Meet the Contributors Behind Lake & Company Magazine – Issue 32

Every issue of Lake & Company Magazine is made possible by an incredible community of photographers, writers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and storytellers who share their talents to bring the Northwoods—and beyond—to life.

Issue 32 is filled with inspiring voices, beautiful imagery, and meaningful stories, and we're honored to introduce the contributors who helped make it all possible.

Jamie Cooper

Minneapolis-based photographer and storyteller Jamie Cooper focuses on adventure, conservation, and outdoor culture throughout the Midwest. His work highlights authentic experiences, human-powered travel, and the remarkable places waiting to be explored.

Jennai E. Rusch

Based in Wisconsin's Northwoods, Jennai Rusch is a respected real estate and investment professional whose passion for hospitality, community, and luxury living shines through in both her career and writing. Her perspective blends professional expertise with a genuine appreciation for the Northwoods lifestyle.

Chris Pascone

Minnesota outdoorsman Chris Pascone is passionate about paddling, skiing, fishing, and introducing others to outdoor adventure. Living in Duluth with his family, he believes some of life's best memories are made outside.

Joe Henry

As executive director of Lake of the Woods Tourism, Joe Henry has spent years championing Minnesota tourism and outdoor recreation. His leadership, industry expertise, and passion for showcasing Minnesota's natural beauty continue to strengthen tourism throughout the region.

Katie Slanga

Northern Minnesota photographer, entrepreneur, and co-owner of The Fisherman's Daughter in Grand Marais, Katie Slanga captures the spirit of the Northwoods through wildlife photography and community-centered storytelling. Her work reflects a deep appreciation for nature, quiet beauty, and the people who call this region home.

Maizy Burk

Minnesota native Maizy Burk is a creative storyteller specializing in social media, photography, branding, and content creation. With a love for travel, the outdoors, and meaningful experiences, she brings thoughtful visual storytelling and authentic perspective to every project.

Omar Ghrayeb

Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, Omar Ghrayeb is a multi-award-winning photographer known for capturing extraordinary moments from the air and on the ground. His work has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and Europe, and today he calls Minnesota home, where he continues creating breathtaking imagery.

Jessie Steigauf

Graphic designer and creative director Jessie Steigauf believes in the power of thoughtful visual storytelling. Inspired by family, nature, and creativity, her work combines strategic thinking with heartfelt design, reflecting the beauty of simple moments and meaningful experiences.

Rich Bryant

A New Zealand native who has traveled extensively around the globe, Rich Bryant draws inspiration from the people, places, and cultures he's encountered throughout his adventures. His storytelling celebrates curiosity, exploration, and the shared experiences that connect us all.

Ashley Bella

Minnesota-based astrologer and certified sound healer Ashley Bella helps clients discover personal growth and inner peace through astrology and holistic healing. Her work encourages transformation, self-discovery, and living with greater purpose and intention.

Justin Graddy

Photographer, videographer, and multimedia professional Justin Graddy has built a career capturing destinations and experiences across the country. From resorts and lodges to western guest ranches, his work celebrates adventure, travel, and authentic storytelling.

Nathan Carlson

Leadership coach and business consultant Nathan Carlson combines years of experience in financial services with professional coaching to help individuals and organizations achieve meaningful growth. He believes mindset is the foundation for lasting success.

Letter From the Editor: Megan Kellin

"There's a quote by Rainer Maria Rilke that I've carried with me often this year: Live the questions.

Not every question arrives with an immediate answer. Some are meant to be experienced slowly—to be lived into through challenge, curiosity, discomfort, reinvention, and growth. And perhaps that's what this season—and this issue—feels most rooted in for me.

As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, this edition of Lake and Company honors the spirit of exploration, resilience, creativity, and reinvention that has long shaped this country. From the timeless work of Terry Redlin and his iconic painting America the Beautiful gracing our cover, to stories featuring national parks, unique stays, road trip itineraries, and seasonal escapes, an underlying thread runs throughout these pages:

The idea of swimming upstream.

There's something profoundly beautiful about choosing the harder path when it leads to a deeper life. The current naturally pulls us toward comfort, certainty, convenience, and familiar patterns. But growth rarely lives there. Transformation asks us to move toward challenge, curiosity, and becoming. Fear often accompanies that invitation—not as a signal to stop, but as evidence that something meaningful may exist just beyond our comfort zone.

The pages that follow are a reminder to ask better questions instead of rushing toward easy answers. To recognize that many of the limitations we carry are simply stories repeated long enough to feel true. Awareness creates choice, and challenge has a way of waking us up to ourselves.

Life changes slowly. Step by step. Choice by choice. We revise as we go.

That's why our environment matters. The people we surround ourselves with matter. The places we visit matter. Some places drain us. Others awaken something within us. Some conversations leave us smaller. Others remind us who we are capable of becoming.

I hope this issue inspires you to seek out those places—both physical and emotional—that reconnect you to yourself. To travel not simply to escape life, but to experience it more fully. To choose growth over comfort, meet challenge with courage and kindness, and trust that a meaningful life is not built through perfection, but through participation.

Wherever this season takes you, I hope you move through it with intention, wonder, and grace. And above all, may you trust that you already carry far more within you than you realize."

— Megan Kellin
Founder