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About Ashley Williams | ✨ Cybersecurity Expert → Smart Home Advocate
Founder • Black Woman-Owned • NJ SBE & MWBE Certified • Loxone Silver Partner • CEDIA MemberLearn More in Her Own Words
Hi, I'm Ashley. I built Serenity Smart Homes to make smart home automation work for real people — not for Big Tech, not for a subscription billing cycle, and not at the expense of your privacy or your family's dignity.
Serenity Smart Homes is a Black woman-owned smart home automation company proudly serving families, real estate investors, and property managers across South Jersey and the surrounding region, with remote consulting available worldwide. I am certified by the State of New Jersey as both a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) — a reflection of my commitment to professional excellence and my accountability to the communities I call home.
I specialize in subscription-free smart home systems designed from the ground up with three non-negotiables: your data stays in your home, your system keeps working without a monthly payment, and everyone in your household can actually use it — regardless of age, ability, or comfort with technology.
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NJ SBE Certified
New Jersey Small Business Enterprise
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NJ MWBE Certified
Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprise
Over 20 Years of Cybersecurity, Networking & Technical Support — Now Powering Better Smart Home Automation
I'm a systems engineer and cybersecurity professional by training. For over two decades I designed, secured, and supported complex network infrastructure for organizations where failure wasn't an option. I learned how to protect sensitive data, build systems that stay up, and translate deeply technical problems into plain-language plans that real people can actually act on.
Here's what that means for your home: When I design a smart home system, I'm not guessing at security — I'm applying the same principles used to protect enterprise networks. Your cameras don't send footage to someone else's server. Your automations don't stop working when a tech company decides to sunset their app. And your family's daily patterns aren't being mined and monetized.
You get smart home technology that is genuinely intelligent and genuinely yours.
What Makes My Approach Different
I didn't build this business to sell gadgets. I built it to solve real problems.
No Subscriptions. Ever.
Most smart home companies make their money on your monthly bill. I don't. Every system I design runs locally — meaning it works whether the internet is up or down, whether the manufacturer goes out of business, and whether you ever pay another technology company a dime. You buy it once. You own it forever.
- No cloud dependency — your automations run on your hardware
- No monthly fees — ever
- No forced upgrades or abandoned apps
- Fully functional during internet outages
"If you're apprehensive, just go for it! Ashley is professional, courteous, and extremely knowledgeable on all things tech and automation. She is ready to customize your home life and make your house work for you!"
"I chose Serenity Smart Homes because you promote a private network where I have full control. I can keep control of all my data locally - I don't want to load anything into the cloud."
Your Data Stays in Your Home.
With over 20 years in cybersecurity, I've seen exactly how data gets collected, stored, shared, and eventually exposed. I built Serenity Smart Homes on a simple promise: your data stays in your home. That's not marketing language — it's a design requirement baked into every system I build.
- Local control — no big tech middlemen in your living room
- No behavioral data sold or shared with advertisers
- Camera footage stored on-site, not in someone else's cloud
- Open-source and open-standard platforms you can fully inspect and trust
Accessible by Design — For Every Stage of Life
Smart home technology should serve everyone — not just the young and tech-savvy. I design systems that work equally well for a child navigating sensory sensitivities, a busy professional who just wants the lights to handle themselves, and an aging parent who wants to stay safely and comfortably in their own home for years to come.
- Aging in place and live-in-place support — independence with dignity
- Neurodivergent-friendly routines for ADHD, autism, and sensory needs
- Multiple control options: voice, app, physical buttons, or fully automatic
- Designed so that not everyone in the house needs to be a tech person
Choosing the Right Smart Home Automation Platform: Loxone, Home Assistant & Open Standards
I'm technology-agnostic in one important sense: I always choose what's right for you, not what's most profitable for me.
Loxone (Silver Partner)
As a certified Loxone Silver Partner, I design and install Loxone smart home systems for clients who want a premium, fully integrated experience. Loxone is built for whole-home automation — lighting, climate, shading, security, and more — with a single, elegant platform that runs entirely on your local network. No cloud required. No subscriptions. Exceptionally reliable.
Ideal for new builds, full renovations, and clients seeking a polished, high-performance system from a single trusted platform.
Home Assistant
For clients who want maximum flexibility, open-source transparency, and the ability to integrate any device from any brand, Home Assistant is my open-platform choice. It keeps your data local, connects with virtually every smart home protocol, and doesn't lock you into any vendor's ecosystem.
Ideal for existing homes, mixed-device environments, and clients who value openness and long-term adaptability.
Z-Wave & Open Standards
I build on open, proven protocols like Z-Wave, Zigbee, Thread, and Matter — technologies designed to be interoperable, long-lived, and vendor-independent. These aren't proprietary ecosystems that disappear when a company gets acquired. They're open standards engineered to last.
Ideal for clients prioritizing device longevity, security, and the freedom to choose the best hardware over time.
CEDIA Membership: Professional Standards You Can Count On
As a current CEDIA member, Serenity Smart Homes upholds the industry's highest standards for smart home design, installation, and client care. CEDIA (the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) represents the gold standard of professionalism in residential technology — and my membership reflects my commitment to doing this work the right way, every time.
- Adherence to industry best practices for system design and installation
- Commitment to ongoing education and professional development
- Ethical standards and client-first service principles
- Access to peer expertise and industry resources to serve you better
Curious about the technology choices behind your system? Here are primers on Z-Wave vs. Zigbee and the newer Matter and Thread protocols.
Smart Home Design for Aging-in-Place, Home Modification & Every Stage of Life
Ashley holds the Certified Living In Place Professional™ (CLIPP™) designation from the Living In Place Institute — one of a small number of smart home consultants in New Jersey to earn this credential.
What "Live and Age in Place" Actually Means to Me
Most people don't think about smart home technology and accessibility in the same sentence. I think they belong together — because a truly smart home is one that works for your whole life, not just right now.
Whether you're a parent raising a neurodivergent child, a family member helping an aging parent stay safely in their own home, or someone planning ahead for your own future independence — I design systems that grow with you. Not systems you'll outgrow.
Aging in place isn't just about safety sensors and medical alerts. It's about preserving dignity. Maintaining routines. Keeping someone connected to the home they've lived in for decades without making them feel surveilled or dependent. That requires thoughtful design — and that is exactly what I provide.
- Fall prevention lighting that activates automatically — no switches needed
- Wandering alerts and smart lock schedules for dementia safety
- Gentle medication reminders and morning routines via voice
- Remote family visibility without invasive cameras
- Sensory-friendly environments for neurodivergent household members
- Controls that work for everyone: voice, button, app, or fully automatic
Ready to talk about what accessibility-first design could look like in your home?
Explore Aging in Place Solutions Explore Neurodivergent-Friendly DesignA Parent, a Neurodivergent Household, and Why I Built a Smart Home Company from Scratch
I didn't start Serenity Smart Homes because smart home technology is cool. I started it because I needed it — and I couldn't find anyone who built it the way it needed to be built. Because most people building it don't live it.
I'm AuDHD — diagnosed at 34, after years of knowing something was different but not having the language for it. I'm also raising a neurodivergent child, solo. That means I know what it feels like when your morning routine falls apart before 7am from the inside out — not as an observer, not as a clinician, but as someone whose brain works differently and whose household depends on systems that account for that. I know the "fridge left open all night" tax. I know the bedtime battles. I know the specific exhaustion of managing a home where executive function is scarce and sensory input is everywhere.
Most smart home technology is designed by people who don't live this. It shows. The apps are cluttered. The setup requires sustained focus across multiple sessions. The failure modes are loud and disruptive. I built this business because I needed something different — and when I couldn't find it, I built it.
And as someone who has spent decades in tech, I know exactly what happens to your family's data when you invite cloud-dependent devices into your home. I wasn't willing to make that trade. So I built a business for families who aren't willing to make it either.
- Gentle lighting transitions that support sensory regulation
- Automated routines that reduce daily decision fatigue
- Wander alerts and safety automations that stay invisible until you need them
- Systems that work for every member of the household — not just the tech-savvy ones
What Over 20 Years in Cybersecurity & Networking Means for Your Home Automation System
I'm a systems engineer by training and a translator by instinct. The hardest part of my job has never been the technology — it's always been helping people understand what they have and why it matters.
What My Background Brings to Your Home
- Security by design — not bolted on as an afterthought
- Network architecture that works — not consumer gear pushed past its limits
- Honest risk assessment — I'll tell you what could go wrong before it does
- Plain-English explanations — no jargon, no condescension, no assumptions
- Systems that fail gracefully — because I've been the person called when they don't
What That Means for You in Practice
- Your smart home keeps working during internet outages
- No one is watching your data move through their cloud servers
- Your system won't become obsolete when a vendor discontinues their app
- You'll understand exactly what you have, how it works, and how to use it
- When something does need adjusting, the fix is straightforward — not a crisis
Who I Work With
Different needs. One promise: privacy, reliability, and a system your whole household will actually love.
Families Seeking Calmer, Safer Routines
From bedtime automations to leak detection to sensory-friendly lighting — I help families create homes that reduce daily friction and protect what matters most.
Neurodivergent Individuals & Families
I specialize in home environments that support ADHD, autism, and sensory sensitivities — with gentle routines, predictable transitions, and controls that work for every kind of brain.
Older Adults Aging or Living in Place
I build technology that supports independence and dignity — not surveillance. Fall prevention, wandering alerts, medication reminders, and caregiver visibility without invasive cameras.
Occupational Therapists & Physical Therapists
I work with OTs and PTs both as referral sources and as direct consulting clients. If you work with clients navigating aging, disability, or accessibility needs, I can be the technology partner your practice has been missing — translating clinical goals into smart home systems that actually support them.
Accessible Vacation Rental Operators
I work with hosts and property managers who want their rentals to be genuinely accessible, not just "smart." That includes ADA considerations, accommodation for aging travelers, and the technology layer that supports both — designed to run independently and reliably across every stay.
Builders, Contractors & Industry Partners
I partner with builders, insurance agents, and real estate professionals who want to offer clients smart home solutions backed by CEDIA-level professionalism and genuine technical depth.
How I Work
I don't sell first and design later. I design first — always.
1️⃣ Free Strategy Session
A free 30-minute conversation to understand what's frustrating you, what success looks like, and whether I'm the right fit for your goals. No pressure. No pitch.
2️⃣ Your Custom Blueprint
Whether you need a focused water protection plan or a whole-home automation design, you get a clear, jargon-free roadmap you can act on yourself — or hand to any installer.
3️⃣ Bring It to Life
I handle the technical setup, train everyone in your household, and leave you with simple instructions — so you're never dependent on me, but always know I'm here when you need me.
In-person service area: South Jersey. Remote consulting available worldwide.
Ready to stop fighting with your smart home and start trusting it?
Let's have a real conversation about what's possible. No jargon, no pressure, no monthly fees. Just clear answers and a path forward that actually fits your life.
Book Your Free Strategy SessionReady to stop guessing and start making your home work for you?
Take the first step toward building a smart home that fits your routines, tech, and goals.
Book Your Free Smart Home Consultation Now