The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.
Lauren O’Byrne
I’ve always been the person with a camera in my hand. Whether I was on vacation, at an event, or simply spending time with friends and family, I wanted to capture the moment. I like to joke that my own terrible memory is partly to blame, but the truth is that preserving memories has always been important to me. Read more>>
Fran Catterton
I never expected esthetics to become my career. After graduating high school in 2002, I wasn’t sure what path I wanted to take. I was taking classes at community college while trying to figure out what I truly wanted to do. My stepsister had attended Spa Luna, a holistic esthetics school in Maui, Hawaii, and I decided to take a chance on something completely different. Read more>>
Maya Brannon and Lizzie Dean
We both knew of each other growing up, ironically, we’d followed each other on social media for years, as we’re both from the Eastern Shore of Maryland where everyone knows everyone. We were each other’s biggest fans long before we ever really connected. Lizzie had moved to Florida after college, but decided to return home to Maryland about three years ago. Read more>>
Iris Moreno
My name is Iris Moreno, born in El Salvador. Daughter of an immigrant parents Fulvio & Blanca Moreno. I am a mother of 4 kids (3 boys 1 girl). My journey started with a deep passion for beauty, creativity, and helping people feel confident in their own skin. Read more>>
Laura Bell
GM & Laura Bell are the owners of St. Michaels Sailing Charters. GM has been sailing since childhood and previously taught sailing at the Miles River Yacht Club in St. Michaels, Maryland. His sailing adventures have taken him across the Mediterranean Sea, Mexico, Hawaii, California, the U.S. East Coast from Rhode Island to Florida, the Delaware River, and much of the Bahamas and Chesapeake Bay. Read more>>
Tarmara White
Hello my name is Tarmara White and I’m the founder and creator of JNT Fitness & Lifestyle. When I first began my adventure with fitness I was anything but the picture of health. Being overweight and not feeling comfortable with my body I decided to do something about it. I absorbed myself in a new lifestyle and never looked back. Read more>>
Jane Callen
My first career out of college was as a television and print journalist here in the DMV where I’ve spent most of my life. As a kid, I remember our family was riveted by Woodward and Bernstein’s Watergate coverage: we’d spread out the Washington Post and pore over the latest developments together. Read more>>
Jamie W.
I got my start in the industry as a spa manager, where I was immersed in the world of skincare, wellness, and client experience. Through attending advanced trainings and working alongside incredibly talented estheticians, I became inspired to begin my own journey in aesthetics. Read more>>
Fayola Whyte-Manco
Creative Motion Events started from a genuine love for creating beautiful, memorable moments. I have always been drawn to details, design, and the way an atmosphere can completely change how people feel. What began as a passion for decorating and helping others celebrate life’s special moments slowly grew into a business built on creativity, faith, consistency, and a lot of hard work. Read more>>
Jerron Hurtt Sr
My name is Jerron Hurtt Sr., though many people know me as ‘Daddy’. Most people were introduced to me through social media, but my story didn’t start there. My story started with my twin sons. Long before the nonprofit, the advocacy work, and the public attention, we were simply a father and his boys creating memories together. Read more>>
Kyah Felton
I started writing poetry pretty young in middle school. Obce I got to high school my avenue for creativity and love for the arts expanded. I took a liking to theatre and chorus eventually I started writing music. I wrote my first song in the 11th grade. Once I graduated I was apart of a girl group that went under many names. Read more>>
Silvia (Chandni) Singh-Jain
My journey began with a simple quest for the perfect purse to complement my diverse wardrobe and personal style. I often found it difficult to find accessories that reflected both my cultural roots and modern fashion preferences, so I started looking for something different. That search led me to connect with talented artisans whose craftsmanship and creativity inspired me. Read more>>
Yulia Semchenko
My name is Yulia Semchenko. I was born and raised in the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a place known for its rich history, vibrant colors, and beautiful artistic traditions. My creative journey has taken me across many countries, including New York, Baku, Berlin, Moscow, Kyiv, and eventually the Washington, D.C. area. Read more>>
Susan Kleit
Once I decided to retire from my Germantown based day job and pursue my creative passions, I moved to Hagerstown, and got involved with The Potomac Playmakers, Encore Creativity, the Grace Notes, and the Frederick Chorale. Read more>>
Erin Brooke Bogan
I grew up in Fairfax, Virginia, and creativity has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As an only child with divorced parents, I spent a lot of time drawing, crafting, and finding creative ways to stay busy. Read more>>
Mimi Ge
My journey started in 2014 when I was working at a dance studio in Atlanta. I loved what I was doing, but at the same time was experiencing chronic back pain. This pain forced me to try many different remedies, but what I found most helpful was acupressure massage. This painful experience made me take a career detour away from dance. Read more>>
Rachel Ellis
Thank you for having me on Voyage Maryland! Its truly an honor. I’m a CPA and Political Finance consultant based in Maryland. My career has really been built at the intersection of finance, operations, and public service. Read more>>
Ezinne Maduh
I am Nigerian-American and the daughter of two immigrant parents whose sacrifices, resilience, and determination helped shape the foundation of who I am today. I come from a family of five children, where I am both the middle child and the oldest daughter. Growing up in that role taught me responsibility, empathy, and leadership from an early age. Read more>>
Michelle Davis
My journey has been everything besides linear but creativity is the center of it all. I am a Maryland-based singer/songwriter, worship leader, makeup artist, creative consultant, and mother of two amazing daughters. I began my professional career in the federal government, where I spent years developing skills in program management, operations, and community engagement. Read more>>
Jeff Mitchell
I started playing keyboards and organ at my dad’s church and I got a call in 2007 to play with cash Money. I’ve been hooked on playing live music ever since. Touring with artists turned into managing musicians, singers and bands. Connecting talent with the venues, event planners, restaurants, etc… has become my passion and love. Read more>>
Vladimir Semerey
I came to the United States from Ukraine when I was 17 years old. Like many immigrants, my family did not have a lot financially, so I had to find a practical path forward. I originally wanted to become a medical doctor, but dentistry became the field that was closest to medicine and gave me an opportunity to start building something. Read more>>
Judy Wang
My story began with just showing up. I was volunteering with the children’s ministry at church and kept finding myself drawn to the kids who were off to the side by themselves or just looked sad. I would go sit with them and listen. Read more>>
Frances Paul
It’s simple; there’s no room for mediocrity when educating the world’s future leaders. So why should I provide a mediocre curriculum and or learning experience? In my nineteen years as an Early Educator, I have committed to providing an extraordinary experience for the children I serve. From the meals I offered to the curriculum and other teachable opportunities. Read more>>
Natalie Amani Akins
My Journey to Opening Headline Hair Salon I come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and my journey has been one of resilience and determination. After relocating to United States and I faced many challenges but always held onto the dream of owning my own hair salon. In 2001, I met my husband, and shortly after, I became pregnant. Read more>>
Sirene Noir Sidora Jackson
Hi there! my name is Sirene Noir Sidora Jackson, I’m a nonbinary Dc native and I’ve been doing drag for seven years. And boy do I have a story to tell……… I actually got my start through an ex fiancée. Read more>>
Erin Melanson
Xella Winery & Vineyard started as what many great adventures do: a slightly crazy idea and a willingness to learn as we went. My husband, Les, and I first came to St. Mary’s County through his Navy career. After returning here for a second duty station, we fell in love with the area and made the decision to stay and put down roots. Read more>>
Rachel Saathoff
In 2016, I founded Break the Norm Leadership while living in Beaverton, Oregon. I had recently left a Sales Director role and realized that I wanted to teach leadership in a way that inspired and uplifted people because, frankly, that had not been my own experience. I believed leadership development could be practical, engaging, and centered on helping people reach their potential. Read more>>
Meghan Tieff
I was working as a Paralegal in Baltimore when a job as personal trainer and Group Fitness Director was offered to me at Golds Gym. I was a member there, they saw my love and passion for fitness and the managers reached out to me. Read more>>
Janice Butts
In 2019 the government shutdown. Both my husband, Eric and I worked for the DC Courts, a federal government agency. We did not know how long it would last. Paychecks stopped coming in and I started thinking…. We can use savings to pay our bills but then WHAT? I started brainstorming with my friend, Marilyn on what type of business I could start. Read more>>
Cheyanne Zahrt
I have been a Baltimore City Educator for 24 years. I began as a science teacher in 2002 at Lake Clifton Eastern High School. I quickly fell in love with the city and the students, especially the class of 2005. Read more>>
ronald perlman
as a young adult I wanted to be a professional baseball player and a Plastic Surgeon in the off season. Since it,s difficult to be excellent in both I decided to pursue solely a plastic surgeon .The commitment to be a plastic surgeon was made early and I went to college as a pre-med student. Read more>>
Lindsey Porter
Fifteen years ago in a classroom with nineteen other women, and one man (poor soul), learning acupressure and massage techniques I discovered what they meant when they spoke about “finding your purpose”. Read more>>
Shai Sumpter
My journey to where I am today wasn’t a straight line, but looking back, every single step was entirely intentional. Before I was a chef, I was actually a numbers-crunching Accountant. I used to push through chronic stress, fatigue, and intense 3 PM brain fog, thinking it was just the price of a demanding corporate career. Read more>>
Noelle Darby
I grew up in a small Appalachian Mountain town in Pennsylvania. My father was a construction guy who had his own business for awhile, so the trades have always been a part of my life. In high school I focused my studies in business education at a technical school. Read more>>
Lea Capps
Growing up in a theatrical family, I was immersed in dance, performance, and musical theater from an early age. Although my mother founded The Talent Machine Company, a theater company for kids ages 7 to 18, I was involved behind the scenes from the very beginning—helping with choreography, supporting productions, and spending countless hours in rehearsals. Read more>>
Patricia Smith
My journey as a designer began with a passion for creativity and a desire to help people bring their ideas to life. As a Maryland native, I started providing freelance graphic design services to local entrepreneurs, small businesses, and organizations, creating everything from promotional materials and branding assets to event collateral. Read more>>
Nigel Martin
I started NigelBuilds in early 2026 out of a simple frustration. I was working overnight as a security operations supervisor and watching small service businesses around me in the DMV drown in work that software should have handled years ago. Missed calls, no follow up on leads, booking done by hand. Read more>>
Katrina Henderson
My journey has been anything but traditional. For many years, I worked in the corporate world while also building my business, Unbreakable Memories. My mission was born from my own journey of overcoming the limiting beliefs I carried about my worth and what it meant to be beautiful. As I began sharing my story, I realized I wasn’t alone. Read more>>
Kim McCardell
Before founding Windward + Crown, I spent over a decade as a middle school social studies teacher, crafting immersive lessons in culture, history, and geography. I later earned a masters in school administration and took on a school leadership role, with the goal of one day becoming a principal. Motherhood shifted my path, but not my passion. Read more>>
Shemeca Cooper
Yes, absolutely! I started our company (Cooper Legacy Books) out of a very real concern I had as a mother. After paying closer attention to the books my children were reading, I became frustrated by how difficult it was to find stories that were fun, engaging, and aligned with the values we teach at home. Read more>>
Ashley Hill
After I graduated with my Masters in Human Resources Development from Clemson University, I moved back to my hometown, Fort Washington, Maryland. I was interviewing for jobs, but the pandemic really made it tough—there just weren’t many opportunities. So, I leaned into my creativity. Read more>>
Arcadia Pictures (Alex)
Arcadia Pictures started as a collective of passionate photographers and videographers from diverse backgrounds who shared a common vision. Many of our team members immigrated to the United States from countries such as Colombia, Ukraine, Canada, Germany, Russia, South Korea, and others, bringing with them years – and in some cases decades – of experience in photography, filmmaking, television, and video production. Read more>>
Chef Ky Archinard
I am Chef Ky owner of Just Good Flavor Company and mother of 4. I wish I could say that this journey was smooth sailing and has placed me here on a fluffy down mattress, but that would not be true. Sometimes we make decisions that we think are the best until hindsight is in focus. Read more>>
Doyin Idowu-Jacobberger
I started as a 2025 bride who wasn’t able to explore as many design options as I would’ve liked during my wedding planning era due to different life circumstances. Despite that, I really enjoyed the design and planning process and wanted to have a way to continue designing and planning for different types of events. Read more>>
Kay Keyhani
My journey to creating YogiSmile has been shaped by both personal challenges and the support of an incredible community. One of the experiences that shaped my perspective was losing my husband to cancer when our children were very young. In the years that followed, I focused on raising my family, building a career, and creating a new life in the United States. Read more>>
Chamille Cash
Growing up, I was extremely shy and struggled with anxiety. I hated being the center of attention. I didn’t even want people singing “Happy Birthday” because all eyes would be on me. I started dancing in church, and it became the thing that helped me break out of my shell and explore life beyond my comfort zone. I still remember my first solo! Read more>>
