Rooted in culture, 

Nourished by beauty, 

Fostered by people –

Grown in the Soul of the South. 

SoulGrown is the best of Alabama lifestyle and culture.

Courtney Hancock | CEO

Ellis Terry

Julia Sayers Gokhale

Kate Fitch

Eric Velasco

Tara Massouleh

Walker Miller

Courtney Ellis

Courtney Hancock | CEO

Courtney Hancock began her career in marketing & communications after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English from Samford University in 2014. Returning to her first love of writing in 2019, she entered the media industry to help brands creatively tell their stories. Courtney joined Yellowhammer Multimedia as Creative Services Director in June 2021 to assist the business development side in producing innovative messaging and content strategies for advertising partners. In 2022, she was named CEO of SoulGrown to ensure the brand’s continued growth and to serve as a champion for the businesses and people of Alabama. She and her husband Joel have a son and reside in Birmingham, AL.

Ellis Terry

Alabama native Ellis Terry founded SoulGrown in 2013 while studying at The University of Alabama with a desire to showcase the style and beauty found throughout his home state. Through its unique perspective on Southern culture, today SoulGrown shares the personality of Alabama with people across the world. Ellis and his wife, Emily, reside in Birmingham, Alabama.

Julia Sayers Gokhale

Julia Sayers Gokhale is a writer and editor who has been working in the lifestyle journalism industry since 2012. She was Editor in Chief of Birmingham Magazine for five years and is now leading SoulGrown’s content team. Find her on Instagram at @juliasayers or email her at julia@soul-grown.com.

Kate Fitch

A Birmingham native and marketing strategist, Kate Fitch has a passion for utilizing mindful strategies to create meaningful results. After spending several years working and traveling throughout the U.S. and beyond, she has come to appreciate the beauty of home and community. She founded Local Living Birmingham, a directory created to increase visibility for local businesses in her hometown, as a way to express this appreciation. Over the course of her career, she has taken on projects from a range of clients in need of curated, conscious marketing strategies.

Eric Velasco

Eric Velasco is a freelance writer based in Birmingham. He has written for local, regional and national publications for nearly four decades, and was a longtime contributor to Birmingham Magazine. When he’s not cooking, he’s eating.

Tara Massouleh

Tara Massouleh McCay is a writer and editor based in Birmingham, Alabama. She was previously associate editor at Birmingham magazine and has been contributing to local and regional publications since 2015. She loves sports, spicy food, and above all the art of storytelling.

Walker Miller

As Art Director, Walker is in charge of graphic design needs for SoulGrown including images for the site, media proposals, ad creation, and logo design. Originally from Montgomery, Walker now lives in Birmingham.

Courtney Ellis

Courtney Ellis leads business development for SoulGrown and would love to learn more about unique lifestyle platforms that can help grow your business.