Contributors to this Issue

Jennifer Baron

Jennifer Baron is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine. A native of Ohio, she and her husband, Curt, enjoy living in Raleigh, where they are raising their two children, Clay and Megan. A former award-winning television journalist, Jennifer enjoys the feature writing opportunities Cary Magazine provides. Sharing the positive and heartwarming stories of the people and places that make Western Wake County a great place to be is a joy for her.

Tara Croft

Tara Croft is the copy editor of the magazines and e-newsletters published by S&A Cherokee and a contributing writer for Cary Magazine. She graduated from N.C. State University in 2007 with a B.A. in English. She is from Marietta, Ga., and now lives in Durham.

Judith Ferguson Foreman

Judith Ferguson Foreman is a personal chef and a contributing writer for Cary Magazine. She attended the Cordon Bleu School in London and became an instructor there. Judith has also worked as a cookbook editor and a food writer and stylist for a magazine in the United Kingdom. Since moving to North Carolina, this Chicago-born chef has taught many popular cooking classes in the Triangle area. Judith lives with her husband, John, in Raleigh.

Kerry Watson Garner

Kerry Watson Garner is a writer for Cary Magazine and is the associate editor of its sister publication, Triangle East Magazine. Previously, she was the education reporter for The Cary News and a general reporter for The Knightdale Times (now Eastern Wake News). Kerry is an East Carolina graduate and lives in Fuquay-Varina with her husband.

Jennifer Gilmore

Jennifer Gilmore is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine. She and her husband Ron moved from Raleigh to Cary in 2000, where they enjoy raising their two children, Cameron and Carsyn. A former public relations account supervisor, Jennifer specializes in writing about health care issues. What she enjoys most, however, is the opportunity to meet interesting people who make Western Wake such a great place to live and share their stories with our readers.

Heather Green

Heather Green is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine and Triangle East Magazine. Heather also works as a print and commercial model, and owns and operates Happy Cat Jewelry, which is sold in stores from Washington, D.C., to North Carolina. She is married to the most wonderful man on earth, Frank Green, and enjoys singing in church and spending time with her family and friends.

As a veteran in the industry, Heather has worked with and interviewed celebrities such as Ewan McGregor, Steve Buschemi, Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffet, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Diamond Rio, Big & Rich, Sara Evans, Larry King, Gretchen Wilson, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Paula Deen and Emeril, just to name a few.

Getting to know your favorite celebrities on a different level is Heather's goal, and being the entertainment reporter for Cary Magazine and Triangle East Magazine has become her passion.

Richard Greene

Richard Greene is a contributor for Cary Magazine and is editor of Auto Remarketing, a national automotive news magazine covering the used car industry, which is also published by Cherokee Publishing. 2006 is a year of milestone celebrations for Richard -- 35th anniversary of graduating from high school in Wilmington, Del., 30th anniversary of graduating from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and 25th wedding anniversary. He and his wife Lynda have two daughters, who attend Appalachian and N.C. State. Richard is a lifelong fan of professional wrestling.

Jeremy Gwaltney

Jeremy is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine. A graduate of N.C. State University with a degree in communications, Jeremy has lived in the Triangle area for more than 15 years. His interests include sports, reading and religion. Jeremy is currently a staff pastor at Grace Church in Chapel Hill and attending seminary in Wake Forest. He and his wife Tiffanee currently live in Cary.

Tom Harris

Tom Harris, staff writer for Cary Magazine, is a veteran with almost 40 years of newspaper experience. A native of Washington and a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Tom has served as writer and editor for the Washington Daily News, the Martinsville (Va.) Bulletin and the weekly Garner Times and spent more than 18 years as a sports writer and editor with The News and Observer of Raleigh.

He also has worked as writer, editor and publisher for regional sports magazines and is the author of a book on the history of UNC basketball. He lives in southern Wake County with his wife, a fourth-grade teacher. The couple has two children -- a daughter, who is a software editor/designer in Raleigh, and a son, who is a high school teacher and coach in Pitt County.

Lea Hart

Lea Hart is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine. She is a graduate of N.C. State University and has called the Triangle home for more than 12 years. With a background in newspaper journalism and public relations, Lea now enjoys a career writing interesting and informative feature articles on a variety of topics. She lives in Durham with her husband, Alan, their dog and two cats.

Shannon Hartsoe

Shannon Hartsoe is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine. She is a resident of Holly Springs, where she lives with her husband and four children. She owns a copywriting company specializing in real estate marketing. In addition to Cary Magazine, her work has been featured in trade and family publications nationwide.

L.A. Jackson

L.A. Jackson is regular contributor to Cary Magazine and its sister publication, Triangle East Magazine. He is also a regular garden columnist for the News & Observer and Our State magazine, and the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. He lives in Apex.

David McCreary

David McCreary is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine. When he's not scouting out the next buzz-worthy local eatery, David enjoys golf, tennis and modern rock music. He especially loves spending quality time with his wife, Jenny, and children, Noah and Joy. Currently writing an authorized book about a Christian rock band, David lives in Fuquay-Varina and is campaigning to make Diet Pepsi -- not that other cola -- the ultimate drink of choice.

Lynn Mercer

Lynn Mercer is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine in addition to being a full-time hi-tech worker. She has been a business writer since 1986, but prefers writing journalistic pieces and fiction with wacky characters. Lynn and her husband, Ward, live in Morrisville, the one with the dogs in the window.

Kathleen Reilly

Kathleen Reilly is a freelance writer for Cary Magazine, and her family has happily called Raleigh home for more than 10 years. She is an award-winning writer who enjoys learning about many different topics, including parenting, health and animal welfare -- but the stories Kathleen cherishes the most are the ones about the local heroes and citizens right here in our community.

Geralin Thomas

Geralin Thomas is a professional organizer and a contributing writer for Cary Magazine. She consults with individuals and small businesses, helping them organize schedules, home and offices. She also teaches workshops and is currently the president of the National Association of Professional Organizers, N.C. Chapter.

Jonathan Yeomans

Jonathan Yeomans is a staff writer for NC Magazine and the Carolina Business Connection Web site. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Jonathan spent the last two years living in Lumberton and working as a general assignment reporter for The Robesonian, the daily newspaper of record for Robeson County. He has written about murders, municipal infrastructure, comically large vegetables and more board meetings than he cares to remember. He lives in Cary and likes the road signs that name the upcoming intersection.