You may have noticed that some posts and articles give credit to specific contributors and contributing writers, and it may have left you scratching your head wondering, what’s all that about?

Despite what we may think at times, and what some members of the community definitely think, the two of us definitely cannot do it all. The explosion of 409 Family and how badly y’all needed us last year proved to us very quickly that we were not at all an island, and we were going to need help with a capital H. Last November, we put out an open call for members of the community interested in writing articles for us from their own perspectives. 409 Family, after all, is supposed to be representative of the entire community, and we wanted more voices, more backgrounds, just more.

The response was fantastically overwhelming, and we walked away with a strong, amazing, competent, delightful group who are always eager to share their experiences and perspectives, creative in their topics and articles, and truly have a desire to help the community around them in their own special fields or areas of interest.

We are shamefully beyond due for introductions when it comes to this wonderful group, so without further ado:

2023 409 FAMILY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

BEKAH GUEDRY | I’m Bekah Guedry, a firefighter wife, toddler mom, SETX native, and lifelong creative (who can’t resist a good rhyme). You can find me out thrift store hopping, obsessing over my new hyperfixation craft, and hosting friends whenever possible. I could talk for hours on the importance of fueling creativity and finding community, and I’ll probably write about all that and more right here on 409Family.com!

BRIANNE DAVIS | I am a mother of 3, honorary stepmother of 2, and the world’s coolest Beebee to my amazing grandson.  I am originally from Southwest Louisiana, but I made my way to SETX over 12 years ago and never looked back. I found my home and my chosen family here in the 409. I have watched my children grow, and even have done a lot of growing myself. The community I found when I came to Texas all those years ago has been one of the biggest impacts on my life and adds to the woman I have become. I try to make friends wherever I go. My children say my motto is ‘I talk to strangers’.  Once, I made new friends checking out at the grocery store early Thanksgiving morning and brought them home with me for the day. I am happiest when I am surrounded by family and friends. My tendency to seek out social settings has been one of my greatest strengths in my career in marketing and business development. I currently work in the healthcare industry with a focus on local community relations and senior care planning. I deliver Meals On Wheels weekly and am part of my local Rotary Club. I am always looking for more ways to be active in the community. I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, but I do know I want to be where the people are, and I don’t have to sit still for long.

BRITTANY MILLER | Brittany has lived in the 409 for ten years with her husband, Josh. She is a homeschooling, game playing, book reading, snack giving mama to their three children, and it is the delight of her life. You can count on her to always be talking about faith, family, fitness, or food. Brittany loves the people of FBC Beaumont, a Daddio’s burger – plain and dry, a quiet afternoon in Read B4 Books, and the beauty of Cattail Marsh. You can read more of her writing at BrittanyKMiller.com.

EMILY ROSS, LPC | Emily Ross is a licensed professional counselor with over 20 years of experience working with diverse populations in a multitude of settings. She is a contributing author in two international bestselling books including: Ignite Your Health & Wellness and Ignite Your Life for Conscious Leaders. As the current Director of Community & Culture for New Path Therapy & Wellness, she is tasked with enhancing the company’s visibility within the community, shaping public perception of mental health, and affecting local change through outreach efforts and participation in community events. Emily has a passion for fostering a strong sense of community through volunteering, serving others, and modeling a sense of pride in our city. She is a 2022 Graduate of The Citizen’s Police Academy and the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Program, an Ambassador for the Chamber, and a 2021 graduate of the Beaumont Champions Program. Emily Ross previously served on the Board of Directors for Make Ends Meet of SETX and is currently the Clinical Liaison to the Board of SETX Veterans for Veterans and a member of the Spindletop Center Mental Health Planning Advisory Council. Em’s current creative project is Amber & Em The Podcast. Listen on Spotify or Anchor.

JACY CARDENAS

Hi there! My name is Jacy Cardenas. I am a wife, mother of three, and a Southeast Texas native. My life is always on the go and I like it that way! I have really learned to love and appreciate all of the unique and wonderful things that SETX has to offer. I’m looking forward to telling you all about my hometown adventures!

JENNY DORNIER | Jenny Dornier’s main loves in life are (in no particular order) complicated cooking projects, mountain streams, funny stories, learning something new every day, fast food chicken strips, watching her kids grow, persnickety old houses, being overly dramatic about roaches, debating with her husband, and cold-brew coffee. A native New Mexican, Jenny has lived in the 409 for the last seventeen years. She’s happily married to her favorite human, with whom she shares two delightful children. She’ll always lend an ear if you’re just not that into Southeast Texas.

KATHERINE KING | Kat is a self-proclaimed “craft tornado” who has lived in SETX her whole life. An always Beau-liever, she appreciates the balance of excitement and comfort the area has to offer. After spending several years as a speech-language pathologist, she decided to start living the stay at home mom life to homeschool her son (and dog) and better manage her chronic illness. When not eating Tex Mex and playing video games with her family, Kat can sometimes be found baking and decorating delicious cookies in the wee hours of the night.

KYLE NELSON | As a relatively new Southeast Texas transplant, having been around the world and back (literally), Kyle has quickly become a proud resident of the 409. Kyle and his wife, Janea, moved to Beaumont in January of 2022 and knew instantly that this was where they wanted to plant their roots. Not long after graduating from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida with his Bachelors of Science in Sport Management, he moved across the world to Zambia, Africa to pursue his dream of being a full-time missionary, where he spent just over 4 years and met his wife, crazy right? One of his biggest takeaways from living overseas is how important a strong community is to his sanity. Currently, the Assistant Manager of Ticket Sales & Service for Lamar University Athletics, and an aspiring Hot Sauce Chef in his spare time, Kyle loves all things sports, food, religion, and community. Kyle, and Janea, do not have any kids yet, but they have the two best doggos in the land, Kyloe and Wallen, who they adopted from the Humane Society of Southeast Texas.

MALLORY STIDAM | My name is Mallory Stidam. I am a stay at home mom to 5 kids that I also homeschool. We moved to SETX from Florida at the end of 2018 when my husband took a job with Cowboy Harley Davidson. We love the outdoors & staying active in the community as often as we can! We have a small urban homestead where we grow a garden, raise meat rabbits & teach others how to live a more sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle as well. Some of my favorite hobbies are photography, baking, & sewing/crafting. I am a birth nerd as well & happen to be a trained doula so I occasionally take on a few clients when time (and my own children allow). I am so excited to be a part of the 409 family this year and can’t wait to share some great content with everyone! Feel free to follow our homesteading journey over on Instagram as I will be sharing lots of recipes, daily updates & tutorials each day!

RITA WILLIAMS | After graduating from Newton High School, Rita quickly left the area for college and to start a career. Ironically, she was grateful when that same career gave her the opportunity to return to the 409 in 2015. Since then, she has been on a mission to prove to her sons, and any other doubters, that life is sweeter in SETX. Rita is a Controls & Risk Advisor for the ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery and a graduate of the 49th class of Leadership Beaumont (the BEST CLASS EVER). Through both of these organizations, she has been given the opportunity to explore and serve the 409 and is excited to share her experiences as a mom, a professional and a woman with the 409 Family.

RYAN MITCHELL | Ryan Mitchell is passionate about helping families take control of their finances. Having led Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University in Southeast Texas since 2008, Ryan recently started The Net Worth Project, a personal financial coaching business, to offer one-on-one guidance to families on value-based spending, paying down debt and saving for the future. Ryan lives in Beaumont with his wife Devyn and their three children. Find The Net Worth Project on Facebook and Instagram.

SOPHIA BOUEY | Sophia Bouey is known to travel with art supplies and snacks in her bag, always willing to help and loves hearing stories of people who are on mission; all for the pursuit of Connection. If you asked what motivates her daily life she would say, her family, friends, community, faith and her personal issues with FOMO. Whether this is in her kids life, personal experiences or just being a part of something bigger for the greater good, she believes that life is a gift. Choosing to embrace every opportunity to learn, grow and inspire others to find adventure in the process is what fills her cup up.

SUSAN JACKSON | Born in South America, raised in the Northeast United States, and now calls Southeast TX home. Perhaps an avid traveler before grade school, you betcha! Different cities, languages, culture, people, and perspective is what draws me to learn more. I believe expression is important, and as I tell my children, “use your words”, I tend to speak through a camera lens or lyrics. An adventure seeker mixed with a quick recap of “what if’s” scenarios, is what makes me want to share every piece or knowledge and experience with you. Texas is where home is with my husband, children, and family, so if you are here for a while or just a short time, I welcome you!

THIRA SIMON |

Thira Simon is a native of Beaumont, Texas. She is a mother of two adult children and two grandchildren.  She has earned two bachelor degrees, one in Theology (2003) and the other in Business Administration (2016) with an emphasis in marketing. She is also a Certified Faith Based Counselor and ordained, licensed Minister.  In 2017, she founded a nonprofit organization, Augusta’s Angels, that serves grieving children. Thira is a contributing author of the published book, Just So You Know: Spicy Wisdom for Young Christian Women.  Thira is very active in the community and her church, House Churches International, where she serves as the Campus Pastor. Thira also serves on the board of directors for Texas Christian Professional Women’s Network. 

TONI GONZALES | Toni Gonzales is a Southeast Texas mother with many additional adjectives including Christian, homeschooling, adoptive, older, twin and grand. She has a passion for connecting families with fun resources and each other so they can thrive. She has written for magazines and is working on some book ideas related to homeschooling thru high school and volunteering as a family.

Hopefully you’re enjoying these varying perspectives and are finding some resonance with the added variety of topics and articles! If you’re interested in being a 409 Family contributing writer, keep an eye out for our next open call! Make sure you’re following our Facebook page and Instagram to stay up to date. You can also sign up for our newsletter below: