The life-changing decision to Breathe Bravely.

Ashley Ballou-Bonnema, M.M.

Ashley Ballou-Bonnema is a professional vocalist from Sioux Falls, SD where she not only sings professionally with regionally and nationally acclaimed ensembles, but also maintains a private voice studio specializing in helping the 15-18 year-old-singer discover the beauty within every breath and the power it gives to their unique voice. She passionately helps individuals find their voice all while serving as the executive director and founder of the nonprofit organization, Breathe Bravely - an organization dedicated to giving voice to cystic fibrosis.

She is a passionate advocate for the cystic fibrosis community both locally and nationally, having served on the Adult Advisory Council for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. After graduating with her masters degree in vocal performance, Ashley was inspired to bring both her life as a musician and an individual with CF together in Breathe Bravely’s flagship program, sINgSPIRE. An innovative approach to combating CF through the art of singing, sIngSPIRE pairs individuals with CF from all over the world with private voice instructors - taking part in ten weeks of private voice lessons via video call. While Ashley loves singing, it’s her deep love of making music with others that inspired her to create an opportunity in which individuals with cystic fibrosis might come together as one voice. Out of this love and experience the sINgSPIRE Virtual Choir was created.

Ashley is grateful for the opportunity to share her life, hoping that through her own story others might know the beauty and power alive in every breath they are gifted. Ashley and her husband, Mark, along with their two dogs, are lucky to call Sioux Falls, SD home.

Check out the blog that started it all, and her writings picked up by the Huffington Post.