Public Square Strategies

Valerie Wuertz is the Founder and Principal of Public Square Strategies, a strategic advisory firm focused on equipping leaders, candidates, and organizations to effectively influence policy, culture, and community.

With a unique blend of grassroots leadership, education innovation, and policy advocacy, Valerie brings a comprehensive approach to navigating today's civic and political landscape.

As a mother of five and dedicated homeschool educator, Valerie's work is deeply rooted in a commitment to strengthening families and creating sustainable, community-based solutions for the next generation. Her lived experience fuels her passion for advancing systems that empower parents, protect children, and expand access to high-quality education.

Valerie has advocated for and helped shape policy and legislative initiatives, working alongside leaders, organizations, and community stakeholders to advance efforts in:

• Parental rights
• Human trafficking awareness and prevention
• Medical freedom
• Education innovation and school choice

She is known for her ability to bridge grassroots movements with policy-level strategy, helping ideas move from community conversations into actionable frameworks and legislative impact.

In addition to her work with Public Square Strategies, Valerie serves as:

• Director of Philanthropy (Central Florida) — Florida Citizens Alliance
• Co-Founder & CEO — Living by Design for Trinity
• Policy Director for multiple Non-Profit Organizations
• Microschool Ambassador

Through these roles, she continues to build strategic partnerships, expand education opportunities, and develop leaders equipped to shape their communities.

Ashleigh Hart is Co-Founder & Director of Operations of Public Square Strategies, bringing over a decade of enterprise sales leadership, strategic account management, and operational execution to the firm. She oversees day-to-day operations, client engagement strategy, and the infrastructure that drives organizational growth and long-term impact.

Before co-founding Public Square Strategies, Ashleigh built a distinguished career in enterprise and public-sector technology sales, where she consistently opened new markets, built high-value territories from the ground up, and orchestrated complex, multi-stakeholder engagements. Her track record spans leadership roles with major technology companies, where she earned recognition for exceeding aggressive targets and scaling regional operations.

Ashleigh operates at a global level, having coordinated strategic conversations with the U.S. Department of Commerce and embassy stakeholders across international markets. She brings a rare combination of executive-level relationship management, consultative problem-solving, and the operational discipline needed to translate vision into measurable results.

As a mother of three boys, Ashleigh has spent over twenty-five years advocating for families, educators, and underserved communities. Her passion for service and advocacy is deeply personal and drives her commitment to empowering leaders who are making a meaningful difference.

Ashleigh's leadership and experience include:

• Enterprise and public-sector sales leadership across infrastructure, security, SaaS, and managed services
• Territory creation, pipeline development, and strategic account planning at scale
• Global market engagement including coordination with the U.S. Department of Commerce and international embassy stakeholders
• Mentor for SelectUSA Select Global Women in Tech under the Department of Commerce
• Executive stakeholder management with C-suite, IT, and procurement leadership
• OEM and channel partner strategy across leading technology ecosystems
• Community advocacy, parental rights, and special needs awareness
• Small business ownership and entrepreneurial leadership

Through her role at Public Square Strategies, Ashleigh drives operational excellence, streamlines client processes, and ensures that every initiative is executed with precision—delivering influence that shapes both culture and community.