Dr. Ashurst is a Senior Extension Specialist for Family and Consumer Sciences Extension. She serves as PI for a variety of grants focusing on outreach and support to military families and Co-PI for Kentucky's Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) joint grant with Kentucky State University focusing on life skills for underserved and unstably housed youth. Kerri also serves as a Federal Coach for the CYFAR Professional Deveopment and Technical Assistance Center.

Dr. Ashurst's focus is building state-wide capacity for reaching underserved or at-risk children, youth, families, and communities. Kerri's primary areas of interest include families who are coping with major crises such as illness or death of a family member; positive youth and young adult development and positive mental health; couple communication and relationship building; military families and reconnection after deployment; and stress management. Dr. Ashurst has worked with the FCS Extension unit at UK now for over 25 years. 

Professional Licenses or Certifications

• International Association of Coaching Masteries Practitioner
• Professional Certification in Trauma and Resilience: Level 1 and Level 2, Florida State University
• Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Instructor