At FXBG Neighbors, our team is the heartbeat of our publication, driven by a shared passion for bringing the most captivating, insightful, and relevant content to our community. Each member of our team plays a crucial role in bringing our publication to life. We're proud to share our work with you and hope it inspires, informs, and connects us all a little more closely.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. Welcome to the neighborhood!
Dori Roberts Stewart: Publisher
Dori, with an 11-year tenure as a high school engineering teacher at Colonial Forge High School, transitioned into entrepreneurship, establishing a company that garnered numerous accolades. Her business acumen and innovative strategies have been recognized in prestigious publications like Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, CNN Money, Fox Business, and Kiplinger’s. Her contributions to the business world earned her the title of Stafford County Business Innovator of the Year.
Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, Dori is deeply involved in her local community through her roles as editor and publisher of Neighbors of Courthouse, Neighbors of Chancellorsville, and Stafford Living Magazine. Her dedication to her hometown is evident in her efforts to foster community spirit and support the growth of local businesses. As a committed and long-standing member of the community, Dori's enthusiasm for bringing people together and nurturing local enterprises is a testament to her passion for serving the area she calls home.
Mallory Hardgrove: Content Coordinator
Mallory is a former teacher and coach turned freelancer, deciding to pivot her career when her husband's military career took their family to Italy. She has since begun a career in digital marketing where she enjoys blogging, writing copy, and designing new, creative ads to catch the attention of client’s respective audiences.
Since returning to the States and settling down in Stafford, she's added a few other projects to her plate, including her new role as the content coordinator for Stafford Living and Neighbors of Chancellorsville. As a former sports editor of her college newspaper and high school yearbook editor-in-chief, she's enjoying being "back in the saddle" of local journalism.
When she’s not working, she can be found controlling the chaos of her #girlmom and #armyspouse life, playing referee, mediator, and short-order cook; planning her next European adventure and reminiscing about her #ladolcevita life; reading the next novel on her TBR list; or cuddling with her 90-pound furbaby, Murray.
Karen Presecan: Photographer
Meeting Karen is walking into a room full of joy. That is what her photography sessions provide. A military spouse, Karen found her love for photography after her husband left on a deployment. Looking for a creative outlet, Karen Presecan Photography was born. Now, the whole family is involved. Her children help her with setups while her husband handles the finances. Talk about teamwork!
Karen’s sincere passion for her work speaks for itself. Her philosophy is to bring joy to the home with stunning photographs of special moments. Her photography portfolio ranges from professional headshots, families, senior portraits, and my personal favorite pets.
Karen's photos can be seen on our cover and for many of our family features. She is thrilled to be part of the FXBG Neighbors team.
Crissy Hall: Publisher’s Assistant
A graduate of Mary Washington University, Crissy is forever rooted to our community. She graduated with a degree in Business Management and had a long career building/growing several national retail brands starting in stores and moving into various corporate settings. This involved traveling abroad as well as moving several times to some of the greatest cities in the US. While living in Boston she met her husband and moved back home to Virginia to marry and start her family.
She is now the mom of twins who wanted to have a great career, with the flexibility to spend more time with her son and daughter. That's when she started developing the plan to create her own business. Crissy saw an opportunity to help small business owners with their administrative tasks so that they could concentrate on growing their own businesses. Starting with one client in 2020, her dedication to customer service and efficiency has garnered her 13 clients. Together with Dori and the entire FXBG Team she helps nurture and coordinate advertising for over 70 locally owned small businesses every month!
Cherice Taylor: Contributing Writer
Cherice Taylor, M.A. Education Administration, is the Center Director at Sylvan Learning of Fredericksburg, King George and Stafford. She is the 2022-2023 Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Stafford, the Co-Owner of Cookies4Swag LLC, and a Charter Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Psi Psi Omega Chapter. She is a relationship builder, poet and a former educator with over 10 years experience at the preschool through high school levels. Cherice earned her Bachelor's degree from UCLA and her Masters in Education Administration from California State University- Dominguez Hills. She is married to LCDR Eric Taylor (retired) and a mother of four sons. A positive attitude and the belief that sharing pearls of wisdom along with the Golden Rule allows for everyone to improve and reach their personal goals. This is demonstrated in the podcast show that she hosts, Time Matters! Service Above Self is the Rotary International Motto and Cherice's belief that if we all do better, then we all do better is why Cherice is involved in the community.
Karie Owens: Contributing Writer
Karie, a native of Pennsylvania, cherishes her roots in faith and family above all else. Together with her husband and their nine children, they have fearlessly embraced life's adventures, including living in Africa and establishing a successful business.
Beyond her roles as a dedicated wife and mother, Karie is a passionate educator, talented musician, and enthusiastic traveler. Her love for exploring new cultures and experiencing the world is matched only by her appreciation for a good cup of coffee.
Driven by her desire to positively impact others, Karie approaches each day with a deep sense of purpose. Whether through her teaching, her music, or her interactions with people around the globe, she strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those she meets.
Karie's journey is a testament to the power of faith, family, and a relentless spirit of adventure. Her story serves as an inspiration for others to live boldly, love deeply, and make a lasting impact on the world around them.
Mora Soan: Contributing Writer
Mora Soan is a paraprofessional at Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School in Stafford, Virginia. Outside of work, she enjoys crafting, reading, and writing children’s books with her daughter, Lana.
Mora’s greatest passion is travel, and she dreams of embarking on a road trip to explore all 52 states. She finds joy in experiencing new places, meeting new people, and immersing herself in different cultures.
Working with children has always been a rewarding experience for Mora, and she is grateful for the opportunity to support and inspire young minds every day. Her dream is to continue exploring the world and sharing her love for learning and creativity with others.
Julia Pesnell: Contributing Writer, Neighbors of Chancellorsville
Julia Pesnell is a junior at Riverbend High School. She is a student of the Commonwealth Governor’s and serves as the Riverbend Junior Class President. Julia also runs cross country and track for the Riverbend High School team. She holds the position of committee executive for the Spanish Honor Society and is a class representative for their chapter of HOSA. Beyond her leadership roles, Julia is actively involved in community service and is a member of the National English Honor Society.
Tayler Tanks: Contributing Writer, Stafford Living
Tayler Tanks is a junior at Mountain View High School. She serves on the Student Council as president. She is a member of the Interact club, the Black Student Union, FCCLA, and FCA. With being in multiple clubs and activities, Tayler is an extremely active member of the Stafford community.
Allie Medina: Contributing Writer, Neighbors of Courthouse
Allie Medina is a Colonial Forge junior and editor of their school newspaper, Talon Online News. Outside of writing, she plays for the Varsity soccer team. She also is co-founder and vice president of Forge’s Female Empowerment Club, which works to provide a platform for women-based acts of service.
Nora Ahmad: Contributing Writer, Neighbors of Courthouse
Nora Ahmad, currently in her junior year at North Stafford High School, is involved with the school's DECA Club and the Book Buddy program. She harbors a strong interest in literature, journalism, business, and writing. Nora aspires to achieve her dream of becoming a published author one day.
Laura Anderson: Graphic Designer
Laura is a dedicated and detail-oriented Graphic Designer with over a decade of experience in digital and print design. Skilled in bringing concepts to life through design, Laura has a passion for conveying the right message. Her experience includes print material, email marketing, branding, advertising, typography, and photo editing. In her free time, you may find Laura crafting, learning watercolor, walking her dog, and spending time with her family.