OUR CONTRIBUTORS
NORTH Magazine is built on the voices, perspectives, and creativity of talented individuals across the region. From writers and photographers to artists and storytellers, our contributors bring the North to life through their work.
To hear each contributor tell a fun-or funny-story in their own words, click play on their audio recording below.

FRANK BURES
Frank Bures is the author of Pushing the River: An Epic Battle, a Lost History, a Near Death, and Other True Canoeing Stories and the producer of “Lakeside Lore and Legends: A Walking Tour through Duluth’s Canal Park,” an audio history tour published by VoiceMap.me. His work has appeared in Harper’s, Outside, The Atlantic and has been included or selected as “Notable” in the Best American Travel Writing, Best American Essays and Best American Sports Writing. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife and two daughters.

KATHERINE LAWLESS
Katherine (Kate) Lawless is a Minneapolis-based freelance travel and lifestyle writer who covers wellness, boutique stays, and all things related to lakeside living. Kate has contributed to BBC Travel, AFAR, the Toronto Star, the Minnesota Star Tribune, Eater Twin Cities, Minnesota Monthly, and more.

STEPHANIE PEARSON
Stephanie Pearson is a 2023 National Geographic Explorer and a contributing editor to Outside magazine. She is the author of “100 Great American Parks,” a collection of the nation’s most intriguing landscapes published by National Geographic, and the children’s book “50 True Tales from our Great National Parks,” published by Wide-Eyed Editions. Pearson has been honored to receive several Lowell Thomas Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers, including the 2023 Gold Award for Travel Journalist of the Year. Her new book “100 Hikes of a Lifetime,” will be published by National Geographic in spring of 2026.

NANCY Weingartner Monroe
Nancy Weingartner Monroe loves to tell other people’s (or places’) stories, either through the lens of journalism or advertising/marketing. She previously was editor of Franchise Times and Foodservice News magazines, where she was able to dive into both the local hospitality scene and travel the world covering trade missions for U.S. franchisors seeking international business partners. In addition to being a freelance writer, she oversees the marketing of her family’s restaurant company, Restore Restaurant Holdings. Nancy and her husband Dennis live in Minneapolis North Loop with their late-in-life dog, Peabody.

JEFF RENNICKE
After decades of skipping across the globe as an award-winning travel writer, Jeff Rennicke now focuses on the wonder and adventure to be found in the northwoods through his blog the “Little Dipper” and as the Executive Director of Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. His work has appeared in more than 250 magazine articles and nine books including Jewels on the Water: Lake Superior’s Apostle Islands and Treasures of Alaska: The Last Great American Wilderness published by the National Geographic Society. He lives on the shores of Lake Superior in Bayfield, Wisconsin.

MICHELLE KRUEGER
Born during a snowstorm in St. Paul and bred in the Twin Cities music hub of First Avenue, Michelle Krueger loves her home state of Minnesota for its music, Bundt cakes and summer lakes. She fell in love with a Minneapolis boy who pulled her across the river where they now live in Minneapolis with their teen daughter who edits her emoji usage. A freelance writer and book editor, Michelle is proud that her oldest daughter is following her footsteps by studying journalism in Prague. When she can’t book an international trip, a cruise up the North Shore to Grand Marais is the perfect cure for her travel itch.

marya jOHNSON
Hey! I'm Marya Johnson. I am a Duluth native & Wedding + Lifestyle Photographer based in MN while also traveling worldwide to document picture perfect moments. When I'm not hiding behind my lens or computer screen you can find me traveling with my fiance, Hunter, and our dog, Poppy, burning off energy in the gym, exploring new thrift shops and coffee shops, and perfecting my cooking skills. Living life in northern MN and exploring hidden gems along Lake Superior is my happy place!

MIKE TESTER
Mike Tester runs a house painting business by day and is an illustrator by night. Many of his sketches feature special places up and down Minnesota’s north shore and the surrounding area. If he’s not painting houses or painting paper you can find him hiking, exploring, and enjoying sunny days to the fullest. Mike lives in Duluth, Minnesota.

AMY GORAN
Amy Goran is a Minneapolis-based writer and content strategist whose work has appeared in Minnesota Monthly, Today’s Chicago Woman, and the award-winning style blog The Midwasteland. With two decades of experience in copywriting and editorial direction, she’s helped shape custom magazines and branded storytelling for Target, 3M, and the National Association of Realtors. She got her start in magazines in first grade, crafting monthly issues from construction paper and crayons for her only subscriber—her little brother.