Oliver Ash

I am a founding member of and play a leadership role in the Trans Journalists Association. My contributions include managing the development of our style guide and model workplace policy resources, speaking publicly, providing feedback to newsrooms, managing volunteers, and creating systems to keep our membership safe from harassment. I also created the online community that became the Trans Journalist Association.

Trans Journalists Association Style Guide

Most Journalists Don’t Know How to Cover Trans Communities. We’re Here to Push for Change

I wrote this op-ed for them. about the formation of the Trans Journalists Association and why it’s necessary.

I more than quadrupled the audience and significantly improved the quality of Brave, Not Perfect on a shoestring budget. As the show’s sole producer and story editor, I created sound-rich, engaging episodes with an eye to narrative arc through both single episodes and seasons. To grow and engage our audiences, I coordinated promo swaps, experimented with show formats, worked closely with the PR team on outreach, and developed community engagement strategies. My work on the show was also nominated for a Webby Award.


Is worrying what other people think holding you back? In this episode, Reshma makes her musical debut and explores how we can stop giving so many fucks through social science and the life experiences of Elaine Welteroth, former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue.

This episode launched our audience engagement initiative of providing listeners with real life challenges to help them break out of their comfort zone and live braver, bolder, and ultimately happier lives.

Do you worry about sounding dumb so you avoid asking questions or speaking up in meetings? Do you write down what you want to say, or go over and over it in your head? This week Reshma explores how that starts when we're young girls and keeps us from taking up space when we grow up. Plus, she gives you a bravery challenge so you can start to speak up for yourself in those moments that's really matter.

Does the idea of putting together furniture or changing a flat tire overwhelm you? Reshma explores the way young girls are discouraged from working through challenges and sitting with frustration—and how that impacts us later in life. Plus, we learn a surprising secret about the founder of Girls Who Code, who gives you a challenge to strengthen your bravery muscle.

I developed and launched The Mother Jones Podcast—a weekly magazine half-hour featuring interviews with newsmakers and investigative reporters, based on a topic of national urgency. I wrote end edited scripts, produced and assembled segments, and constructed episodes with an eye for character and narrative arc. Plus, I found innovative ways to engage our audience and include their voices in our show. I coached staff to sound their best and trained reporters to collect audio in the field. I created critical workflows, organizational systems, and coordinated tricky broadcast logistics.

We take you inside the trans rights movement and hear from trans people across the country about what life has been like under the Trump administration. I spearheaded this show because of the lack of trans voices in coverage of the government attempting to roll back civil rights for transgender people. I produced, reported, scripted and helped edit this show.

You’ll hear from real people who have had their lives upended by President Trump’s travel ban. I got in touch with the sources after coming up with one of Mother Jones' most successful and ambitious audience engagement projects, asking those affected by the travel ban to share their stories. I produced, reported, scripted, and edited this segment.

Our queer hearts swell as we hear from our LGBTQ listeners about which TV and movie characters they found representation in growing up. I sobbed happy tears while producing, reporting, and editing this audience engagement segment.