My husband Joe and I met in high school. We were speech and debate partners. (yep, so nerdy.) Little did I know that 10+ years later we'd meet up for a beer and it would change everything. Six months after we began dating, Joe and I got married. I have to say, it was a pretty good decision.
After nearly nine years of struggles and fertility treatments, we welcomed baby Max into our family in September of 2018. Infertility robs you of many joyous things, but I have made it my mission to be vocal and talk about our journey through IVF and beyond- because it's important, it matters and 1 in 8 couples suffer. Read More about that here.
Our little family planted our roots in Frederick, Maryland almost 16 years ago. Full of boutique stores and creative small businesses, Frederick is the perfect place for us- a beautiful, historic downtown, sweeping farmland landscapes, and the Catoctin Mountains. We are never bored around here- there's always something fun to do.
I am also a member of the Rotary Club of Carroll Creek and donate my time to several incredible local non-profits. We truly love it here and give back whenever we can.
Mary Kate McKenna
2019 INTERN
A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents.
I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.
LESLIE MARIE SIMPSON
In a high school darkroom (film was still a thing- I know!) in small-town Indiana, I found my first true love- photography. I furthered my interest in photojournalism when I studied International Relations at American University in DC. I didn't become a Japanese translator as I had planned, but I did get to travel the world and experience some amazing things.
I got hooked on capturing people and by my senior year at AU, I had made it nearly a full-time job. A year-long gig sitting in a cubicle for the government after graduation made it clear to me that owning my own business (and not being tied down in an office) was the right path. I decided I'd try making photography my full-time job...and 19 years later- I'm still here!
