SEATTLE, WA—As GRAY Media, LLC continues to grow as a leading international design authority in 2020, the Pacific Northwest-based media company has named writer, editor, and educator Lauren Gallow as Executive Editor and elevated Senior Editor Rachel Gallaher to Deputy Editor. Working closely with Matthew Dakotah, Vice President of Content + Creative, and GRAY founder and CEO Shawn Williams, Gallow will lead the editorial team and help execute and integrate GRAY’s editorial vision across all print, digital, and event platforms, including the award-winning GRAY magazine and graymag.com. Together, Gallow and Gallaher will continue to elevate the brand’s editorial products and expand its reach as the company develops dynamic new channels and experiential content.
Gallow has over a decade of experience writing about architecture, design, and the visual arts as both a scholar and content writer. Her editorial work has been featured in New American Paintings, Seattle Met, GRAY, and Ledger Magazine, among others, and she has presented her research at conferences and seminars across the United States and internationally. Gallow holds a Master’s degree in Art & Architectural History from the University of California, Santa Barbara where her work focused on a critical analysis of design media. She has taught and led workshops on storytelling and architectural history at UC Santa Barbara, the University of Washington, Otherwild in Los Angeles, and Have Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
After receiving her MA and pursuing doctoral studies for several years, Gallow relocated to Seattle where she worked as an in-house writer and marketing professional at internationally renowned design firm Olson Kundig. While at Olson Kundig, Gallow contributed to winning proposals for cultural projects around the world, including the Bob Dylan Center and the Land Art Generator Initiative. She also worked with the firm’s principals to write and edit content for monographs, editorial essays, award submittals, and publications. Gallow has also enjoyed stints in the curatorial departments at SITE Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tucson, Arizona.
Gallaher is an award-winning design, arts and lifestyle writer and editor. As a founding member of GRAY, she has played a critical leading role in developing the editorial content of the magazine for nearly a decade – helping to position the brand for global acclaim. Gallaher’s work has appeared in The Seattle Times, City Arts (where she was the primary theatre and dance critic for many years), Kinfolk, Surface, Alaska Airlines’ Beyond, Seattle Homes & Lifestyles, and Jetsetter. In 2015, Gallaher was named one of Folio’s “30 Under 30,” where she was touted as an “up-and-coming star who will shape the future of the magazine media industry.”
“I am honored and incredibly excited to have Lauren and Rachel by my side as we work together to cover the best in global design and expand GRAY’s international presence,” says Dakotah. “They are both highly gifted writers and editors with a deep knowledge of design and a great passion for thoughtful storytelling.”
Separately, Meghan Burger has been named Events Director – following her widely praised management of December’s GRAY Awards – and Tracey Bjerke has been promoted to Executive Services Manager, as her role supporting an array of key brand functions continues to grow.
“As we step onto the international stage and look to all of the incredible opportunities before us, I am in awe of the immense strength, talent, and dedication of GRAY’s team,” Williams says. “It feels like an embarrassment of riches and for that, and so much more, I’m deeply grateful.”
GRAY Media, LLC, is a privately-held media company based in Seattle, Washington, USA. The brand’s award-winning, multimedia coverage spans architecture, interiors, design, culture, and fashion. With a focus on the creative process, artisanship, and the industry’s influence on contemporary culture, GRAY contextualizes design through thoughtful storytelling. Founded in 2011 with a focus on the Pacific Northwest and now international in scope, GRAY is comprised of diverse platforms and properties, including a print and digital magazine, website, talks, competitions, and events that have a total brand reach of 25 million.