Ashley Birdsong was elevated to Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi in August 2024 after quickly rising through the department's communications staff.
Birdsong joined the Islanders as a Communications Assistant in January 2022 before transitioning into a Graduate Assistant later that year while pursuing her Master of Arts in Strategic Communication. During her graduate studies, she steadily expanded her communications portfolio, serving as the primary media contact for volleyball, women's basketball, beach volleyball and softball while managing media relations, strategic communications, digital content, social media and game-day operations.
During her final semester of graduate school, Birdsong assumed responsibility for the communications efforts of all 16 NCAA Division I programs and independently led the department's media relations operation for nearly six months. She directed comprehensive communications strategies for the athletics department, overseeing ESPN+ broadcast production, coordinating media operations, writing and distributing press releases and feature stories, maintaining the department's official website, managing social media across multiple platforms, producing game notes and statistical materials, and serving as the primary liaison between the athletics department and local, regional and national media outlets.
In addition to leading daily communications efforts, Birdsong supervised and mentored more than 20 student workers while coordinating staffing for home competitions and special events. She managed communications surrounding three NCAA Tournament appearances, multiple Southland Conference championship teams, and high-profile athletic department initiatives, ensuring consistent messaging and brand representation across all external platforms. Her work has included developing strategic content campaigns, creating feature storytelling that highlights student-athletes and coaches, overseeing crisis and real-time communications during live events, and supporting the department's overall brand through integrated digital communications.
Birdsong earned her master's degree in Strategic Communication in May 2024 with a perfect 4.0 GPA and transitioned into a full-time media relations position the following month before being promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations in August. In recognition of her dedication to the Islander community, she was nominated for the 2024 SEAS Rising Tide Program, which honors employees who demonstrate exceptional service and commitment to student success.
Prior to joining Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, Birdsong gained valuable communications experience at Auburn University, where she served as an Athletics Media Relations student assistant while earning her bachelor's degree in Public Relations with a concentration in Sports Communication and a minor in Business. She also spent two years as a sports writer for The Auburn Plainsman, covering Division I athletics and developing a strong foundation in journalism, feature writing, storytelling and deadline-driven reporting.
Birdsong graduated from Auburn University in December 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, a concentration in Sports Communication, and a minor in Business.
