*Photograph of Sydney Barnett by LeeAnn Neumann/Chucktown Art
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Allie Strickland is a new mom living in Goose Creek with her husband, Sebastian, son, August, and husky pup, Denali. She graduated from the College of Charleston with a BA in English and Creative Writing in 2017. Aside from her love of reading and writing, Allie is also passionate about art. She opened her own small business, Lavender Light Paper Company, in January 2022. Allie found out she was expecting her first baby the following month and, due to a rough pregnancy, her creative work has been on hold. Allie has found herself very passionate about postpartum support for mothers after her son was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU.
Allison escaped the frozen tundra of Minnesota for the sunshine and beaches of Charleston a little over two years ago . She now lives with her husband, toddler, and American Bulldog on James Island and is expecting her second boy in October (she’s totally outnumbered with a house full of boys)! Balancing working from home for the business she owns with her husband and raising two boys under 2 will be Allison’s newest challenge! She loves exploring Charleston with her little family and writes about their day-to-day adventures on her blog, Happy Little Honey.
Originally from the Southwest, Amber has called South Carolina her home since middle school, residing in Surfside Beach, SC until moving to Mount Pleasant with her now husband in 2010. Alongside her husband, Amber has two boys aged 5 and 2, and a 13-year-old husky named Sora. Amber works remotely as a Software Engineering Manager for a local company with previous experience as a classroom educator for six years. Amber loves to travel often exploring new national & state parks and being in nature as much as possible. She loves cooking new vegetarian/vegan recipes for her family, building all the Legos, playing video & board games, and attempting to keep all her houseplants alive. Over the past year, she has discovered a newfound love for yoga & meditation, and finally has the time for audiobooks, podcasts, & attempting to learn Japanese (thanks car rider line!).
Amber Weakley grew up in Charleston and is happily raising her two boys in this beautiful city. She is the Outreach Coordinator for Postpartum Support Charleston where helping other mothers is her life’s mission. After the birth of both of her boys, she struggled with Postpartum Depression and Bipolar 2. Amber is currently in school to become a Licensed Counselor to specialize in Maternal Mental Health. She has been married for 10 years to her high school sweetheart, and fills her cup by doing yoga, journaling, and going on adventures with her family.
Ashley Simpson is a freelance writer and book coach, helping people to tell authentic and true stories that come from the heart. She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Parker, for the past ten years and just gave birth to her first biological child, Jasper. Prior to this, they were foster parents for the better part of four years and have had close to a dozen teens through their home – some for longer than others. When she isn’t writing or drinking coffee, you will find her at the barn with her horse, Clementine, or with her nose buried in a book.
Born and raised in Indiana, Brandy spent a decade as an elementary teacher and instructional technology specialist in Chicago. After getting married to her husband Chad and starting their family in the Midwest, they decided it was important for their family to live somewhere where they could be outside year round. In 2020, they traded in their snow boots for swimsuits and purchased a duplex in downtown Charleston. Since then, they've renovated 8 properties - you can check them out @thecharlestonsuites on Instagram! Brandy loves spending time with her husband, their three kids, and two dogs. She also enjoys being outdoors, taking pictures, exploring new restaurants, blogging, and organizing anything and everything! From being landlords and Airbnb hosts to parents and travel enthusiasts, you can get a peek at her family's adventures at www.thewalestales.com.
Cameron was born and raised in rural Ravenel. Her hardworking family owns a blueberry farm in Ravenel, which helped put her through rigorous nursing school at Clemson University. She has been a registered nurse since 2009 and is currently a nurse in the Neonatal ICU at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart and has one daughter and one son. Cameron loves the outdoors and her favorite hobbies are boating in the picturesque waters around Charleston, riding ATVs, and camping with friends.
Dani, a Charleston Native, returned to her roots to raise her family in 2020. An alumni of the College of Charleston, Dani began her career as an educator teaching kindergarten and preschool special education before earning her Masters of Theological Studies and Masters of Divinity from Columbia International University. Dani's passion is encouraging families and children to live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle, and she loves to give back to the community! In her free time, you can find her cycling, hiking, and running, but mostly tending to her 80+ houseplants, outdoor vegetable garden, or out in nature with her husband Justin, daughters IvyFaith, EdenGrace, and Labradoodles Hootie and Wrigley. To keep up with Dani, follow her on Instagram @FoliageFaith
Dena is a writer and a loving mother to her very busy toddler son and rescue dog. Although her favorite job is being a mom to her two awesome boys, she also has a penchant for experiential travel, eclectic cuisine, and all things spa. Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Dena moved to the Lowcountry from New York City where she worked for international hoteliers and at some of the city's top restaurants. She recently received an MS in Professional Writing from New York University. An avid yogi and snowboarder, Dena enjoys playing at the beach with her son, teaching him how to snowboard, and going on family road trips with both her boys.
Elizabeth grew up in the lake country of Minnesota, and she has always loved the water. She was thrilled when her work as a public health researcher and hospital administrator brought her to MUSC in 2012. Charleston has been the setting of all her greatest adventures, the best of which is being a mother to her 7-year-old daughter, Annabeth, then later in life finding love with her husband, Tim. She became a stepmother to his two teenagers, and now she’s also the mother of ‘two under two.' Elizabeth and her family live on Wadmalaw Island where they enjoy being on the water and in a space that accommodates the activities of their large, blended family.
Erin and her active duty Army husband have a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old, and are expecting twins in September! A former US diplomat, Erin has lived and worked all over the world. She is a former nationally ranked 100m and 300m hurdler, a certified yoga and prenatal yoga instructor, and holds additional certifications in Barre, TRX Barre, and as an ACE group fitness trainer. On a daily basis, she aims to show her babies that women can be both soft and strong, and that one must never give up, no matter what!
Farin is a Maryland native. She moved to the Charleston area after visiting on a whim. She fell in love, told her husband she wanted to live where she was happiest, so here she is! She is a married mom of two. She plays lacrosse & soccer, loves being outside, and loves exploring new places. She is a CT Technologist here at MUSC, runs the Inspire Her Podcast, and is also a health and fitness coach. As cliche as it sounds, she loves long walks on the beach, seeing the sunset with a frose' in hand, trying guacamole from every restaurant, and mid-day naps.
Jamie is an Atlanta, GA native who recently moved to Summerville with her husband, her *almost* 2-year-old son, and her two crazy rescue dogs! She is a former high school biology teacher, who now works from home! In her free time, you can find her exploring yummy Charleston restaurants, trying new DIY projects in her house, or taking care of her 25+ plants! Jamie also enjoys reading, traveling, cheering on her beloved GA Bulldawgs, and just relaxing with her family! Becoming a mom has revealed some of Jamie’s passions, including sharing/writing about motherhood.
Jen Blanton was born into a musical family between Baltimore and Annapolis, MD. She studied classical voice at two of the top conservatories in the world, performing on stages in front of 3,000+ people at a time. A career-ending injury to her sternum forced her to pivot and lean into her other passion. She owns FAME Performing Arts and Encore Music Hall in Mt. Pleasant. Jen is a breast cancer survivor and a very determined person, constantly striving to get the most out of life. She prioritizes spending time with family, traveling, business continuing education, and being as self-aware as possible.
Jenna is a Maine native who moved to Charleston in 2006, moved away for a while, then moved back again in 2018. She just couldn’t stay away from this city that feels like home! She’d choose palm trees over pine trees any day of the week. Jenna and her husband of 11 years have two rambunctious sons, ages 8 and 5, and live in Mount Pleasant with their hamster and lots of plants. A social worker and registered nurse by trade, she is passionate about maternal mental health and is currently a postpartum doula specializing in perinatal mood disorders. Jenna loves to read, kayak, paint in watercolor, and travel with her family. As a self-professed dolphin enthusiast, you can often find her at the beach scanning the horizon for fins.
Jessie Leslie of Summerville, SC is a hairstylist, a wife, and mother to twin boys. When she’s not in the salon, you can find her outdoors on adventures with her family, trying to keep her household running, serving the community with her church, or in a quiet place reading a book. Jessie loves to encourage families to spend time together. One of her family’s favorite ways to spend time together is outside. In fact, her family became Ultimate Outsiders in July of 2021. This means they visited all forty-seven SC State Parks!
Marie is a freelance writer and homeschooling mom of four – three adult kids and an 11-year-old – who, for the last 16 years has made the Lowcountry her home. While her family spends a large portion of the year traveling throughout the country, she's actually quite the homebody. When she's not writing – something she's been doing for almost 30 years– Marie loves getting out and about in Charleston, weaving local history into her youngest' homeschool lessons, and exploring the many resources, sites, museums, and landscapes SC has to offer. One of Marie's bucket list items is to visit/hike each of the 47 state parks. Will this be the year she completes the goal?
Marlie Miranda grew up in Cleveland Ohio but was born & adopted from Cebu Philippines. She moved down to Sunny Charleston in 2016 and met her soulmate in 2017. She’s a successful Events Service Manager in downtown Charleston. Five years later, she and her husband welcomed their first beautiful child, Benito Maxwell Miranda! After giving birth, she struggled with her lifestyle change from a busy social life to a stay-at-home mom. She finds happiness with the support of her family and friends and hopes to develop forever friendships with other Moms who can relate to her Motherhood journey!
Melissa Kulp Frankenfield is an active-duty Army wife and former public-school teacher turned home educator to her four kids. After living all over the world, Charleston is now her forever home. Melissa loves Jesus, wine, and the beach (in that order) and requires all those to survive parenthood.
Missy Stone is a wife and mother of two amazing children. Her degree and background are in special education, and she was blessed to work with children of all kinds of different abilities for several years before having her own children. She has always homeschooled her daughter who is fourteen and her son who is ten years old. Missy and her family moved to Charleston about two years ago, and have enjoyed exploring the beaches, historic sites, and local eateries here. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, taking walks, snapping photos of this beautiful city, and traveling with her family.
Misty is a Cincinnati, Ohio native along with her husband. They moved to the area in early 2018 after getting married in the late summer of 2017. Having not been to the area before, they dove right in and now call it home. They also have a spunky three-year-old daughter. Misty is a blood cancer survivor, after getting diagnosed while pregnant, and undergoing a stem cell transplant. She enjoys being a stay-at-home mom and a small business owner. You can find her crafting, baking, and creating any fun DIY she can try. She enjoys discovering all things local from food, sites, and beaches with her husband and daughter. A family beach day is always a good day to her! Keep connected with Misty on Instagram @mistbarrett
After a long weekend visiting Mt. Pleasant in January 2022, Shari Rash called a realtor and had their Vienna, VA house listed for sale within weeks. By June 2022, Shari, her husband Joe, their au pair, and four kids made Mt. Pleasant home. And they haven’t looked back! Since then they added a Goldendoodle puppy, Flash Rash, to the madness. Originally from Southern NJ, she hated that Summer only lasted three months. Shari is the founder of Greenway Wealth Advisory, a virtual financial planning firm dedicated to empowering women when it comes to their finances.
Born in Boston, but raised in Mount Pleasant, Sydney left South Carolina to go to Lenior-Rhyne College (now University) where she met her husband and graduated with a degree in Political Science. She and her husband moved back to Mount Pleasant in 2012 and are currently living in the family house (zoo) with Audrey who is two, two dogs and two cats. Sydney loves re-familiarizing herself with the city through the eyes of a toddler, traveling, and listening to audiobooks.
Residency training brought Tina to Charleston and after securing her full-time dream job as a clinical pharmacist, she couldn’t leave. Tina was born and raised in Punxsutawney, PA and attended the University of Pittsburgh before coming to the Lowcountry in 2014. She also holds several fitness and coaching certificates: Crossfit Level 1, USA Weightlifting Level 1, and Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism, which she used to coach Crossfit locally. She and her husband Andrew call West Ashley home, along with their two bulldogs, Bosworth and Jackson, and their two young children, Reid and Charlotte. Motherhood has reignited her passion for writing in her "free time" - fueled by lots and lots of coffee.