Ashley Murphree
CEO and Founder of Carpe Diem Private Preschool
Ashley is completely dedicated to the task of offering exceptional early childhood education and care to families who recognize the importance of providing a strong, nurturing foundation of learning in the first years of their child’s life. She is also a huge advocate for women, children, and the arts.
Ashley was born in Saigon in 1973 during the Vietnam War. In 1979, she and her family escaped Vietnam huddled in the bottom of a small, wooden boat. It was an arduous ordeal, but they survived; and eventually, they found their way to the Dallas area in 1980 and settled in Garland. With a strong work ethic and a great deal of determination, Ashley excelled in school from day one and eventually put herself through college at the University of Texas at Arlington, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration. She worked for several years as a Human Resource professional.
When Ashley planned to have children of her own, she did extensive research and wasn’t pleased with the available options for childcare. At that point, she decided to open her own preschool, which would offer the very best staff, facility, and curriculum based on the most current research on developmentally appropriate learning and practices for young children. She also wanted to change the widely held view of childcare givers as undervalued employees to that of professional teachers, by valuing their expertise and providing corporate benefits to her staff. This empowerment led to the creation of a highly skilled workforce and gave many employees the ability to advance in their careers.
The result is Carpe Diem Private Preschool: Richardson, which opened its doors in October 2001—Ashley’s dream came true. And that dream has been repeated very successfully at three other locations: in Frisco (2005), Allen (2009), and Southlake (2010). Ashley plans to continue to expand, which will provide more children and families access to Carpe Diem’s exceptional and exemplary approach to early childhood education and care.
For the past five years, Ashley has also volunteered her time as President of the Board of Directors of Tuzer Ballet, Inc., a non-profit organization that gives hundreds of disadvantaged children and families access to the performing arts every year. She believes that art is fundamental to children’s development because it encourages innovation, critical thinking, and their imagination. As the result, Ashley is incredibly passionate about this cause.
