Trials to Triumphs
By Michelle Vasquez | Photography by Suzanne Pack
From the time she was a young girl, Ashley Sacriste envisioned herself wearing a white coat, leading a hospital, and making a difference in people’s lives. She dreamed of becoming a doctor and leading a medical center, believing deeply in the power of healing. What she didn’t know then was that her path wouldn’t be paved in a straight line. It would be filled with hardship and determination and ultimately lead her to obtain a doctorate in health administration
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Today, Dr. Ashley Sacriste serves as Chief Executive Officer of Laurel Ridge Treatment Center in San Antonio, Texas, one of the area’s leading behavioral health institutions. She is a recognized voice in statewide mental health policy, patient care innovation, and leadership in healthcare. While she carries many titles, her success is the result of an unwavering belief in the power of persistence, learning from life’s trials, making mistakes, and sharing that learning with others through her life’s work.
Sacriste’s journey began in a childhood marked by emotional challenges. Her parents’ separation and divorce introduced an early instability that shaped her emotional development. Living between two households in the Valley and San Antonio meant she often didn’t know where she would be next. “I would get hives on my arms and legs, and it was all just nerves,” she recalls. These early stressors gave her a unique sensitivity to mental health, leading her to later define her purpose as a healthcare leader.
But it wasn’t just instability that shaped Sacriste; it was also the people who stepped up to guide her. From witnessing the struggles of co-parenting to managing the emotions of being shuffled between households, she developed an emotional maturity well beyond her years. Along the way, she found support in her father, a steady motivator who always encouraged her to “keep going.”
Sacriste’s life changed dramatically during her senior year of high school when she learned she was pregnant. “My parents, of course, were not too thrilled,” she says with candor. But what could have been an end to her ambitions became a different kind of beginning. She married young and overnight became a wife and mother. The gravity of adult responsibilities settled quickly. “It was a moment of transformation,” she recalls. “I didn’t have time to process what was happening—I just had to move forward.” During this period, her mother-in-law became her greatest mentor, teaching her how to take care of herself and others.
That forward motion became a theme. Sacriste earned her GED shortly after high school and began taking community college classes. The reality of being a young mother, navigating marriage, and attempting to further her education was daunting. Still, she held on to the vision of something more. In 2012, with four children in tow and a full-time job, she enrolled at Wayland Baptist University in San Antonio.
Her bachelor’s degree would take five years to complete. Each semester demanded long nights, discipline, and sacrifice. “There were plenty of times when I wanted to give up,” she admits. But she credits her husband’s steadfast encouragement with keeping her focused. The day she walked across the graduation stage, Sacriste felt more than accomplishment. She felt validation. “Nothing came easy,” she says. “But I earned every step.”
Determined not to lose momentum, she enrolled in a master’s program in healthcare administration through Bellevue University in Nebraska. At the same time, she took a major career leap to become CEO of a hospital in Nebraska. It was the kind of role she had once imagined for herself; only now, she was living it. “It felt like everything I had gone through was leading to that moment,” she reflects.
With deep family ties and roots in San Antonio, Sacriste made the decision to return and continue building her professional and academic life. She applied and was accepted into a doctorate program at Oklahoma State University, where she studied while working full-time and raising her children. “I knew if I stopped, I wouldn’t go back,” she explains. The workload was intense on top of the demands of being a mother, a wife, and a professional. In December 2024, she earned her Doctorate in Healthcare Administration.
Now, as CEO of Laurel Ridge Treatment Center, Sacriste leads an institution focused on treating individuals facing mental health and substance abuse challenges. Under her guidance, the center has expanded its programming, improved access to care, and embraced innovative treatment models. “Mental health is often treated as an afterthought,” she says. “But for us, it’s the foundation of everything.”
Her work in healthcare extends beyond day-to-day operations. She is a vocal advocate for mental health reform and serves on both the Texas Hospital Association Behavioral Health Council and the Patient Safety and Quality Council. Her work involves championing legislative change, ensuring equitable access to services, and pushing for new standards in behavioral care. Her leadership style is rooted in empathy, collaboration, and an understanding that healing requires more than treatment—it requires trust, something that was hard to achieve when she was younger.
As a speaker and thought leader, Sacriste is often invited to share her perspective on behavioral health, healthcare leadership, and the importance of trauma-informed systems of care. She’s presented at conferences, mentored young professionals, and contributed to ongoing dialogues around public health and wellness. Her philosophy around behavioral health revolves around awareness and actions. “Actions change outcomes for you and for others who share life’s journey with you,” she says.
Despite the demands of leadership, Sacriste remains deeply committed to her family. Married for nearly 24 years, she is the mother of five and a proud grandmother. Her family is her grounding force, and she credits all of them, especially her husband, for the endurance and support that carried her through the most difficult chapters of her life. “We didn’t have much at the beginning,” she reflects, “but we had love and belief in each other.”
Those early challenges of doubt and instability and the balancing act of motherhood and ambition have all become part of her foundation as a leader. “It’s how you handle things and overcome them that builds character,” she says. That philosophy shapes her leadership approach at Laurel Ridge, where she fosters a culture of compassion, accountability, and purpose.
Sacriste is also passionate about paying it forward. Recognizing the profound influence of mentors in her own journey, she makes it a point to uplift other women, especially those who may feel stuck, overwhelmed, or underestimated. “You have the power to rewrite your narrative. Don’t let where you started define where you’re going,” says Sacriste.
Her message is simple: persistence matters and paying it forward through kindness matters. Whether it’s pursuing education in your thirties, stepping into leadership when it feels scary, or raising a family while chasing a dream, Sacriste’s life proves that there is no single path to success. There is only progress and the courage to keep going, tapping into support systems, and leading with heart. True leadership doesn’t come from titles or accolades but from lived experiences, heartaches, and overcoming challenges by asking for help.
