Ashley Marina Yankello was born on June 16, 2007, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. At the age of 3, Ashley started taking dance lessons at Miller School of Dance located in Kennedy Township.  As her interests for the arts increased, Ashley then joined the Pittsburgh CLO (Civic Light Opera) where she is a student of Jazz, tap, ballet, singing, and acting.  She has also taken up piano lessons since she was 5 years old. Over the past year she been taking vocal lessons from Jason Swauger voice instruction, Ashley performed in the yearly talents shows at Montour school district, vocal competitions including: May Day Talent Show Champion, SING IT! 1st Runner-Up; Kean Quest Semi-Finalist; Kid's Got Talent 1st Runner-Up, singing the National Anthem for WPIAL baseball playoff games and professional boxing events, 2016 National StarJewel Pageant 1st Runner-Up, 2015 Washington County Cinderella Pageant Champion, and she placed in the top 10 out of 117 state finalists in the National American Miss 2014 Princess Division.  Ashley, daughter of Mark and Nina Yankello, will enter fourth grade in the Fall at Burkett Elementary School in Montour School District.