Meet The Concierge Team
Tugce Balik
In-House Sexologist
“Stop waiting for ‘the mood’ to show up. Start co-creating it.”
Tugce blends Western science with Eastern traditions to help people heal, reconnect, and feel at home in their bodies—and with each other. She’s a certified Tibetan Tantra practitioner and an American Board-Certified Sexologist, with a focus on healing through embodiment.
Her approach is gentle, empowering, and rooted in deep care. To her, pleasure isn’t something you earn—it’s your birthright, your medicine. And her work at Arya helps couples remember exactly that.
Karolina Wilde
Author, Fantasies and Scenes
“Here’s a hot take for you: You’re not too tired for intimacy. You’re too uninspired.”
Karolina is a sex-positive writer and author with a love for big emotions and bold storytelling. She’s worked with global brands across wellness, relationships, and intimacy-and writes fantasy romance that makes you blush and giggle. Her debut novel, House of Pain, kicks off a dark, steamy trilogy, and the feedback she got made her realize that people, especially women, are keen yet sometimes reserved to make their fantasies come true.
At Arya, she works closely with experts to bring only the best curated content to our members, and she’s the voice behind erotic audio stories and personalized roleplays that Arya’s couples use to get inspired.
Chloe J.
Head of Concierge Team
“Every mom needs attention from their partners. You pick up after everyone else—when’s the last time you got picked up?”
Based in New Jersey, Chloe is a mom of two, the heart behind Arya’s Concierge team, and a former Pilates teacher. She met dozens of women before, during, and after birth, and heard how hard it is to gain your body confidence back, as well as the intimacy you once shared. She knows how messy, beautiful, and ever-evolving relationships can be, and she’s here to make it feel a little easier to talk about.
Whether she’s helping Arya’s couples navigate the app or suggesting a new experience to try, Chloe brings warmth, care, and zero judgment. Her favorite part of the job? Seeing couples in long-term relationships feel more connected, one small step at a time.
Nicholas Velotta
Head of Relationship Science
“Go ahead, keep thinking that 'spontaneous' moments will save you. The best sex is scheduled sex. Why? Because it actually happens.”
Nicholas is a relationship researcher and sexologist focused on how intimacy, gender, and sexuality shape our everyday lives. His superpower? Turning complex intimacy research into warm, inclusive conversations you actually want to have.
As a PhD student at the University of Washington and former assistant to Arya’s advisor, Dr. Pepper Schwartz (Married at first sight, The Normal Bar) he learned how breaking the routine is the secret for passionate love life. At Arya, he makes research feel human, so you can better understand yourself and your partner.
Athena Gayle
Scenes and Products Curator
“You’ve got a meal plan. A cleaning service. Kids’ schedule. What about your love life?”
Based in the Midwest, Athena shares life with her long-term partner, daughter, and five very loved dogs. Together with the content team, Athena writes the Scenes and leads the Arya Product Testing Team to ensure only the best goods end up at Arya members’ doorsteps every month.
She brings a smart, sex-positive voice to a space that’s often full of noise—helping people feel more seen, curious, and informed in their sexuality. She’s also deeply involved in the kink community and passionate about building spaces where everyone feels welcome.
Dr. Pepper Schwartz
Advisory Board
“For many couples, it's not always as simple as 'just talk about it.’ Even the most loving partners can get stuck, feel awkward, or not know where to start—that’s where Arya comes in.”
Dr. Pepper Schwartz is a sociologist, author, and one of the most trusted voices in love and relationships. With a PhD from Yale and decades of research, she’s written over 25 books on intimacy and connection. You may know her from Married at First Sight or from her work helping couples navigate everything from sex to long-term commitment. At Arya, she brings deep experience and a calm, thoughtful perspective.
Tom D.
Arya’s Concierge Team
“Every relationship includes two adults. And intimacy should grow with you—not get lost along the way.”
A father to three children, Tom studied psychology and business management, and has spent the past decade as a business coach in organizations, where he heard about the work-life balance struggles and how it can hurt couples' connection and communication.
As part of Arya’s Concierge team, Tom supports members who are just getting started or are still unsure about what they've signed up for. He brings a calm, grounded vibe to every conversation, whether you’re curious about trying something new or talking through a challenge.
Tom openly shares the “wild life” he had before committing to his long-term partner, and the very real fear that people face of losing excitement and adventurous sexual experiences to settling down. When he’s not helping couples through the app, he’s usually out hiking with his wife or finding the next surfing spot.
Shan Boodram
Chief Intimacy Officer
"Intimacy doesn’t need to be spontaneous to be hot - it just needs to be intentional."
You may know her from Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle - but Shan’s expertise runs much deeper than reality TV. With 15+ years in the field, she’s a certified sexologist who blends science-backed sex education with cultural confidence to help couples spark (and keep) the chemistry in and out of the bedroom.
Shan is also the host of Lovers by Shan, and the voice behind The Art of Sex Appeal on MasterClass. As a mother of two small children always looking for ways to juggle family and intimacy with her partner, Shan knows exactly how to turn up the heat in long-term relationships while keeping things grounded in real connection.