The editorial team has a special attachment to our new series, The Trailblazers: Rewriting the Narrative, because so many of us feel that media portrayals of women have been too one dimensional. Today, women are doing incredible things in all fields – from science and technology to finance, law, business, athletics and more. With the Trailblazers series, we hope to highlight and celebrate female role models, encourage more equal and just representation in the media, and help foster a more tight-knit community locally helping women find mentors, business partners, friends and more.
Stefanie Hockett
In 2003 I enrolled in the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Program in San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy. I fell in love with baking and cooking as a child watching PBS cooking shows and baking for my family. In San Francisco, I worked in many aspects of the baking world. I worked in fine-dining restaurants, cafes, bakeries. Some of my key positions were at The Slanted Door and as the pastry chef for the Chalet Restaurant Group. Read more>>
Diane Bay
I loved to create with my hands when I was a young child, and that interest deepened as I became an adult. However, my adoptive parents did not encourage me to pursue my art, but wanted me to do something “practical.” So visual art became a hobby and freelance graphic design became my job. This allowed me to use some creativity, but it wasn’t an outlet for my own vision. Read more>>
Maria Clark
I photographed a lot of different things for my own experience and enjoyment. One of those was my sister getting her hair and makeup done on her wedding day. Her wedding photographers weren’t going to be there in the morning, so I took it as an opportunity to practice and make some memories for my sister. While editing the images later, one image struck me. It was a photo my sister having her makeup done, and the makeup artist had a tattoo that said “Imagine” on the wrist that was applying my sister’s eye makeup. I thought the sentiment of the tattoo gave the image an ethereal quality. Read more>>
Savanna Key
I have had a love for photography since I was 12 years old. My MiMi (grandma) is who sparked my interest in photography. I picked up her canon camera one day, took a picture and the rest was history. I started my business in 2018, since then my clientele has grown tremendously and I never thought in a million years this would be my full-time job. I am lucky enough to have a family and a husband who stands by me and supports me. Not many people get to wake up every day and go to their dream job. I can say I’m one of the lucky ones for sure. Read more>>
Bailey Jordan Warner
I was born and raised in Bowling Green, KY., in an environment of art, music, reading, photography, dance, academics, athletics, travel, and other activities. I inherited a lot of my artistic ability from my dad and creativity from my mom. My mother tells the story of when I was a preschooler, she walked in to find me drawing a magazine cover. I apparently drew not only the designs on the cover, but “drew” the words in their various fonts. I could not read at that point but saw the entire magazine cover as art to copy. I always have been very fortunate to have a family who supports my art explorations. My parents made sure I experienced a new form of art at every possible opportunity. Read more>>
Morgan Purcell
When I was younger, my nana and I spent quite a bit of time together. She used to take photos of all her grandchildren for fun. Whenever I’d be around her, she was constantly taking photos of everything. She would let me use her camera to take my own photos, and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I’ve always had this creative bone in my body and had to constantly be doing something. . . making crafts, painting, scrapbooking or taking photos. I was always presented with and encouraged by opportunities to express my creativity. Read more>>
Lindsey Cook
I have always cooked. I grew up at my mother’s elbow helping with dinner or breakfast. My brother and I did our homework in the kitchen while mom did her mom things. There was a an alphabet wallpaper border in the breakfast nook of our split-level, that’s where we practiced our letters. I learned a bit of math and fractions adjusting recipes. I don’t remember learning to use the “good” knives I was so little. Cooking just was always a thing that was always around, like laundry. Read more>>
