Ashwin worked for fourteen years as an educator and scholar before joining Quail Springs. He received his PhD in German Studies from UC Berkeley in 2014, then taught as a professor of German and Media Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges until 2020.

Over the years, Ashwin has volunteered on small-scale regenerative farms in California, New York State, North Dakota, India, and Germany. The connective feeling of working with hands in the soil is what led him many years later to Quail Springs as a Work-Trader, where he learned to deepen his connection with the earth.

After serving for two years as Executive Director at Quail Springs, Ashwin now serves as Development Director to focus his attention on fundraising, grant writing, donor outreach, and partnership building. His goal is to communicate the critical value of Quail Springs’ work in conservation, regeneration, stewardship, advocacy, social justice, and education, thereby supporting the long-term success of the nonprofit and its employees.

In addition to his work at Quail Springs, Ashwin supports efforts to increase equitable access to food, shelter, and education in his hometown of Moorpark, CA. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Ruben Castro Charities, an organization committed to eliminating generational poverty.