Ashley Baum currently leads Special Opportunities, a multi-asset class tactical investment strategy for the $117.5 billion Teachers Retirement System of Texas. Previously, Ashley served for over 2 years as the Chief of Staff to the Chief Investment Officer. She joined Texas Teachers in 2007 as a Senior Investment Associate in Private Markets (Private Equity, Real Estate and Other Real Assets) where she was responsible for $2.6 billion in investments and managed a portfolio of $4 billion in commitments. Before joining TRS, Ashley was a Senior Associate in Transaction Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers providing merger and acquisition-related valuation and accounting advisory services. The University of Texas nominated Ashley for a prestigious post-graduate program at the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), where she started her career.

Ashley graduated from the University of Texas with a Masters in Accounting and a Bachelors in Business Honors and Accounting. She is a CFA Charterholder and a Certified Public Accountant. In 2010, she was awarded a John W. Koza Leadership Fellowship from the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA). Ashley currently serves on the Board of the CFA Society of Austin and is an active member of the Junior League of Austin.