By Sebastian Dionicio
March is Women’s History Month, and to continue the series of Women of the High Country, High Country Press is spotlighting Ashley Galleher, owner of Zionville Ramp Company.
Zionville Ramp Company is a female-owned business in the High Country offering skateboarding camps, lessons, and even custom half-pipes for clients.
Dedicated to bringing skateboarding to more people in the High Country, Zionville Ramp Company allows clients to level up their skateboarding at their own pace, no matter their skill.
The founder, Ashley Galleher, began skateboarding as a child and later developed a passion for the sport during her early twenties after graduating from Appalachian State University in 2010 and moving to Lake Tahoe, California.
Out west, she was acquainted with like-minded women who shared a passion for skateboarding, snowboarding, and riding alongside fellow women.
“What really got me into it was finally meeting other women that also enjoyed skateboarding,” Ashley shared.
“It took about a year of living there. I started meeting some skater and snowboarder girls. We would go on trips to skate parks in Sacramento and San Francisco. That just opened my eyes to a whole new world. I was like, this is awesome,” she added.
Ashley left Lake Tahoe and moved back to the High Country in 2016.
After completing a handful of projects, which included building a custom ramp for Hatchet Coffee, she quit her full-time job to launch her business as a custom ramp builder in July 2021.
Although she never envisioned teaching as part of her business, Ashley later expanded Zionville Ramp Company to incorporate skateboarding camps and lessons due to high demand.
“The local community sort of embraced me immediately and said, hey, we have kids that want to skate, you know, lots of parents reached out…So, I went with it,” she recalled.
In February 2022, Zionville Ramp Company grew to include an indoor facility for customers during the winter months.
These days, Ashley looks forward to expanding her business to a much larger indoor location.
“I’m seeking a larger indoor space…my current space is great for a few people. But, when you get more than four or five skaters, it can get a little crowded, especially with kids and people trying to learn,” she shared.
Ashley added,“I’m building out, you know, close to what will be a full indoor skate park plus some other recreation stuff.”
Ashley hopes to have the new location open by the end of May this year.
Regarding what she enjoys most about her job, Ashley finds that “the most enjoyable thing is watching people overcome their fears, watching their confidence get built, and seeing people rediscover a side of themselves that they maybe haven’t touched in a really long time.”
When asked who her supporters were throughout her career, Ashley cited her dad, brothers, friends like James Mcleod, and Alicia Green, her coaches Quinn, Ashley, and George, as well as her original lady’s night crew: Ashley, Joanna, Hannah, Abby, Macy, and Mac, and Brooke.
Her best advice to female entrepreneurs is to be bold and try out new ideas.
Ashley shared, “Have the confidence to try different things until you find something that clicks and works.”
For more information regarding skateboarding camps, lessons, or custom ramps, please visit Zionville Ramp Company’s website at https://www.zionvillerampco.com/. For further updates regarding the new location, visit the website or connect on Instagram @zionvillerampco or Facebook at www.facebook.com/zionvillerampco.
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