WALTER the magazine was named after Sir Walter Raleigh the man, the intriguing individual that our the City of Oaks claims as its namesake. Sir Walter Raleigh was, among other things, a writer, poet and explorer — and we channel those qualities in our pages.
WALTER was founded in 2012 by editor Liza Roberts and art director Jesma Reynolds. With publishing support from Orage Quarles III at The News & Observer, the goal was to create a “sophisticated, fun-loving, arts-loving, business-loving, spirited, city magazine.” And for more than ten years, WALTER has delivered just that, building a reputation as the premier arts and culture publication in Raleigh.
WALTER is known for both its stunning photography and insider’s look at the people and places that give Raleigh its soul. WALTER works with some of the region’s best writers, photographers and illustrators to craft a publication that’s a delight to give into 12 times a year.
In 2020, WALTER was acquired by The Pilot, a North Carolina-based, family-owned publishing group helmed by David Woronoff. WALTER’s sister publications include O.Henry in Greensboro, PineStraw in Southern Pines, SouthPark in Charlotte and Business North Carolina.
How to Read WALTER
Our print issue comes out 12 times a year. You can subscribe here or find it in our of our boxes decorated by local artists at one of these locations, or in retail locations and local museums. For weekly updates and reading suggestions, subscribe to our newsletter.
And of course, you can find us anytime online here at waltermagazine.com, as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Work with WALTER
We are proud to be based in North Carolina, and to employ locals as our staff, writers, photographer, illustrators and interns. Click here to learn about different ways to work or intern for WALTER.
Click here to learn about advertising opportunities with WALTER.
WALTER Editorial Staff
WALTER Editor Ayn-Monique Klahre joined the magazine in 2018. She grew up mostly in Virginia (with stints overseas with her military family), graduated from Princeton University and earned a certificate in publishing from Columbia Journalism School. She spent over a decade in New York City, editing and writing for publications including Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, Woman’s Day and The New York Times before moving to Raleigh in 2017. She loves sunrise jogs, oat milk lattes and exploring North Carolina with her husband and daughters. Contact her at ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com or see what she’s up to @aynmonique.
Creative Director Laura Wall won her first art competition at age six and has led her life in search of creative pursuits. She has always lived in the deep South — Georgia, North Carolina… and the southeast of the United Kingdom. Laura is a classically trained graphic designer and has created and launched numerous nationally award-winning magazines prior to joining WALTER in 2017. She enjoys working in the community as a board member and volunteer. Contact her at laura@waltermagazine.com.
Associate Editor Addie Ladner, a writer originally from Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, joined WALTER as associate editor in March of 2020. She graduated from Spring Hill College with a degree in Integrated Communications where she received the Autry D. Greer Media Service Award for excellence in public relations and journalism. At WALTER, she writes and edits WALTER’s online stories, runs the social media channels and works to unearth the untold stories of this city for the print issue. She’s just as content spending time in her kitchen or garden as she is hitting up an outdoor concert or art exhibit with her three little hooligans girls, though she always prefers to be near the water. Contact her at addie@waltermagazine.com.
WALTER Publishing Staff
WALTER publisher David Woronoff is one of the owners of The Pilot Media Group, along with Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels III, Lee Dirks and the late Frank Daniels Jr. The Pilot acquired WALTER from McClatchy Newspapers in 2020. Along with WALTER, The Pilot publishes magazines PineStraw in Southern Pines, O.Henry in Greensboro, SouthPark in Charlotte and Business North Carolina. A Raleigh native who now lives in Southern Pines, you can contact him at david@thepilot.com.
Advertising Sales Manager Julie Nickens joined the WALTER team full-time in July 2017 after decades with The News & Observer. She has over 26 years of advertising and marketing experience and has worked with WALTER since the very first issue. Julie has a bachelor’s degree from Salem College. She and her husband have two grown children; they are enjoying the empty nest life and spending as much time as possible in Morehead City. Contact her at julie@waltermagazine.com.
Senior Account Executive and Operations Manager Cristina Hurley joined WALTER in 2014. She has been in the advertising industry for over ten years. She is a graduate of East Carolina University and holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business marketing. She is an active volunteer within the community and in her spare time enjoys traveling the world with her husband. Contact her at cristina@waltermagazine.com.
James Kay manages the rack distribution for WALTER. James is the owner and operator of JK Transportation Services, a white-glove furniture delivery service with a crew of personnel that safely transports hundreds of items a month with 5-star service on every job. When he is not planning delivery routes, James enjoys spending time with his partner Amber, their three beautiful girls and two energetic puppies.
WALTER Contributors
We rely on a talented pool of freelance writers, photographers and illustrators to create the content you love in WALTER. Meet some of the people whose work regularly graces our pages.
Paul Baker is the executive director at CAM Raleigh and a professor of history at North Carolina A&T State University. He holds degrees from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC State and NC A&T.
Alex Boerner was a photojournalist for 16 years, working for news organizations in Iowa, Florida and North Carolina. The portraiture and lifestyle imagery he creates now is informed by his experience as a photojournalist, paying special attention to people’s history, spirit and style. He lives in Durham with his wife Kallyn, dog Mazzy and their ever-expanding flock of chickens.
Wiley Cash is a New York Times bestselling novelist who teaches fiction writing and literature at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, where he serves as Alumni Author-in-Residence. He lives in North Carolina with his wife, photographer Mallory Cash, and their daughters.
Chris Charles is a photographer and multidisciplinary creative. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY Charles studied Architectural Engineering at SUNY Farmingdale College of Technology prior to a 12-year stint as a U.S. Army paratrooper. He then earned a degree in Graphic Design. Visit his website here. Follow him @the_chrischarles.
Dare Coulter is an award-winning artist, muralist and sculptor. Her mission for her artwork is to create positive imagery that reflects the fullness and vibrancy of the Black cultural experience. She has illustrated nine children’s books, including Kwame Alexander’s An American Story, and is focusing on creating monumental sculptures and murals all over the world. Visit her website here.
Tyler Cunningham harnesses the power of storytelling through her photography to build deep connections between her subjects and the audience. She strives for those connections to forge trust, elicit emotion and allow us to better understand ourselves. Learn more on her website, tylercunninghamphotography.com.
Catherine Currin is a Raleigh native and former associate editor at WALTER. When she’s not working on her next story, Catherine works on the brand marketing team at CAPTRUST. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University, and enjoys giving back to her community through nonprofits like CASA and the YMCA of the Triangle. She regularly writes the Drink and Food columns for WALTER.
Mike Dunn is a lifelong naturalist-educator living in the woods in Chatham County. He retired from the state after 36 years working with the NC State Parks System, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, and the NC Botanical Garden. Now, he blogs as the Roads End Naturalist. He regularly writes the Nature column for WALTER.
Jillian Clark is a Raleigh-based editorial and portrait photographer and an advocate for people with Trichotillomania. She grew up in Durham and came up with the idea for the photo shoot featured in Glammas. Visit Jillian’s website here. Follow her @itsjillianclark
Justin Kase Conder is a Raleighite who spent seven years traveling as an international photographer. Whether photographing five miles from downtown Raleigh or on the Himalayan plains of Mongolia, Conder appreciates the people who dedicate their lives to the laborious work of growing the foods that fuel our lives. Visit Justin’s website here. Follow him @jkasephoto.
Liz Condo studied photojournalism at Ohio University before working as a staff photographer at The Advocate in Louisiana. Since becoming a freelance photographer, she has pursued a broad range of projects with a focus on conservation and sustainable agriculture. Visit Liz’s website here. Follow her @liz_condo.
Jim Dodson is the New York Times Bestselling author of 15 books including Final Rounds and A Golfer’s Life with Arnold Palmer. His latest book is The Range Bucket List. A son of North Carolina, Dodson is also the Founding Editor of PineStraw, O.Henry, and Salt magazines, as well as Seasons Style & Design. He regularly writes the Simple Life column.
Samantha Everette is a portrait photographer and Durham native. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from N.C. State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design. Samantha spent a decade in New York City as a footwear designer and has since returned home to explore her passion for photography. Visit Samantha’s website here.
Ilina Ewen works in corporate marketing by day, and also as a freelance writer and advocate. She uses her voice as a public speaker and writer to talk about advocacy, family engagement and social justice. A mother of two boys, she runs a blog called Dirt and Noise, covering everything from parenting to politics. Read more here.
Jason Frye travels to all corners of North Carolina looking for stories and the best food and drink around. He’s the author of several travel guides to the state, including Moon North Carolina, Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip and Moon Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He’s a barbecue fiend, a bourbon lover and a selective beer drinker.
Jedidiah Gant is a designer living with his wife and two kids in downtown Raleigh, where he’s walked the streets looking for creative opportunities and vinyl records since 2005. By day, he works as a brand director at the video agency Myriad, and by night he helps find walls for new murals with The Raleigh Murals Project.
Madeline Gray is a documentary photographer based in Wilmington, North Carolina. She enjoys spending time in rural communities and collaborating to help share the diverse stories found there. After attending art school and pursuing a master’s degree in photojournalism, she decided to call North Carolina home. Visit Madeline’s website here and follow her @madelinepgray.
Jaki Shelton Green is the ninth Poet Laureate of North Carolina, the first African American and third woman to hold the title. She teaches documentary poetry at Duke University Center for Documentary Studies and has been named the 2021 Frank B. Hanes Writer in Residence at UNC Chapel Hill. She is the owner of SistaWRITE retreats for women writers, as well as the Contributing Poetry Editor for WALTER magazine. Visit her website here.
Rob Hammer is a freelance photographer known for shooting professional athletes and long term projects focused on niche aspects of American culture. One project in particular has spanned 13+ years where he has traveled 35k miles a year documenting barbershops in all 50 states of the USA. Find his work here.
Hampton Williams Hofer is a Raleigh native who graduated from the University of Virginia and has an MFA from New York University’s Writer’s Workshop in Paris, France. She lives in Raleigh where she writes and raises babies.
Keith Isaacs is an architectural photographer based in Raleigh. His work has been featured in ARCHITECT Magazine, Architectural Digest, Dezeen, Dwell, and Dominand Wallpaper, among others.
Terrence Jones is an editorial and commercial photographer based in Raleigh. He launched his career in the New York’s Tri-State area as lead photographer and creative director for a regional magazine before switching to freelance photography for local and national magazines.
Bob Karp received his BFA from Syracuse University and was a 30-year photo editor, staff photographer and multimedia producer for Gannett NJ Press Media Group. He moved down to Raleigh four years ago to become a freelance documentary photojournalist, and now resides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. See more of his work here.
Susanna Klingenberg is a writer and copy editor who calls Raleigh home. Her work is shaped by years of teaching N.C. State freshmen to write clearly, and think critically.
Josh Klahre is a freelance writer based in downtown Raleigh who’s been published in Esquire, GQ, Interview, GIANT and others. He spends most of his free time exploring Raleigh and North Carolina, discovering music and spending quality time with his family.
Juli Leonard, who was a longtime photojournalist at The News & Observer, lives in Raleigh with her daughter, partner and a houseful of creatures. Visit Juli’s website here.
Colony Little is a Raleigh-based freelance writer and the creator of Culture Shock Art, a site dedicated to the synergies between art, music and design. Follow Colony @CultureShockArt. For WALTER, Little regularly writes about makers in the area.
Matt Lail as a Raleigh communications pro (and part-time music podcaster) who often chauffeurs his three kids to activities and sports.
Forrest Mason is a food and travel photographer, videographer, and documentary filmmaker based in Chapel Hill, NC, Forrest’s career has taken him all over the country, from working as a line cook in the NYC fine dining scene to spending two months filming a documentary in Oxford, MS for the Southern Foodways Alliance. Visit Forrest’s website here.
Taylor McDonald grew up in Raleigh. She graduated from The Savannah College of Art and Design in 2015 with a BFA in Photography. After school, she moved back to the Triangle to start her own business. In her free time, she loves shooting personal projects with her film camera. Visit Taylor’s website here. Follow her @teaylor.
Kate Medley is a photojournalist and filmmaker in the American South. A native of Mississippi, Kate’s work explores themes at the intersection of culture and social justice. Her work regularly appears in publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. She lives in Durham.
The 2019 Piedmont Laureate, David Menconi, spent 28 years covering music for The News & Observer. He has also written for Billboard, Rolling Stone, The New York Times and Spin Magazine. His book on the history of North Carolina music, Step It Up and Go, was published in the fall of 2020 by University of North Carolina Press. Meconi regularly writes WALTER’s Music column.
Baxter Miller and Ryan Stancil are storytellers and photographers whose work explores the synergies between food, place and people in rural and coastal communities. View some of their work here.
Joe Miller is an outdoor writer who decided 10 years ago that instead of just telling people where to explore, it might be fun to actually take them. He’s been doing so ever since, through his GetHiking! and GetBackpacking! guide services. He’s written six guidebooks, including, “100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina” and “Backpacking North Carolina.”
W. Jason Miller is a writer and professor at North Carolina State University. Supported by a fellowship at the National Humanities Center, he is completing the book, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood: Nina Simone, Langston Hughes, and the Birth of Black Power, and is credited for discovering long-lost audio of MLK’s first-ever “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered nine months before the March on Washington.
Jamaul Moore is a passionate writer who enjoys exploring the history or cultural significance of any given subject, as he believes it creates a better understanding of our community. He graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications.
Freelance writer Debbie Moose, a former reporter and food editor for The News & Observer, has written seven cookbooks. When she’s not cooking, she enjoys writing about unusual obsessions (such as people who collect stinky amorphophallus plants) and unexpected beauty. Find her website here.
S.P. Murray, a national award-winning photographer who has covered everything from Olympic athletes to Rockettes. She particularly loves capturing people and animals. Visit S.P.’s website here.
Courtney Napier is a journalist and writer from Raleigh. She is the founder of Black Oak Society and editor of BOS Zine. Her work can be found in INDY Week and Scalawag Magazine, as well as on her blog, COURTNEY HAS WORDS. Her spouse and two children are a daily source of love and inspiration.
Catherine Nguyen is a Raleigh-based advertising and editorial photographer specializing in residential and commercial interior design and architecture. Catherine studied at Columbia University, then attended The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Her work has been published in Flower Magazine, Home Design and Decor Magazine, and California Home and Design. Her work can be seen at catherinenguyen.com.
The youngest of six kids, Gerry O’Neill always had someone to outdraw, outwit, or outrun. With a degree in commercial art, O’Neill worked in Washington, D.C., advertising agencies before striking out as a freelance illustrator. He put down roots in Durham in the ‘90s and his love for North Carolina only grows stronger. O’Neill captures the essence of Jim Dodson’s “Simple Life” for WALTER each month.
Tyler Northrup is a photographer who specializes in making highly stylized images of people active in life and work. Find his work here.
Raleigh native CC Parker has been sharing her family’s adventures with WALTER readers since 2013 through columns that combine both wisdom and personal experience.
A Raleigh native and professional writer, Katie Pate has been part of the local arts and music community since adolescence. Pate is a freelance marketing consultant and serves on the Raleigh Historic Development commission. You can find them writing poems at Morning Times, biking the Raleigh Greenway or watching live music.
A former Ohio newspaper staffer, Eamon Queeney is a Raleigh-based freelance photojournalist who can regularly be found exploring his adopted Southern state for editorial clients like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Eamon believes in moment-based photography and the complex imagery of life’s everyday scenes. Visit Eamon’s website here.
Bryan Regan is a Raleigh-based photographer specializing in environmental, lifestyle, studio portraits and product photography. Dropping out of design and photography school, back when people still shot film, Regan learned his craft crisscrossing the country assisting other photographers. He’s had a studio downtown for 17 years. Visit Bryan’s website here.
Liza Roberts was the founding editor of WALTER magazine. A longtime journalist, she particularly loves to tell the stories of creative people. She recently published The Art of the State, a book that takes a deep dive into the work of creatives across North Carolina. to be published in 2022.
Jessie Ammons Rumbley is a local writer who has reported for national publications and edited several city magazines. The Raleigh native loves to tell stories that celebrate home, like Will Hooker and Jeana Myers’ prolific garden on Kirby Street and Lucy Tomova’s energetic creative process. Visit Jessie’s website here.
Gus Samarco is a Brazilian transplant to Raleigh who is an avid reader and likes to listen to Heavy Metal and watch bike races on TV. Samarco photographed owner of CORE Fitness Jojo Polk and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin.
A lifelong Tarheel, Trudy Haywood Saunders writes about food, culture and travel destinations in North Carolina and beyond. Her work has appeared in Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Travel + Leisure, Our State and other print and digital publications. She is also the author of two middle-grade fiction books. Learn more here.
Melissa (Mick) Schulte is a writer and photographer based in Durham, NC. She grew up in Minnesota and went to the University of Missouri-Columbia where she received a degree in Journalism in 2003. Since then she has worked as a freelance reporter for small newspapers, a feature writer for magazines, and a photographer for a number of publications.
Rachel Simon is a Raleigh-based writer and editor whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Cut, Vulture, Vice and many other outlets. She also teaches writing with Redbud Writing Project and Gotham Writing Workshop. Her first book, Pickleball for All, was published by Dey Street in 2022.
Katherine Snow Smith grew up in Raleigh and was a business reporter, parenting columnist and magazine editor during 20 years at The Tampa Bay Times. Her first book, Rules for the Southern Rule-breaker: Missteps & Lessons Learned, highlights the humor and messiness of life.
As the son of a newspaperman and a teacher, Joshua Steadman inherited a love of learning and telling stories. He believes that both are used in equal measure to do what he does. Visit Joshua’s website here. Follow him @steadyfilm.
A lifelong passion for architecture and interior design coupled with a serious love of photography led to Trey Thomas switching careers in 2012 to focus exclusively on interiors and architectural photography. A longtime resident of downtown Raleigh, Thomas loves the excitement that comes from being a short walk from one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Eric Thompson is a photographer and director from Vancouver, British Columbia who lives in Brooklyn, New York and has family in North Carolina. Focusing on themes like Americana, religion, aging infrastructure and regional oddities, he uses an outsider’s perspective to emphasize realities that carry a remarkable and unassuming beauty, humor and humanity. See more of his work here.
Bert VanderVeen is a photographer based out of Greensboro. He and his wife Rebecka have been in business for 20 years, and he represents the fifth generation of professional photographers in his family, beginning with his great, great grandfather, who was apprenticed to one of Queen Victoria’s court photographers. Visit Bert’s website here.
Billy Warden is a writer, public speaker and band leader (of altglam rock pioneers The Floating Children) as well as a marketing executive. His collaborators on various projects have included everyone from governors to Joan Rivers (more at wardenprojects.com).
J. Michael Welton writes about architecture, art and design for national and international publications and was the longtime architecture critic for The News & Observer.
Lori D. R. Wiggins first got wind of the state’s rich history of Rosenwald Schools in her communications studies at UNC-Chapel Hill in the late 1980s. She built her career covering — and uncovering —stories of the oft unsung, yet amazing, people, places, things and culture that surround and define us.
Helen Wildy is a comedian originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Helen jokes about growing up “American Irish” in comedy clubs all over the U.S. In January 2023, she recorded her first comedy album, Bomb Threat, with Helium Records. She spends rare nights in with her partner, Victoria, and their cat, Manny in “the lesbian hotspot known as Apex, North Carolina.” See more here.
Alexandra Williams is a photographer, filmmaker and AURA reader in Raleigh. Her work focuses on empowerment, self love, spirituality and freedom through portraiture. She loves to shoot candid and authentic portraits that capture the true essence of her subjects. To her, portrait photography is spiritual and sacred. Visit Alexandra’s website here.
Geoff Wood’s plan is to dive headfirst into life behind the lens. At the end, he hopes to look back with a close family, deep friendships and scars and shots that show the adventure. Find his work at geoffwoodphotography.com.
Helen Yoest is a writer, gardening expert and conservationist in Raleigh. Her most recent book, Beginner’s Guide to Garden Planning and Design: 50 Simple Gardening Ideas for Adding Style & Personality to Your Outdoor Space, was published in 2024.
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