt.edu/news/journalism-alums-nab-emmy/ |website=Humboldt State Now |publisher=Humboldt State University |accessdate=20 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Emmy Win 1997 |url=https://natassoutheast.tv/files/2014/03/1994-Emmy-Nominees-Recipients-F.pdf |website=NATAS Southeast Chapter |publisher=The Atlanta Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences |accessdate=20 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=37th Annual Northern California Area EMMY® Award Nominations |url=https://emmysf.tv/files/2015/01/PR-Emmy08-Nominatons.pdf |website=emmysf.tv |publisher=San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |accessdate=20 September 2018}}</ref>
== Philanthropy ==
''Friends of Camp Concord (FOCC)'' is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Camp Concord, located in South Lake Tahoe. Ashley is on the board of directors<ref>{{cite web|url=http://friendsofcampconcord.org/about-us/board-of-directors/|title=Board of Directors – Friends of Camp Concord|publisher=}}</ref> and hosts an annual golf tournament fundraiser for the group.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ashley|first1=Dan|title=ABC7'S DAN ASHLEY HOLDS ANNUAL FRIENDS OF CAMP CONCORD FUNDRAISER|url=http://abc7news.com/society/dan-ashley-holds-annual-friends-of-camp-concord-fundraiser/1019112/}}</ref>
''Dan Ashley's Rock The CASA'' is an annual benefit concert to raise funding and awareness for both [[Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)|CASA]] of Contra Costa County and Friends of Camp Concord.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abc7news.com/society/dan-ashley-hosts-annual-rock-the-casa-concert/536499/|title=Dan Ashley hosts annual Rock the CASA concert|date=27 February 2015|publisher=}}</ref>
In 2015, Ashley became the Chairman of the board of directors for ''Music In Schools Today (MUST)'' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/07/14/751976/0/en/Music-in-Schools-Today-Announces-New-Chairman-of-the-Board-of-Directors-ABC-7-News-Anchor-Dan-Ashley.html|title=Music in Schools Today Announces New Chairman of the Board of Directors, ABC-7 News Anchor Dan Ashley|first=Music In Schools|last=Today|date=14 July 2015|website=GlobeNewswire News Room}}</ref> He also serves on the boards of the Bay Area [[American Red Cross]], [[Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)]] of [[Contra Costa County]], and the [[Commonwealth Club of California]].<ref name="Soundbites" />
In 2023, Dan was elected to the Board of Visitors for the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]], his alma mater and hometown. <ref>{{cite web |title=UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees select 61 new members for the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Visitors |url=https://uncnews.unc.edu/2023/05/18/unc-chapel-hill-board-of-trustees-select-61-new-members-for-the-unc-chapel-hill-board-of-visitors/ |website=UNC University Communications |access-date=18 May 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Ashley is a singer/songwriter who leads his own Americana/Rock band whose members include widely recognized and accomplished touring musicians.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dan Ashley Music|url=http://danashleymusic.com/|website=Dan Ashley Music|accessdate=1 May 2018}}</ref>
Ashley was once a figure skating instructor.<ref>{{cite web |title=KGO-TV news anchor Dan Ashley, a former skating instructor, to give informal lesson at Concord rink|last1=GUZZETTI|first1=DANA|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2011/12/21/kgo-tv-news-anchor-dan-ashley-a-former-skating-instructor-to-give-informal-lesson-at-concord-rink/|website=The Mercury News|publisher=San Jose Mercury News}}</ref>
Ashley is married to his wife, Angela, and has two grown sons and three grown stepsons.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kruetz |first1=Liz |title=ABC7 News |url=https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1435605970129327 |access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://abc7news.com/about/newsteam/dan-ashley/ Dan Ashley's biography] from [[KGO-TV]]
* {{twitter|danashleyabc7}}
* {{facebook|danashleyabc7}}
*[http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_19657140 Moves like Jagger? Newscaster Dan Ashley lives out his rock ‘n’ roll fantasy]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashley, Dan}}
[[Category:American male journalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Television anchors from San Francisco]]
[[Category:University of North Carolina alumni]]
[[Category:1963 births]]