Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts Elected To Board of Directors for ACCE

Alexandria, Va. (September 22, 2020) — Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts has been elected to serve on the board of directors for ACCE, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, an Alexandria, Va.-based association of over 9,000 professionals who work for and with more than 1,300 chambers of commerce.

Members of ACCE’s board of directors represent more than 50 organizations, including many of the world’s largest and most influential regional chambers of commerce.

“We are pleased to welcome Ashli Watts to the ACCE Board of Directors,” said Sheree Anne Kelly, president & CEO of ACCE. “She joins the organization’s volunteer leadership at a time when the role of chambers of commerce has never been more critical. In these unprecedented times, her expertise will help our volunteer leadership address today’s most pressing challenges, reimagine chambers and shape the future of our work.”

Ashli Watts was named the President and CEO for the Kentucky Chamber, the state’s largest business association, in November 2019. Watts joined the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in November of 2012 and during her tenure a Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the Chamber led efforts in passing significant pieces of legislation. As part of the Chamber’s leadership team, the Kentucky Chamber was named National State Chamber of the Year in 2017. Prior to joining the Chamber, she worked at the Kentucky Bar Association and the Legislative Research Commission.

Watts graduated from Campbellsville University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History in 2004 and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Louisville.

The mission of ACCE is to support and develop chamber professionals to lead businesses and their communities. ACCE identifies and analyzes trends affecting communities, shares best practices, and develops benchmarking studies, in addition to providing other tools to help chamber leaders manage and improve operations at their organization.