PUBLISHER – CRAIG KAMINER

A native of New York City, Craig has spent the last 35 years developing campaigns for some of the leading consumer/lifestyle brands in St. Louis -- and the world -- including Microsoft, Compaq/HP, Kodak, Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Tiffany & Co., Build-A-Bear Workshop, Lodging Hospitality Management, Weber Grill, Dannon and Ferrara Candy.  His marketing experience includes senior management positions at Twist, Influence, Weber Shandwick and Fleishman-Hillard, as well as serving as the North American publicist for the Italian Government Tourist Office, The Italian Hotelier Association, and Alitalia Airlines. Craig is an accomplished sailor, collector of contemporary art, promoter of jazz, and travels frequently to New England, Italy, Cabo San Lucas, and the Gulf Coast of Florida. Craig received his bachelor’s degree in architecture and art history from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – and graduate studies in business management and administration at Columbia University.  He is married to Debbie and has two sons, Philip and Barrett, who live in Austin and NYC, respectively.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER – CORTNEY VAUGHN

With a background in marketing, a love for design, and plenty of grit, Cortney has worn nearly every hat as Sophisticated Living’s first employee. As Associate Publisher, she is responsible for helping our exclusive client list reach their high-net-worth clients and prospects through a combination of print advertising, events, social media and blog posts, and email. She brings together many of our clients and community partners to do things which stand out and make for an unforgettable experience.

Active on many nonprofit boards, including The Little Bit Foundation, Cortney works tirelessly on events and outreach to help enrich St. Louis children and make it among the best places to live in the country.

Cortney is a former cheerleader -- which comes across in everything she does for both the magazine and community. She’s a true socialite, a lover of travel, and has a keen eye for fashion. She’s also never one to shy away from the dance floor (or turn down a margarita).

RACHEL SOKOLICH | ADVERTISING

A St. Louis native, Rachel moved back from New York City to assist in her entrepreneurial family business. Receiving a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Communications from the Park School of Communications at Ithaca College, Rachel has years of experience in sales, marketing, and advertising. Full of energy and professionalism, Rachel wants to assist her clients to make the best decisions to help them grow. Combining her passion for design and marketing she provides a full-service operation for all of her projects. Working for STL CINEMAS, Ladue News, J.McLaughlin, running her own Stella and Dot enterprise, her experience from senior management positions to understanding the basics owning her own business,

Rachel is a great asset to her clients. Rachel is also an accomplished realtor with Dielmann Sotheby, and a supporter of Saint Louis Ballet and Stray Rescue of St. Louis. Busy at home with her three children, Henry, Harper and Hattie, Rachel is always on the go. In her free time she loves walking with her dogs and friends in the beautiful parks of St. Louis or watching her kids on the sidelines of lacrosse or soccer fields. She also loves to sneak in date nights on the restaurant scene with Matt, her husband of 18 years.

CHRISTY MARSHALL | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Christy Marshall is the Editor-in-Chief of Sophisticated Living. After earning her masters at the University of Missouri, Christy started her journalism career at Advertising Age, first in Chicago, then as the Southwest Bureau Chief based in Dallas, and finally in Ad Age’s New York office. She lived in Manhattan for the next decade. While there, she ended up working for Adweek and New York Newsday, while also freelancing for a variety of publications including the New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, and Cosmopolitan.

Christy moved back to her hometown of St. Louis to work on the brand-new daily the St. Louis Sun. When it was shuttered after seven months, she joined the U.S. Attorney’s office as the Public Information Officer. While there, she married her husband, Michael Gans, and they adopted their daughter, Katie, from China.

Always a reporter and writer at heart, Christy returned to journalism. First she was Executive Editor at St. Louis Homes & Lifestyles and then spent a decade at St. Louis Magazine as the founding editor of St. Louis At Home (now StL Design) and St. Louis Family. She joined Sophisticated Living in 2014, retired two years later, and then returned to resume her previous post in 2023.

Christy loves to read, cook, travel, play mah jongg with friends, spend time with her family including their Boxers, Buddy and Dot, and at her family’s farm in Grubville, Missouri.

GRAYLING HOLMES | DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER

Grayling Holmes is the Digital Content Producer for the magazine. His extensive writing and marketing experience lend credence to his expert handling of the position. He is a veteran PR and marketing professional with 40+ years of experience leading accounts, ranging from the emerging business to Fortune 500 companies such as McDonald’s and Monsanto. His tenure at prominent advertising and public relations firms such as The Glennon Companies, Shandwick USA, and his own Grayling Company Reputation Marketing have sharpened his integrated marketing skills. Holmes has also worked on the client side, heading up the marketing team at The Sansone Group Real Estate.

Grayling’s true passion lies in writing. His bachelor’s degree in English literature from The University of Missouri - St. Louis has served him well through the years.