Ashley Valanzola is working on her PhD in History at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Originally from Massachusetts, Ashley attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis where she first discovered her love for French history. During her time in the Navy, she obtained her MA in Diplomacy from Norwich University. She researched the role of institutions in cultural property theft and restitution as part of her MA thesis. After spending six years as a Naval Officer, Ashley resigned her commission to pursue a career in academia. Her current research focuses on Jewish women in post–World War II France.