Ashley McIntosh President and Founder

Ashley is a dedicated midwife with over five years of experience providing holistic, family-centered care in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She specializes in trauma-informed care, reproductive health, and guiding families through personalized, culturally respectful support.

Before stepping into midwifery, Ashley worked as an herbalist and horticulturist, deepening her knowledge of plant-based medicine, nutrition, and the healing connections between people and the natural world. This foundation continues to shape her approach to care, blending evidence-based practice with lived experiences to support the whole person — mind, body, and spirit. Through her work, Ashley is committed to empowering families, changing the culture around medicalized birth and advancing access to compassionate, community-centered maternal care.

Shanitatha Hankins Community Outreach

Shanitatha is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 16 years of experience supporting individuals through life’s challenges. She provides a compassionate, solution-focused approach to therapy, helping adults (18+) navigate anxiety, depression, grief and loss, maternal mental health concerns, postpartum changes, self-esteem struggles, boundary setting, life transitions, Veteran issues, and the lasting impact of trauma. "I believe healing begins in a safe, non-judgmental space where you can share your story openly and feel truly heard. In our work together, we’ll focus on practical tools, coping strategies, and new ways of thinking that help you regain clarity, confidence, and a sense of control over your life. My professional journey has taken me through diverse settings and communities, which has given me a deep respect for the unique challenges people face across cultures, identities, and life stages. I take a holistic, trauma-informed, and solution-focused approach—tailoring therapy to meet you where you are and to guide you toward where you want to be."

Our Team

Lia Berquist Treasurer

Lia has her bachelor of science in human environmental sciences from the University of Arkansas. She is a certified doula, Evidence Based Birth® Instructor, and affiliated teacher of The Bradley Method®. Lia has been teaching childbirth education in Long Beach since 2011 and has been a doula since 2012 and has served over 2000 families in Southern California and all over the world. Lia serves on the Board of Directors of BreastfeedLA, a Los Angeles based non profit promoting lactation equity. She has two daughters: One born in a hospital and one born at home. Ever since watching her own mother give birth to her sisters in the early 1980's, Lia has been passionate about physiological childbirth and advocacy during pregnancy and labor

Cressida Fletcher Secretary

Cressida Fletcher graduated from Berkelee school of music in Boston, Massachusetts in 2020. Cressida works in the music industry as a digital marketer and volunteers her free time to the Assistance League of LA. She is passionate about equity in healthcare for all families and children of color. Cressida brings a youthful perspective to the Board here at Families First CA.