Ashley McLain
Ashley began writing after retiring in 2023 after 30 years in the environmental field. She focused on technical writing in her career, but her academic roots were in humanities. She received her undergraduate degree in American Studies from Stanford University then obtained a Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin. She blends vivid storytelling and reflections in her memoir, Crowded Tables and Bonus Tracks.
Ashley is an AICP-certified planner and expert in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance. Her experience stems from assessing impacts of infrastructure projects with Cox|McLain Environmental Consulting, Inc., a company she co-founded and led as CEO for 15 years. The company was acquired in 2021.
Currently Ashley serves on the Austin Light Rail Advisory Group and the University of Texas Environmental Science Institute Advisory Council. She is an executive member and Austin leader of the professional organization HiPower – taking executive women from success to significance. To nurture her creative side, Ashley enjoys being a board member for Forklift Danceworks – activating communities through creative collaboration, and a member of the Guild of Strings Music Festival, a non-profit organization that brings exceptional talent to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Besides a long list of technical publications, Ashley’s work has been featured in Art with Altitude magazine (Dancing Outside the Box, Winter 2024; In the Studio with Connie Saddlemire, Summer 2025).
Ashley’s husband, J.C. Schmeil, AIA also attended Stanford University and the University of Texas and is a practicing architect. Sons Corbin and Beckett live and work in New York City.
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