Ashley Gerst
Chapter Co-Lead – WIA New York
Ashley Gerst is a 2D, 3D and motion graphics animator living in New York’s Hudson Valley. She is the Chairperson of the Art Department and a tenured Professor of Animation and Game Design at William Paterson University. Ashley has freelanced with several studios in the Greater NYC Area and worked for clients such as Sesame Street, American Express, JBL, Red Bull and more. Ashley is also an independent filmmaker. Her recent animated film is The Spirit Seam (2019). The Spirit Seam has screened in over 100 film festivals internationally and has won over 25 awards! She is currently working on two new films: Sundays (2024) and Being Pushed Down by Shadow (2025).