for hair + nails
A new standard
Refined. Intentional. Elevated.
Different strengths. Same Standard.
The Artists
Before becoming a hairstylist, Betsy spent years as a school teacher—a background that naturally shaped the way she cares for her clients. Her patience, warmth, and thoughtful approach help create an experience where clients feel comfortable asking questions, exploring ideas, and making confident decisions about their hair.
Clients describe Betsy as personable, knowledgeable, and genuinely attentive. She believes great hair starts with listening, creating cuts that complement your everyday lifestyle and color that looks natural while aligning with your maintenance preferences. She also enjoys educating clients on styling at home, maintaining healthy hair, setting realistic expectations, and finding solutions to ongoing hair frustrations.
One of Betsy's greatest strengths is her honesty. If something isn't the best choice for your hair, she'll tell you—kindly, respectfully, and with your long-term hair health in mind. Protecting the integrity of your hair is always her priority, and she believes the best results come from working collaboratively to create a plan that fits your goals.
Whether you're looking for routine maintenance, a complete transformation, help restoring the health of your hair, or simply want to feel like yourself again after a major life or physical change, Betsy is here to guide you every step of the way. Her goal is for every client to leave feeling confident in their hair after a relaxing, positive, and genuinely enjoyable experience.
Outside the salon, Betsy's perfect vacation is somewhere warm where she can eat, read, nap, and repeat. Her favorite indulgence? A great massage or a shopping trip—though her ideal day includes both.
Betsy
To know Tara is to know that she rarely takes life too seriously—but she takes great hair very seriously. After more than two decades behind the chair, she's built her career on precision, education, honesty, and helping clients love their hair long after they leave the salon.
As the founder of Valen + Ashe, she's passionate about creating more than just a beautiful salon—she's building a place centered around inclusivity, camaraderie, education, and giving back to the community. Those values are intentionally woven into every part of the salon, from thoughtfully sourcing products to supporting local philanthropy.
One of the defining moments of Tara's career was attending the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Toronto in 2018, where she refined the precision cutting techniques that continue to influence her work today. She specializes in precision cutting, lived-in color, and corrective color, and genuinely enjoys the projects that require a little extra creativity and problem-solving.
She's also your go-to for anything product-related and loves teaching clients how to care for their hair long after they leave the salon. Fair warning, though—if she catches you using non-professional products, you can expect a firm-but-fair lecture on why your hair deserves better.
When she's not behind the chair, you'll probably find her wandering through the salon telling borderline unbelievable stories, checking in with the team, and chatting with clients who have become lifelong friends.
Her dream vacation is spending three months eating her way through Italy, although she'd happily settle for two weeks—or a trip back to Australia, which she insists is the best place on earth. Her current obsession is her two children, Roman and Tiny, mostly because they're endlessly entertaining.
For Tara, the best appointments are the ones where exceptional hair is only part of the experience. She wants every client to leave feeling more confident than when they walked in, knowing they spent a few hours laughing, connecting, and genuinely enjoying themselves along the way.
She's always welcoming new clients and looks forward to seeing you in her chair.
Tara
Angela is an experienced hairstylist with a love for beautiful hair, plants, and her family. Entering the beauty industry as a second career gave her an even deeper appreciation for her craft, and that passion is reflected in every appointment.
Her goal is simple: to make every client feel comfortable, cared for, and genuinely in love with their hair. Known for her warm personality and collaborative approach, Angela believes the best results come from working together. She welcomes client feedback and is always continuing her education because she believes there's always something new to learn.
Her favorite color service is freehand balayage (pronounced bah-lee-ahzh), and she'll never pass up the opportunity to create a great shag—the haircut, to clarify.
While Angela enjoys staying current with industry trends, she believes not every trend is right for every person. Instead, she focuses on creating looks that feel personalized, wearable, and realistic for each client's lifestyle, maintenance preferences, and long-term hair goals. She happily encourages consultations to help clients feel confident and excited before beginning their hair journey.
Outside the salon, Angela's greatest joy is her two daughters, Maren and Violet, whom she describes as equal parts hilarious and beautiful. As for her dream indulgence? A very long, very uninterrupted nap.
She looks forward to helping you achieve healthy, beautiful hair that feels authentically you.
Angela
Lexy may be our Experience Curator, but her background as a nail artist is exactly what gives her such a keen eye for detail, exceptional client care, and the ability to keep everything running seamlessly behind the scenes.
From answering client calls and welcoming guests to keeping the salon organized and the energy upbeat, Lexy somehow does it all—and makes it look fun. She's known for making a genuinely fantastic latte, remembering just about every client who walks through the door, noticing the little details that others miss, and being an overall joy to be around.
If you ask Lexy about her dream vacation, she'll tell you it's a very, very, very long trip somewhere far away with her family and absolutely no cell phone reception. Her current obsession is her dog, Bennie—a beagle, Chihuahua, and dachshund mix who sounds chaotic, but is actually just a tiny mama's boy who loves long walks with his favorite person.
Her favorite indulgence? A day at Sacred Hour (although she's still not quite ready for the Korean Scrub... if you know, you know) followed by not having to cook dinner—ideally both on the same day.
Whether she's helping a guest, supporting the team, or making sure every detail behind the scenes is taken care of, Lexy brings warmth, positivity, and thoughtful attention to every part of the Valen+Ashe experience.
LExy
Michelle is a nail artist and Experience Curator with a meticulous eye for detail and a genuine passion for natural nail care. She specializes in dry manicures and pedicures, detailed nail art, and helping clients achieve healthy, long-lasting nails that feel elevated, personalized, and effortlessly beautiful.
She's especially known for her cuticle work—so much so that clients often joke she's the closest thing to permanent cuticle removal. Her attention to detail, flawless polishing, beautifully executed nail art, long-lasting manicures, and ability to create the perfect nail shape for each individual have earned her a loyal following.
Clients describe Michelle as fun, creative, open-minded, responsive, and genuinely kind. She's also the person most likely to know the best food spots in Cleveland, whether you're craving Argentinian or Zanzibari cuisine.
Book with Michelle if you're looking for gorgeous nails, great conversation, and someone who truly cares about every detail. Her non-negotiables are maintaining the highest standards of sanitation and client safety, protecting the integrity of the natural nail, and never overlooking the little things that elevate a service from good to exceptional.
Outside the salon, Michelle loves adventuring with her husband, Drew, and their son, Levi—ideally somewhere with incredible food, rich culture, sightseeing, exploring, a beautiful beach, cocktails for the adults, and plenty of milk for Levi. Her current obsession is, unsurprisingly, baby Levi... because, of course. When she's not chasing him around, she's usually planning—or at least dreaming about—her next adventure.
Michelle
Isa is a nail artist specializing in natural manicures and extensive cuticle work, known for impossibly clean polish application and meticulous attention to detail. Her polish placement is tucked so precisely beneath the cuticle line that a two-week grow-out often looks like what most salons achieve on day one. Her cuticle work is so detailed there's an ongoing joke about getting her a pair of surgical loupes like a vascular surgeon.
Clients describe Isa as warm, welcoming, meticulous, and completely nonjudgmental. Book with her when you're looking for beautiful natural nails, exceptional cuticle care, and someone you can comfortably talk to about just about anything—especially music festivals, crocheting, or creative hobbies.
Her salon non-negotiables are maintaining the highest standards of sanitation and always prioritizing the long-term health of the natural nail. She's also the last person who will ever make you feel embarrassed about nail biting or damaged nails. Instead, her focus is on helping clients restore healthy nails in a supportive, judgment-free environment.
Outside the salon, Isa's ideal vacation involves traveling in a camper van to music festivals, hiking, exploring local art galleries, and discovering hidden gems along the way. She is currently—and probably forever—obsessed with crocheting and loves creating and selling her handmade pieces online.
She looks forward to welcoming you into her chair.
Isa
Jewelia is a Nail Artist in Residency specializing in hand-painted designs and 3D sculpting, known for transforming nails into tiny works of art. She's a firm believer in the idea that, "If you can dream it, I can put it on your nails."
Her work is recognized for its intricate detail, creativity, and the kind of artistry that makes people stop and stare. Clients describe her as both a safe space for self-expression and an artist who genuinely cares about the little things—like the way light reflects off a perfectly painted cherry or the exact length of the eyelashes on a tiny painted portrait.
Booking with Jewelia will be available after she completes the intensive Valen + Ashe Nail Residency Program. When you're ready to turn your inspiration photos into reality—or simply want nails that feel creative, elevated, and unapologetically expressive—she's your girl. Her non-negotiables are maintaining exceptional sanitation standards, protecting the health of the natural nail, and, of course, protecting the vibes at all times.
Her ideal vacation is somewhere warm, near the water, with incredible food, charming little shops, and coffee spots worth romanticizing. Her current obsession is casual heels because they make any outfit feel intentional—even when life doesn't. At home, she's loyal to her signature Nespresso: four shots in a caramel and white chocolate-lined cup with three tablespoons of Starbucks Brown Sugar Sweet Cream... thank her later.
One thing people are often surprised to learn about Jewelia? She's Korean and Slovenian—which naturally means she knows where to find good food.
Jewelia
Keira is a Nail Artist in Residency specializing in intricate nail art and Gel-X, known for creating detailed, creative sets while always prioritizing the health and integrity of the natural nail underneath. Her work is recognized for exceptional retention, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to bring even the most unique ideas to life.
Clients describe Keira as an absolute perfectionist—just ask to see the Scooby-Doo set she created... unreal. She has a sharp eye for detail and takes pride in making every set feel polished, intentional, and completely personalized.
Booking with Keira will be available after she completes the intensive Valen + Ashe Nail Residency Program. Whether you come in with a fully curated inspiration board or no idea where to start, she'll help bring your vision to life. Book with Keira when you're looking for creative, elevated nails or intricate 3D nail art that feels uniquely you.
Her non-negotiables are never rushing her work and always educating clients on proper nail health. If you come in with damaged nails, she'll create a thoughtful game plan to restore their health while getting you back to your nail-art goals as quickly as possible.
Her ideal vacation is New York City in the winter—she swears there's nothing more magical. And her favorite indulgence? Wandering around Target with a chai latte in hand.
Keira
Emily is a member of the Valen + Ashe Hair Residency Program, where she's continuing her advanced education while assisting behind the chair. Passionate about hair, beauty, and creating an exceptional experience for every guest, she's focused on mastering the details that transform a great service into an unforgettable one.
Known for her calm demeanor, positive attitude, and strong work ethic, Emily can often be found assisting with color applications, glosses and toners, blowouts, and helping keep each day running seamlessly. She loves learning from the talented professionals around her and is excited to continue growing her technical skills and confidence behind the chair.
When she's not in the salon, you'll find her dreaming of tropical vacations, admiring intricate nail art, and finding any excuse to spend time in the sunshine.
