Chapin Hall

Ashley Maldonado is a Policy Analyst at Chapin Hall, where she applies her expertise in child welfare policy analysis, continuous quality improvement (CQI), and lived experience integration to support statewide prevention services and system improvement initiatives. Maldonado has both personal and professional experience in child welfare systems: she is a former youth in foster care and a parent who has navigated the system. Thus, Maldonado brings a unique dual perspective that centers authentic community engagement and drives meaningful system transformation. Her work focuses on policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and building sustainable structures that amplify the voices of individuals with lived experience in shaping child welfare practices.

Prior to joining Chapin Hall, Maldonado served as a Child Welfare Consultant at Ernst & Young, where she led a policy analysis project to simplify complex state child welfare policies and improve user experiences. During her 3 years as a Family Consultant with the Capacity Building Center for States, the former technical assistance provider of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, Maldonado provided technical assistance to multiple jurisdictions on Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) and Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) implementation. She co-led the Lived Experience CFSR Cohort, training individuals with lived experience to become confident consultants supporting state child welfare improvements. Her work guided states in developing prevention plans, strengthening stakeholder engagement, and advancing racial equity in child welfare systems.

Maldonado is a national speaker on topics including lived experience integration, FFPSA implementation, Tribal engagement, and culturally responsive child welfare practices. Her areas of expertise include policy analysis, CQI implementation, stakeholder engagement, prevention planning, CFSR processes, and data-driven decision-making in child welfare systems.