Ashley Judd was born on April 19, 1968 in Granada Hills, California. She received a bachelor's degree in French from the University of Kentucky, where she minored in anthropology, art history, theater, and women's studies. She also graduated from UK's Honor's Program. She received a master's degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 2009.

As an actor, she has starred in 20 films and on Broadway. Her films include Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, and De-Lovely. On Broadway, she has played the role of Madge in the Pulitzer Prize winning play Picnic and the Maggie the Cat in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. She is now a dedicated humanitarian and advocate. She has worked with numerous organizations including YouthAIDS, the Leadership Council of the International Center for Research on Women, Women for Women International, and Equality Now.

(Bowker Author Biography)