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Ashley Lauren Fisher

Ashley Lauren Fisher (born February 23 1975) is an American Actress, restaurateur, philanthropist and former model.

EARLY LIFE Ashley Lauren Fisher was born in Montville, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Marquesita and David Fisher, and has a brother named Jason. Ashley studied classical ballet at The New Jersey Ballet and classical piano with a Julliard Master pianist. She performed piano in Steinway Hall, New York and ballet at The Paper Mill Playhouse, in Milburn New Jersey. While modeling in New York City, she performed as a dancer on MTV’S Club MTV and The Grind. She was also an extreme sports, snowboarding and water sports enthusiast. Fisher graduated from Montville High School receiving many state recognition and awards as a four-year Varsity lettered lacrosse player. Ashley gave back to the community, by officiating and coaching several girls youth lacrosse programs. Between modeling and coaching she began working in restaurants for extra income while pursuing her acting. At 21 Fisher partnered with real-estate mogul and attorney, Lawrence Berger and opened her first restaurant, Pazzo Pazzo, in Morristown, New Jersey

RESTAURANTEUR

In 1998, Ashley Lauren Fisher suffered from a spinal cord injury and was diagnosed a C4-5 quadriplegic. After three years of hospitalization and rehab at The Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation Fisher’s business was suffering financial loss. Pazzo Pazzo, given Four Stars by the Star Ledger newspaper, is the only Four Star Italian Restaurants in Morristown, NJ. Pazzo, Pazzo has been voted in 2008 “Best Gourmet Presentation” by The Daily Record and in 2010 as “One of the top ten hottest spots in New Jersey”. Pazzo, Pazzo also received accolades for “Best Martini in Morris County” and was awarded the 2010 diners choice award for “Best Service”, and “Best Italian Restaurant.” ABC’s Eye-Witness News, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WABC-TV  ; featured Pazzo Pazzo’s Homemade Ravioli on the“Neighborhood Eats” with Lauren Glassberg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauren_Glassberg. Fisher plans on opening another new restaurant in 2013.

ACTING

Fisher studied at The Lee Strasberg Institute and continues to study her craft with a private acting coach in New York.

ADVOCACY

Fisher is the co-Founder and chairwoman of Discovery through Design, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring women’s lifestyles, creating awareness and raising funds for disabled women’s health initiatives and spinal cord research. Fisher, a large donor to the Christopher and Dana Reeve foundation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_and_Dana_Reeve_Foundation , for the Spinal Cord Injury Project at Rutgers University, and supports other charities. Fisher was a keynote speaker for the Governor’s Conference on Employment for People with Disabilities for former New Jersey Governor, John Corzine, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Corzine as has been a requested speaker for several organizations and charities

AWARDS

Fisher was awarded The First Red Bandanna Award for her civic and community efforts to help others and has received awards recognizing Pazzo Pazzo as a four-star Italian restaurant in Morristown, NJ. Fisher was also the recipient of The Female Legends Award for being a young business trailblazer. Fisher has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar; June 2006, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harper%27s_Bazaar ; The New York Times,; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Time The New Yorker, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Yorker The Star Ledger, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Ledger and several other major periodicals. Fisher has also been featured on many TV news programs such as New York One, http://www.ny1.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_One ; ABC’s Eyewitness News; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WABC-TV; and CBS’s The Early Show http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Early_Show.