Family Makers Surrogacy Team
Our Founder & President
Prior to becoming an Intended Parent, Ashlee Hammonds and her husband had been trying for their first baby. On Mother’s Day, they announced to their family that they were expecting.
The following week, Ashlee miscarried.
As the years went by, multiple attempts of IVF were unsuccessful and four pregnancies resulted in miscarriages. Ashlee became immersed in the infertility community and began supporting others who had experienced similar struggles. While advocating for her own fertility answers, she was put in touch with two specialists who finally provided a solution. They both confirmed that Ashlee was not able to maintain a pregnancy, and recommended surrogacy as the best option to grow their family.

While researching and saving for the process, Ashlee and her husband pursued adoption as a path to parenthood as well. While the first attempt failed almost immediately, the second adoption attempt seemed promising. The prospect of bringing home the baby ended abruptly however, when the birth mother unexpectedly miscarried a baby boy at 25 weeks.
It was immediately apparent that there was a lot of money, time and risk involved in both adoption and surrogacy. They persisted. After significant time, tears and expense, Ashlee and her husband finally matched with a special woman who safely delivered their twins.
After navigating her own path to become a parent, Ashlee understood the importance of education, financial responsibility, empathy, and ethics for everyone involved. Although her own journey was a successful experience, she realized how risky the process could be, and how much better it could have been with the right agency guiding them.
By combining best practices from agencies and fertility practices throughout the United States, Family Makers Surrogacy has quickly become an agency known for working with incredible Gestational Surrogates, following ethical practices, and maintaining a personalized approach to each and every individual we support. Ashlee serves as Agency Director and is our Intended Parents’ primary contact with Family Makers from beginning to end. She collaborates daily with our experienced Surrogacy Coordinators to ensure each journey is a smooth and happy one. She is also a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, a member of the Society of Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy, and Chair of the Standards Committee for Reproductive Alliance.

Samara, Director of Operations & Case Management
Samara has nearly a decade of experience in the surrogacy industry with Case Management, surrogate recruiting and screening. She is committed to ensuring that the women she meets through the intake process feel comfortable with Family Makers and the families they are helping through their entire journey.
Samara believes that families come in all shapes and sizes, and she brings those values to the team helping to build families through surrogacy. A passionate supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, as a professional photographer, she was featured in Professional Photographer Magazine highlighting her work with same-sex weddings.
Originally from Long Island, she currently calls Buffalo, NY home. Samara is married to Eric and they have five children ages 11 through 21. Her family keeps her busy shuffling to hockey rinks, lacrosse fields and other interests. She has a passion for the City of Buffalo, enjoying Buffalo Sabres games and theater at Shea’s Performing Arts Center with her family and friends.
To contact Samara directly, email samara@familymakers.com.

Ashley, Case Manager
Ashley describes herself as a “born and raised Pennsylvania girl”. She is the mother to two beautiful children and a wife to an amazing husband of 7 years.
Ashley holds an associate’s degree in Graphic Design. Art has always been a driving force and passion in her life. She loves to create in all faucets! An accidental meeting created her second passion – farm life and everything that comes with it. She currently have a small “farmette” that consists of dogs, cats, lizards, fish, goats, chickens and a goose! She also loves to garden, can food, sew clothing, cook and bake! Ashley is a true “Jill of All Trades.”
Surrogacy is something that was on her heart for years after a close family member battled infertility. In 2021, she completed a successful journey and delivered a healthy baby to a deserving set of intended parents.
Ashley says that standing witness to a set of parents seeing their child’s face for the first time was an experience she will never forget. Now being a case manager, she has the opportunity to help so many more deserving couples become parents.
To contact Ashley directly, email achristman@familymakers.com.
Our Staff

Ashley
Ashley is our Surrogacy Case Manager, and is one of the first people our newest Gestational Surrogates meet when beginning their journey with us!
Her responsibilities include onboarding our newest applicants, while also supporting our current Surrogates from beginning to end of their journeys.
In addition to being a wife and mom of three little girls, Ashley is a MOPS chapter leader, bookclub enthusiast, and has a bit of a Disney obsession.
Ashley is an experienced surrogate who delivered a little girl for her South Carolina based Intended Parents. She has matched with Intended Parents based in Georgia for her second journey and looks forward to helping them grow their family in this unique and amazing way!

Tonya
Tonya is our Surrogacy Intake Coordinator, and assists our new candidates complete all of the steps it takes to become approved and matched with amazing Intended Parents!
Her responsibilities include welcoming new applicants to our agency, educating and interviewing prospective surrogates considering a journey, and supporting our Surrogates postpartum who are interested in donating breastmilk to new Parents or the Premie Milk Bank.
Tonya is a mom of two boys, and an experienced surrogate who delivered a baby boy for her Atlanta based Intended Parents. She plans to pursue a second journey one day, and hopes to match with a same-sex male couple wishing to grow their family!