Meet the Team

Melody Parry has been in the strategic communications and marketing field for 30 years. She and her husband co-founded Inside Columbia and its sister magazines, which have won numerous national awards for editorial content, design and photography. As publisher, she oversees the strategic direction of the publications. Melody was a small business owner for 15 years, founding a marketing agency assisting national, regional and local clients with their strategic communications needs while co-hosting a weekly radio show for eight years. Melody has been active in the local community, founding a nonprofit organization to educate women about their health and well-being. She served as president for an international nonprofit organization that focuses on providing support to women and orphans in Africa. She has traveled to Malawi four times to support three small villages with their feeding and educational programs and to help build a local library. She was honored as the Debin Benish Outstanding Business Woman of the Year from the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Outside of Malawi, Columbia is her favorite place to be. You can often find Melody and her husband trying new dishes at Barred Owl Butcher & Table and Chris McD’s. She also loves playing pickleball at Albert Oakland Park with her son Nick and video games with her son Max. And she continues to enjoy the competitions, even though she rarely wins. (But don’t be fooled — she wins plenty off the court.)

Madeleine Leroux has been the editor of Inside Columbia magazine since fall 2021. In her role, she is responsible for leading the editorial coverage of the magazine. Before coming to Inside Columbia, Madeleine spent more than a decade working in newspapers across Illinois, Arkansas and mid-Missouri, including multiple positions with the Jefferson City News Tribune and as assistant city editor at the Columbia Daily Tribune. During her career, Madeleine has been honored with multiple awards, including first place for magazine/alternative publication from the Missouri Press Association, first place for investigative reporting from the Kansas City Press Club and first place for general excellence from Arkansas Associated Press Media Editors. Madeleine is a Chicago native who studied news-editorial journalism and political science at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Outside of work, Madeleine enjoys baking and loves to share the final products with friends, neighbors and coworkers. She is an avid watcher of almost anything comedic and especially loves all things Mel Brooks. Some of her favorite spots in Columbia include Pasta La Fata, Boone Olive Oil Co., Plume and D. Rowe’s. She has two cats, Millie and Simon, and a dog, Bella, who loves to visit the dog park at Twin Lakes Recreation Area.

Tim Flanner has been in graphic design for more than 20 years. His first job in the field of design was laying out the catalog for Bass Pro Shops. Tim has been with Zimmer Communications for 16 years, where he has been part of many changes and different directions. In 2018, he became the art director at Inside Columbia after the publication joined the Zimmer family. As art director, Tim oversees the visual concepts of Inside Columbia, working closely with the photo editor and graphic designer to ensure each issue of the magazine looks beautiful, from editorial content to advertising. Tim received his fine arts degree in illustration/graphic design from Missouri State University. Outside of work, Tim is a passionate fisherman who loves being outdoors. When he’s not behind a computer screen, he’s usually in his boat on a river somewhere. Recently, Tim has found a way to combine his two great passions by airbrushing his own custom fishing lines.

Inside Columbia magazine gained a new member in July 2022 with Zola Crowder, a California girl who has had a passion for storytelling all her life. Along with being the associate editor, Zola also handles Inside Columbia’s social media pages, which includes filming and editing videos. While storytelling is in her blood, working for the magazine is her first taste of print journalism. Zola studied broadcast journalism and theater at the University of Missouri and got her first chance on air while in school at KOMU 8 News. After graduating in May 2020, Zola began working at ABC 17 News as a reporter covering politics, crime, economics, the COVID-19 pandemic and more. She quickly became an anchor, taking on many duties including anchoring the noon and 9 a.m. shows, along with the Alert Desk. Now, Zola is using her journalism skills to inform Columbians of all the wonderful things this community has to offer. When not working, Zola enjoys cooking up new recipes, re-watching her favorite television shows and spending time outdoors. Zola also has explored the world of music since a young age, picking up her first pair of drumsticks at 6 months old. She played the violin for more than 13 years, ending her career on the Carnegie Hall stage. Now, Zola enjoys fiddling with her ukulele and jamming with her family when visiting her home state of California. Zola and her fiancé recently added a new member to their family, a golden retriever named Benelli, who is the absolute light of their lives.

LG Patterson has been photographing events and sharing his knowledge in Columbia since 1982. During that time, he has been an editorial freelancer for clients that include the Associated Press, New York Times, USA Today, TIME magazine, United Press International, Newsweek, ESPN The Magazine, Fox Sports, Major League Baseball and Sports Illustrated. LG has won awards from the Pictures of the Year competition, National Press Photographers Association and has been part of the team in multiple Addy awards. Before becoming photo editor for Inside Columbia in 2005, LG worked as a staff photographer for the Columbia Daily Tribune. On the commercial side of visuals, LG’s clients include the University of Missouri, Stephens College, Columbia College and Central Bank, among many others. LG is a graduate of the University of Missouri and has been an adjunct professor at the Missouri School of Journalism and Stephens College. When he’s not working, LG enjoys spending time in Columbia’s many top restaurants, enjoying the good food and atmosphere. He also collects vintage cameras. LG and his wife, Melissa, have been together for 25 years and have three children.

Being born and raised in Columbia, Madelyn Jones has a natural interest in the city and the magazine that serves it. As a graphic designer, she designs the pages of the magazine, along with digital and print ads. She also serves as the fashion stylist for Inside Columbia, coordinating clothing and accessories used in each issue. Madelyn pursued this profession after discovering her passion for design while in college. She attended the University of Missouri and earned her bachelor’s of fine arts degree with an emphasis in graphic design in May 2021. Shortly after graduating, Madelyn began at Inside Columbia in September 2021. While Madelyn's specialty is in graphic design, she also loves working with other art mediums. Her favorites are oil paint, graphite and photography. In her spare time, you’ll probably find her working on various art projects. Madelyn also seeks adventure, being an adrenaline junkie who loves heights. From hanging off cliffs to skydiving, she likes to live on the edge. When on the ground, one of her favorite spots in Columbia is Southside Pizza & Pub. The local restaurant is where she made memories and forged bonds with some of her lifelong friends and where they continue to meet.

Brook Harlan, a culinary arts instructor at the Columbia Area Career Center, has served as the magazine’s food editor for the past 16 years. The native Columbian is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where he earned associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. A Columbia Public Schools teacher for the past 21 years, he has coached a number of state and national champions in the annual Skills USA competition. Brook also appeared in the first season of “The Next Food Network Star,” where he was one of eight finalists. When he’s not teaching students culinary skills, you can find him growing food in his own garden or perusing the Columbia Farmers Market. He does quite a bit of “research” for his class and magazine by often eating at one of Columbia’s many great restaurants. He and his wife also love traveling, camping and corralling their two kids.