Testimonials
“I have worked on over twenty short films and in the production office of a few studio productions but I experienced a whole new facet of filmmaking working with Ashley. I worried that it would be a burden to our schedule to incorporate an Intimacy Coordinator but Ashley actually saved us time on set, quickly helping me solve choreography challenges and offered language that helped me direct sensitive scenes. Our actors also expressed huge appreciation to me for pulling her on. She was an absolute asset to our team.”
Rana Shemirani, Director/Writer, 2 Days of Danny
“I recently held a development workshop for a new Indigenous musical I wrote which included actors, and one of my highest priorities was finding someone who could take on the job of both intimacy direction and mental health facilitation. While the musical is meant to be a love story, it also has some sensitive themes, involving racism, colonization and violence. Ashley was the perfect person to hire for this job. While her title is Intimacy Director, her knowledge and experience, especially with Indigenous participants, was particularly helpful in ensuring the mental health and safety of all persons involved in this project. She is an excellent communicator, a kind and warm person, and she creates a very comfortable environment. She thinks ahead and comes up with solutions for issues before they can become a problem. She was a pleasure to work with, and I will absolutely be reaching out again for the next stage of development.”
Michelle Bardach, Writer/Director, Coast Salish Love Story
“Having worked professionally in the film, television, and theatre industries for over a decade, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous Intimacy Coordinators. I can confidently say that Ashley has not only surpassed my expectations but has also set a new standard for the role. Her comprehensive approach and excellent communication are equally matched by her level of care and dedication to the people she works with. Ashley ensures that everyone feels safe, respected, and empowered, and her attention to detail creates an environment where both artistry and personal boundaries can thrive.”
Cody Kearsley, Actor/Director/Writer/Producer, Vagrant Players Theatre Society & Persephone Pictures Inc.
“I worked with Ashley on an Indigenous workshop of a new musical. Immediately, I was embraced with warmth and openness. Ashley created a space where everyone’s mental health and well-being were prioritized every step of the way. She provided traditional tools such as smudging as a way to open and close our days, as well as a variety of modernized mental health practices for our minds, hands, and mouths. Ashley asked questions and created safety plans that encouraged the cast to embrace the emotional ranges of our work by building our own personal support teams. Ashley has set the tone for Intimacy Directors I hope to work with in the future and anyone that does get to work with her is so lucky!”
Danelle Charette, Performance Artist, Coast Salish Love Story
“Ashley is just the best to work with and I’m so grateful for everything she did during the shoot. Any hesitations I felt were replaced with confidence and excitement to get to portray this story because of how she anticipated our needs, communicated our boundaries and offered suggestions for anything that felt uncomfortable. Very grateful for all of Ashley’s compassion and care.”
Jessica Wong, Actor, 2 Days of Danny
“Working on-set with Ashley was such a pleasure. Her experience as an actor combined with her expertise in intimacy coordination created such a safe and comfortable environment to approach scene work.”
Anthony Curtis, Actor, Free Movies
“This was my first time with an intimacy coordinator and honestly Ashley made the whole experience incredibly smooth and easy and comfortable. I felt like I understood what was going to happen, what was expected of me and I felt very comfortable setting my boundaries and knowing that they would be respected. I am incredibly thankful for Ashley’s help and guidance through all of this. She was essential in making the experience smooth and in helping tell the best story.”
David Habashy, Actor, Ain’t Love Heavy
“Ashley made the work environment really easy. Just knowing that there is an Indigenous person with medicine, a kind ear and a great knowledge of professional intimacy made my experience working comfortable and safe. I learned a lot in terms of touch, grounding, and connecting from Ashley. I feel like Ashley does a wonderful job of performing her work right in the action of a live set, while also creating a safe space on the outer edges of a working set to come if a cast or crew needed support. I think the work Ashley does is vital, and I believe that having people like Ashley on sets will contribute to the thriving of our storytellers being able to tell stories for generations.”
Shane Leydon, Actor, Lucien
“Ashley was the very first intimacy coach I had ever worked with. I found her to be attentive, approachable and well prepared for her role. I felt comfortable having her there and felt secure knowing she had my back. I feel that I was lucky to have her there for the first show I did needing an intimacy coach and I highly recommend working with her.”
Gil Anderson, Singer/Actor, Coast Salish Love Story