Zuri Pryor-Graves MSW, MEd (she/her) is an SAG-AFTRA Certified Intimacy Coordinator, Sexuality Clinician/Sex Therapist, an On-Set Therapist, Sexual Educator and a Sexual Cultural Competency Consultant. As an Intimacy Coordinator, she’s had the opportunity to bring her mastery of sexuality therapy/education, mental health and TV/film production to life for HBO, BET, Starz, Netflix, Lifetime, FX, Disney, AMC/AMC+, AppleTV, FubuTV and more.

She is actively involved in sexuality advocacy, authenticity, and consent work in TV & Film. She is well versed in on-screen movement & choreography, anti-harassment, proper use of modesty garments, design of genital prosthetics, mediation & conflict resolution, bystander intervention, trauma work, LGBTQ support, kink/BDSM, alternative relationship structures, holds certifications in competency around gender, sexuality, race, as well as disability, and is certified in Mental Health First Aid.

In addition to Intimacy Coordinating, as a therapist she specializes individual, couple, and family therapy, Zuri leads groups and workshops pertaining to LGBTQ issues, consent culture, kink, sexuality education and sex positivity. In therapy she can bring any of these skills to television and film sets as a consultant or cast & crew support.

Prior to her venture into the mental health profession, she worked in television and film production with BET, Discovery Networks, and CBS. With over 300 on-set days in addition to corporate television experience, she is well versed on the needs of production.

She is also an experienced SAG-AFTRA stunt performer and actor. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc, a Howard University graduate and a two time master’s graduate of Widener University. Outside of her professional and educational background, she is a world traveled roller derby athlete and coach, a weekend disc jockey, and a dog obsessed self-proclaimed foodie.

Zuri In the Press

A Letter from Zuri:

Love Making Scenarios. Sex Scenes. Make Out Shots: These are consistent elements in the television and film industry standard.

Enthusiastic Consent. Negotiated Nudity. Prioritized Safety. General Mental Health: Thanks to Intimacy Coordination, a cultural shift in the industry has introduced these terms as the new standard and foundation of negotiation in television and film.

My unique professionally rounded background and my general passions for mental health, sex positivity, clear communication/direction, and education make me believe I am ideal for the field of Intimacy Coordination.

My work with BET, CBS, and Discovery Networks, provided me with a vast skill base of set language, etiquette, and general production knowledge. Afterwards, I returned to school to pursue a MEd and MSW in Sexuality. These professional degrees allowed me to become a certified sexuality therapist as well as a master level sexuality educator. Since, I have been seeking an opportunity to combine my television and film, education/teaching, and sexuality clinical training into the career path of my dreams. I searched until I found Intimacy Coordination, the perfect fit.

My recent move to the Atlanta area, has provided me with a new angle into the production world. This time around I am in front of the camera. Being in front of the camera exposed me to the nuances and intricacies of onscreen vulnerabilities. Directors are there to illuminate reality and the actors are charged with the responsibility to lend their talents to create and take part in that reality. It does not always seem like there is a liaison to communicate and advocate on the behalf of the actor’s needs and limitations. In addition to that, I recently discovered the alarming statistic that the average lifespan of a First AD is 56 years of age. Whether it be intimacy coordination or general mental health support in the stressful life and demanding schedules of production, there is a need for more people in this line of work. I am grateful that one of those people is me.

I believe mental health, sex positivity, enthusiastic consent culture should be the foundation of all safe spaces in and out of the industry. The creation of Intimacy Coordination and Direction is such a powerful necessity. I am grateful to be a part of a production community who celebrates it and sees the value in this field.