About Vancouver Family Magazine – Our Story
Vancouver Family Magazine has a storied history, and we are so proud to serve the Clark County community. The magazine is and always has been locally-owned and women-owned!
The magazine was founded in 2003 by Summer Morris, a Vancouver mother who was frustrated with the lack of information specific to Southwest Washington families. While she loved occasionally visiting Portland and the other fun spots across the river, her family’s activities, schools, friends, neighbors and life were firmly rooted in Clark County. She needed to know what was happening here, and what resources for her family were available here. She started with publishing a small newsprint listing service for daycares called “Childcare Choices.” As the listings became more popular, she brought the publication to life with editorial content and display ads and renamed the bimonthly Vancouver Kidz Magazine. Experienced graphic designer, Julie Buchan, soon came on board as a business partner, using her skills to visually elevate the magazine to the next level. With a final rename and increase from bimonthly to a monthly circulation in 2006, Vancouver Family Magazine was iterated in all of its monthly, full-color, glossy glory.
Summer was proud of what she and Julie had built, but her other entrepreneurial interests eventually began taking her elsewhere. Julie wanted to stay with the magazine, but Summer started looking for just the right person to join Julie in carrying on the little local magazine she had created out of nothing.
Meanwhile, another local mother, Nikki Klock, had recently settled in Vancouver with her husband and two very young daughters. She hadn’t yet heard of the magazine when one day her mom called to tell her that a local magazine was for sale—it would be a perfect fit for her, what with her love of writing and general chutzpah. But could she publish a magazine? Could she own a business? She wasn’t sure. What she could do was give Summer a call to learn more.
Summer answered all of her questions with confidence and transparency. And the more Nikki learned, the more she wanted to publish and own and even grow this wonderful local resource of a magazine. Once Nikki met Julie, her soon-to-be business partner, she knew that it would be a perfect fit.
The deal was done. In September 2006, Nikki purchased Summer’s share of Vancouver Family Magazine. For 18 years, Nikki grew the magazine exponentially. In addition to the print magazine, she grew the VFM website and created the magazine’s social media channels from scratch. She introduced digital ads and sponsored content and explored other creative avenues for sharing local news. Her work on the magazine enriched her life and was truly a dream job. Nikki and Julie remained partners and owners of the magazine until May 2025, when another moment of fate stepped in.
Catherine Stacks began writing articles for Vancouver Family Magazine in 2024 after blindly emailing Nikki to see if there were any writing assignments for someone like her. She had moved to Clark County a few years prior and had over a dozen years of experience in content creation, writing, social media and marketing across her career, but her heart truly was one of a journalist. Having earned her Master’s in Journalism, she was hoping to get back to her roots and write articles in this new place she called home. Having grown up in the Seattle area and spending half of her life in Washington state, coming back to the Pacific Northwest was a welcome home after spending over a decade in California.
After writing a few articles, Catherine knew she wanted to get even more involved in the magazine. Around this same time, Nikki was looking to forge a new path in her career now that her children were young adults. She reached out to Catherine to see if she would be interested in becoming the new owner/editor, and Catherine was thrilled about the new opportunity. As the two met, they felt very similar to how Nikki felt when she purchased the magazine in 2006 – it seemed like a perfect for for them both. The two women were finishing each other’s sentences and were in lock-step with their goals for the magazine moving forward. It felt like it was meant to be. Catherine took over as editor/owner in May 2025 and is so excited to have the magazine continue to serve families here in Clark County.
Vancouver Family Magazine now boasts a circulation of 8,000-10,000 magazines per month which are available for free at various businesses, schools, libraries and organizations throughout Vancouver, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Camas, Washougal, and Woodland. In addition to the popular print magazine, readers enjoy online-exclusive content, giveaways and hundreds of community event listings at VancouverFamilyMagazine.com. The social media channels also have a growing and engaged audience.
Vancouver Family Magazine’s mission is to strengthen a sense of community by providing Southwest Washington families with comprehensive and locally based resources and information regarding parenting, education, news, community events and personalities, recreation and more.
We connect your family to the people, places, ideas and organizations that help you thrive.
Go here to learn more about us in an episode of local KXRW FM Vancouver radio show, The Common Good. Former VFM editor, Nikki Klock sat down with host Joe Clemons to talk about positive news, how we create Vancouver Family Magazine and more.
Our Team
Catherine Stacks
Catherine became the owner and editor of Vancouver Family Magazine in 2025. She earned her M.A. in Journalism from the University of Southern California and her B.A. in Communications from Washington State University. She has spent about half of her life here in the Pacific Northwest. Aside from reading and writing, she enjoys frequenting local restaurants and exploring what the area has to offer with her family.
I-Shüan Warr
I-Shüan Warr became principal graphic designer of Vancouver Family Magazine in 2012. She has been a graphic designer for over 17 years since graduating from Brigham Young University, and has loved almost every day of it. She and her husband and two boys like to hike and bike together, and she enjoys volunteering at school and church, traveling, taking pictures, and eating cookies.
Sarah Mortensen
Sarah Mortensen has been a contributing writer at Vancouver Family Magazine since 2018. Sarah grew up in Utah but has lived in the Pacific Northwest region since 2006. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a focus in English and Marriage and Family Studies.
Though a transplant to Washington, Sarah can’t imagine living anywhere else. She especially enjoys, hiking and swimming in the region’s many beautiful trails and lakes with her husband, son and daughter- depending on the season.
Kristen Flowers
Kristen Flowers has been a contributing writer at Vancouver Family Magazine in 2020. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and daughter, Lilly. You can hear the whole family on 99.5 The Wolf during the Nick and Kristen Morning Show. When she is not working and writing, Kristen loves crafting, watching documentaries and going to escape rooms.
Emily Corak
Emily Corak has been a contributing writer at Vancouver Family Magazine since 2022. She has lived in the Pacific Northwest for the past three decades. A former educator with Vancouver School District, Emily is now a freelance writer, photographer and mom to two young kids with big personalities. She recently earned her MFA in creative writing and, if given the choice, she would spend all her spare cash on travel and books.
Rachael Rafanelli
Rachael Rafanelli has been a contributing writer at Vancouver Family Magazine since 2025. She is a communications specialist, former TV news reporter and artist—and above all, a proud mom of twin boys. A Ridgefield native with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, she brings a storyteller’s heart to everything she does. Whether she’s creating content, drawing or exploring the outdoors with her dog Avalon, Rachael leads with creativity. She is known for her enthusiasm, quick wit and tendency to talk just a little too much (in the best way).
Jessica Becker
Jessica Becker has been a contributing writer at Vancouver Family Magazine since 2025. She is the author of the “little feet hiking” series of kids hiking guides, as well as the new accessible trail guide Strolling and Wheeling Around Vancouver, WA. Her main reasons for writing these guides are to help families get outside in an easy, fun and safe way, as well as learn about nature. Jessica has been leading family-focused hikes and teaching families about nature in the Clark County area for over 10 years. Jessica is also a homeschooling mom, incorporating local trails into her nature and science studies as much as possible. Jessica lives in the Clark County foothills with her husband, daughter and two dogs.