CONTRIBUTORS

Debra is most recognized as host of “The Debra Kennedy Show” a lifestyle talk show in which she is the producer and on-air host. She is also a regular on Fox TV Good Morning Charlotte and NBC Charlotte Today as a Lifestyle and Beauty Expert. Please visit her website www.debrakennedyshow.com to learn about Debra.

Aubrey Harley, one of the most sought after Beauty Guru Consultants, who has traveled the globe creating and educating professionals on beauty and chemistry. Aubrey has empowered his classic to trendy hair couture on mainstages for the likes of New York Fashion Week, Beauty Pageants and countless of movies, such as the the box office hit “Hunger Games”. Aubrey continues to share his knowledge as well as inspiration on beauty for the number one beauty brand, L’Oreal Professionnel. He is super excited to bring his expertise to the beauty column for Lux Magazine. Readers stay tuned, you are about to be enlightened as well as inspired.

@itssharonjane As a 6 year old, little Sharon Jane followed her mother around at every fashion show, event, production and casting she would work in. As Sharon grew, she realized just how much she loves fashion and became her mother’s right hand at all of those productions. From watching fashion shows on little screens to witnessing the fun chaos of backstage, Sharon Jane just loves the fashion world in all of its layers. After she received her Bachelor’s in Creative Advertising at the age of 20, she used her newfound experience in visual arts to continue her work in fashion as Sharon Jane Productions as well as part of Embellecerte, a company she started with her mother, working as personal shoppers, producers, content creators, model coaches, and fashion editors.

As a fashion editor and content creator, Sharon hopes to express her love for the ever-changing fashion industry and show how fashion increasingly becomes a pioneer for positive change from selflove, sustainability to a wider acceptance of diversity.

John-Mark M. Mitchell is Owner/ Founder of Mitchell Prime Properties, a North Carolina-based brokerage that specializes in selling to high-net-worth individuals. He has lead his forward thinking luxury brand to winning several international awards while competing with the biggest names in the industry. John Mark has made it clear that while he has broken sales records in multiple markets, he always wants his company to be recognized for selling Luxury in all price ranges. He instills in his brokers that Luxury is not defined by price alone and wants his company to be known for the service they provide each of their clients. He is recognized as a national best selling author with his collaboration with Jack Canfield. He was awarded Concierge Auctions , Key to our Success Award in 2018 where he also serves as their Broker in Charge for NC. He has been recognized on the cover of several magazines including Top Agent Magazine and quoted in Fortune Magazine. He has also appeared on BRAVO and A&E. Travel, Italian cars and a constant quest to become a better bourbon snob makes for an exceptional and exciting lifestyle.

Turning a career in Marketing and Communication in the design and construction industry into her passion for all things luxury, Susan Gray formed Gray BlackBook to focus on just that. Susan, along with her husband and travel partner, has brought together a collection of resources, destinations, and experiences throughout their global travels to share with family and friends. With a keen eye for the superlative and off-the-beaten-track finds, Susan has parlayed this to create a platform in bringing together a like-minded, passionate community of travelers and “living life to the fullest” to make memorable experiences and meaningful connections in writing for luxury publications and blogs. As a new contributor to Lux Lifestyle Magazine, Susan caught up with a few of our favorites.

Adam Jacot de Boinod is a British author, most famous for his works about unusual words. He has written three books, the first two (The Meaning of Tingo and Toujours Tingo) looking at words that have no equivalent in the English language, and his latest book (The Wonder of Whiffling) looking at unusual words in English. He worked on the first series of the television panel game QI. His research on the show involved him reading an entire Albanian language dictionary and noting down any words that he found interesting. He formed the idea that there are 27 different words for moustaches and 27 words for eyebrows in Albanian, including, “vetullan” (“very bushy eyebrows”), “vetullor” (“slightly arched eyebrows”) and “vetullosh” (“very thick eyebrows”).

After leaving QI, he began to investigate other languages, examining 280 dictionaries and 140 websites. This led to the creation of his first book in 2005, The Meaning of Tingo, a book featuring words which have no equivalent in the English language, “tingo” being a word from the Pascuense language of Easter Island meaning, “to borrow things from a friend’s house, one by one, until there’s nothing left”. He then wrote up a follow-up book entitled Toujours Tingo in 2007. In 2009, de Boinod wrote The Wonder of Whiffling, a book about unusual words in English, the word “whiffling” having several meanings, including, “one who examined candidates for degrees… an officer who cleared the way for a procession, as well as being the name of the man with the whip in Morris dancing.”

Allison Parker has a MBA in marketing and human resources from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. Always loving the written word, Allison has a knack for streaming her thoughts through to the keyboard. Her favorite part of freelance writing is meeting interesting people and discovering unique subjects to share with her audiences. Allison enjoys being a devoted mom to her 3 beautiful boys and volunteering within their schools and community. Allison embraces new adventures, loves to travel, and is always on the quest to learn more about the world around her.

Claudia Ricciardone is the owner and lead designer of Claudia Josephine Design, as well as a Maria Killam True Color Expert. Specializing in high-end residential design, Claudia creates magazine worthy homes that are classic, functional, and liveable. While Claudia credits her childhood summers in Italy and Art History studies as shaping her European influenced design esthetic, Claudia emphasizes the use of high-quality, American made, sustainable furnishings. During her free time, you will often find Claudia painting original art, visiting museums, or enjoying Charlotte’s farm-to-table food scene with her husband and young daughter.

Nelia Verano, better known as Neely in the Charlotte community, was introduced to music at an early age and became a classically trained vocalist at 16 years of age. Her musical pursuits cultivated a love and passion for the arts in its many forms, and she began a career in the arts. Following Nelia’s tenure as Chief Development Officer of the Mint Museum, Neely co-founded LaCa Projects in 2013, an art gallery that exhibits work by Latin American contemporary artists. She is also a founder of Sphere Series, a grass-roots initiative dedicated to offering arts education, discourse, and experiences to the broader community. In 2020, she founded Nelia Verano LLC, an art and home styling advisory that offers a wide range of services to both private and commercial clients. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the McColl Center, an advisory board member of the Arts Empowerment Project, and a member of the Contemporary Art Board at the Mint Museum. Nelia is “mama” to her three children, Luca, Leo, and Rosy, and her husband Michael, and adores cooking, travel, and dabbling in interior design.