Mary Claire Primos
Jonathan Shull
Jonathan Shull knows full well that imagination is the root of all good. While branding, consulting, creating and directing his full-service design firm specializing in the hospitality industry, his wheels never stop turning. His innate persistence comes into play so Jonathan finds the best solution for his clients that utilizes the just-right amount of creative edge he’s known for. While searching for that “big picture” solution that is essential for branding, Jonathan knows the details are essential. His receptiveness and experience make it possible to navigate the reality of deadlines and various needs of his clients.
With everyone from small businesses and restaurants to large corporations, Jonathan delivers work that is beautiful, meaningful and most importantly, useful to the client. Previously the Creative Director for Bomgar Corporation, Mississippi’s fastest-growing company, Jonathan provides branding and creative consulting to the hospitality industry through his very own unique boutique design firm.
Make no mistake, Jonathan Shull isn’t just in the business of design, he lives and breathes design. It’s his craft, his lifestyle. Jonathan sees the beauty in everything from cuisine to interior design to travel. Design surrounds him. His career offers many perks, like frequenting his clients’ restaurants for “research” (something this foodie isn’t likely to complain about any time soon) and scouring interior design blogs for inspiration.
Jonathan was born and raised in Jackson and has a love for the city and its growing hospitality industry. He’s happy to call Jackson home and loves the fact that it’s a hop, skip, and jump away from his other favorite Southern city, New Orleans.
Lucky for Jonathan, he’s surrounded by beauty at home, too. His better half, his wife Gretchen, indulges his love of design and the couple are proud parents of two rad kids, Tate and Worth. The Shulls call their ever-changing mid-century modern house in the heart of Jackson home.
Laurel Miller Donahoo
Laurel Miller Donahoo, an enthusiastic part of the PR team for the 2013 Stray At Home Festival, is native to the Jackson, Mississippi area. Having been born and raised in Madison County, just a couple of miles away from Jackson proper, Laurel is a self-proclaimed “short cut professional” when it comes to navigating the roads of the metro area.
After several glorious middle and high school years spent as the tall, awkward girl at Jackson Preparatory School, Laurel continued her education at Mississippi State University where she majored in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations. And continued to be tall and awkward. While at MSU, Laurel met a guy of whom she grew pretty fond named Price. Now, these two are married and live out in Madison County. No kids yet, but two beagles and a rescue hound keep them pretty busy for the time being.
Upon graduation from Mississippi State, Laurel and a childhood friend of hers decided it was a great time to move across the pond to jolly ol’ England for a bit. They lived in a tiny flat in Oxford, England for several months while on a work program. The two strategically got jobs that were uber flexible so they could travel Europe as much as possible during their stay. It was at this point in time that Laurel discovered her serious passion for travelling and exploring places and people off the tourists’ beaten paths. She now takes trips whenever possible, always hunting for hole-in-the-wall shops and restaurants.
“It is the quirky, independent places that give any town or city it’s own unique character,” says she. It is her part-time job as the Marketing and PR gal at SummerHouse, a locally owned furniture store in Ridgeland, her other part-time job as the owner and designer for The Lovely Bee, a line of hand painted, hand constructed stationery, and her other semi part time job as a freelance Edibles and Elixirs/Interiors writer for Portico Magazine that give her an extra appreciation for food, art, and all things local.
When she has time off, you’ll likely find Laurel drumming up a weekend trip, playing with her beloved puppy dogs, eating Mexican food, watching movies with Price, or attempting the latest craft or recipe she found on Pinterest. Follow her on Twitter at @laureldonahoo or like the Facebook pages for SummerHouse or The Lovely Bee!
Whitney Maxwell
Whitney is a Jackson, MS native, twice removed. She is a customer service representative for RJ Young Company by day, and a pastry chef for her side business Uppercrusts, by afternoon, night and weekend. She is the mother of two wonderful dogs named Goose and Beacon and the wife of a loving, patient husband, named Graves. Whitney is a rabid Ole Miss fan, an Oxford lover, and a dedicated runner. The things that make her the most happy are friends, family, laughter, cooking, fellowship, silliness, being outside, chocolate chip cookies, music, and making a difference. This is why she has agreed to be a part of Stray at Home this year. Jackson is at a pivotal state right now and is on the verge of becoming an extremely “cool” city. Stray at Home gives us Jacksonians a chance to stray in our very own city and show these vendors and artists, whether they be Mississippians, or from several states away, just what Jackson, MS does have to offer. Great people. Wonderful food. Talented Artists. And so, so much more. I hope you will join us while we “Stray at Home” this May.
Meagan Babb
Meagan Babb is a Flowood, MS native. She is the recently promoted Visual Manager for Anthropologie at the Ridgeland, MS location. For the past four years, she has been the Display Coordinator creating and maintaining the Anthropologie aesthetic through art installations. She graduated from Mississippi State University, where she got her BFA with an emphasis in graphic design. She enjoys designing invitations, watercolor painting, and collecting inspiration. She is married to her best friend, Todd, and together they conquer the world as parents to sweet baby Ella Jane. Friends have joked that Meagan should be a design interventionist with how opinionated and passionate she is about craft and display. Watch out retail windows! She enjoys to critique as she peruses. She has joined the Stray at Home team to share her eye for design and make the event appeal to all senses. She loves a beautiful environment especially if it comes together to benefit a great cause.
Jet Hollingsworth
Cornhole
Eric Welsh
Cornhole