Contributors

Amber Byrd
A thinker with a pen and pad of paper on the nightstand, Amber Byrd is an idea gal with a passion for writing and the arts. Her love of the Marietta Square runs deep, as she met and married her husband in historic downtown Marietta. Southern raised, her early teen years were filled writing poetry and going on “photo hunts” with her camera. Now she helps small businesses, authors, artists and designers with social media, marketing and PR efforts. She has contributed to a variety of lifestyle magazines and art publications across the country. photo credit: Vasil Vasilev

Melanie Crissey
Melanie Crissey fell in love with her hometown when she moved back to Marietta in 2010. A web developer by trade, Melanie writes for fun. She is intentional about supporting local businesses and thrilled to contribute to SOUTHERLY: Downtown Marietta.

Cheryl Draa
Cheryl is a residential interior designer specializing in “People in Transition.” Realizing the change needed in a home when a client goes through a personal transition due to a divorce, remarriage, birth in the the family, a death or with empty nest syndrome, prompted her to pay close attention to the needs of her clients during their transitions. She helps them transition their belongings and their homes into their new future.

Justin and Rickelle Hadley
HADLEY(s) Photography is the result of the combined effort of husband and wife, Justin and Rickelle Hadley, specializing in conceptual/narrative portraiture and theatrical production photography. They do as much as they can to help support the local art scene. They take pride in their collaborations with local musicians, visual artists, and theatres, and believe they have a responsibility to support and respect fellow creatives both as artists and as businesses.

Emily Ryals
Local freelance artist and community organizer, Emily is passionate about Aarts, community and culture in the Marietta Square. Emily is a “Jill of all trades,” dabbling in writing, photography, design and motherhood, among other things. Formerly the Director of Education at Marietta Cobb Museum of art, Emily attended Pratt Institute and holds a BFA in Painting from SCAD-Atlanta. Any given day you might find her working around the Square for Marietta Square Art Walk, Artists Market or at dk Gallery.

Amy Selby
As a self-described magazine junkie, Amy Selby spent the first part of her career in Atlanta’s publishing industry. In her 10-plus years as an editor and writer she has covered parenting, health care, business, chiropractic care, real estate, education and women’s interests. She has launched publications, orchestrated redesigns and picked up a few awards along the way. These days, Amy shares Cobb’s story as the Vice President of Marketing at the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. At home in Marietta, Amy spends her time chasing her two adorable, yet rambunctious children, her husband, and sweet mutt named Piper.

Jeff Waters
Jeff is too busy traveling too write up a bio. But he does want us to know that he loves all things Southerly, almost as he loves his nieces and nephew. Oh, and that you are going to love his next article even more than this one. In between visits back to Marietta and beyond, Jeff is a Realtor on St. Simons Island.