Gryffin Conservatory & Conservancy was founded by, and is solely operated by, Ashley E. Smith. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of South Florida and is a graduate student in the Field of Museum Studies at Harvard University. She will graduate with the class of 2026, with plans to become an Exhibition Developer. She is passionate about clean water and conservation, and hopes to bring these passions into her exhibitions under the umbrella of Gryffin. She is a developing artist, using oyster shells to create pieces that tell a story about the watery world around us. You can find her in Alexandria’s local markets as Gryffin River Shack. Ashley currently serves as a Commissioner on the City of Alexandria's Commission for the Arts, as the Social Development Coordinator for the Steering Committee of Alexandria Community Rowing, is a member of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, and is a full-time Registered Nurse. 

Origin Story-

In 2020, Ashley opened an indie bookstore. She created the Gryffin brand from scratch and operated Gryffin Bibliophile Conservatory part-time from March-October out of Anderson House, in Tampa, Florida. Despite the initial success and absolute joy of the project, it became a challenge to endure in the height of the COVID lockdown, while concurrently fulfilling her duties as a cardiovascular critical care and surgical RN. She closed the store indefinitely at the end of October, 2020, but Gryffin lived on. Gryffin inspired Ashley to branch out and explore dimmed passions, which included moving back to the DMV in 2021, diving back into water science and art, and pursuing a master’s degree in museum studies.