New Jersey – December 2025 — Ashton Burrell, a nationally recognized community leader, mentor, and advocate for educational equity, has been appointed to the Advisory Council for the Transformative Leadership in Disruptive Times Certificate Program at Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business. Membership on the Advisory Council is by invitation only and is reserved for distinguished leaders whose professional and personal achievements reflect a commitment to innovation, leadership, and social impact.
The Advisory Council is composed of a diverse and highly accomplished network of senior executives and thought leaders who provide strategic guidance to ensure the program remains relevant, rigorous, and aligned with the evolving needs of today’s business and nonprofit sectors. The Transformative Leadership in Disruptive Times Certificate Program is designed to bridge industry and academia, preparing leaders to navigate complexity, disruption, and organizational change.
As a Council member, Mr. Burrell will contribute to preserving and enhancing the program’s reputation and academic quality through strategic review of credit and noncredit courses. He will also provide feedback to strengthen the program’s value to students and the broader business community, offer expert guidance through classroom engagement and special forums, and support the program’s mission of linking real-world industry experience with academic instruction.
Mr. Burrell is the founder of The Live Mentorship Program (LMP), established in 2011 to provide mentoring, leadership development, and life skills to youth ages 9 to 19 across socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Under his leadership, the program achieved a 100 percent high school graduation rate, impacting more than 3,000 students and inspiring them to pursue higher education.
Mr. Burrell also serves as Director of a community youth center in Highland Park, New Jersey where he develops innovative programming, fosters positive social interaction, and ensures a safe, resource-rich environment for young people. In addition, he initiated a food and resource distribution program serving more than 400 individuals weekly who face food insecurity.
Beyond his work in education and youth development, Mr. Burrell is a respected advocate for social justice and equity. He has organized marches and rallies, advocated for fair and inclusive hiring practices, and coordinated humanitarian efforts both domestically and internationally, including initiatives spanning from Houston, Texas to Malawi, Africa.
Mr. Burrell is a Governor-appointed member and Chairman of the New Jersey Human Relations Council and serves as a member to the NAACP New Brunswick Branch, where he is also a first-class member of the Next Generation of Leaders program.
Over the past decade, his leadership and service have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Johnson & Johnson MLK Community Service Award, the NAACP New Brunswick Branch President’s Award, the Spread the Word Humanitarian Award, the Highland Park MLK Humanitarian Award, the New Jersey Governor’s Jefferson Award for Innovator, and most recently, the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Award from the New Jersey Education Association.
Mr. Burrell is a graduate of Lincoln University, where he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business. He is currently a doctoral candidate (Class of 2027) in Educational Leadership, with a concentration in Curriculum and Leadership Development.