Meet Our Founder & Owner
Rebekah Coste is the founder and owner of St. Louis Mom. Born and raised in St. Louis, she loves the city for its rich history and small-town feel, Cardinals baseball, and gooey butter cake!
Rebekah has a bachelor’s degree in Magazine Journalism and a minor degree in French from the University of Missouri-Columbia. During her time at Mizzou, she completed internships with Associated Press Television News in Brussels, Belgium, Standard & Poors in New York, New York, and Alive Magazine in St. Louis. She returned to St. Louis where she worked in corporate communications, client proposals, and sales and account management communications at Express Scripts for five years. She then moved to Paris, France for three years to teach English in a French high school. She met and married her husband, Jean-Christophe, in France, and became a mom there, too!
She is thrilled to be home in St. Louis. She is a full-time stay at home mom to three beautiful daughters and a son. She proudly became a French citizen in the summer of 2024! The Costes reside in Kirkwood.
Rebekah is passionate about encouraging and equipping mothers on their motherhood journey. Her hope for St. Louis Mom is that it will be a powerful tool for building community between mothers and a space where mothers know how powerful their role is in raising up the next generation.
Meet Our Executive Team
Director of Sales
Kristi Denner
Originally from a small farm town in Illinois, Kristi moved to St. Louis with her husband, Dan, in 2012. The Denners reside in Wildwood with their four boys – Carson (2014), Harrison (2017), Nelson (2021), and Dawson (2024) – and their dog, Tink.
A former teacher, Kristi now brings her love of community, connection and education to her role as Sales Director at St. Louis Mom, helping families uncover the best events, experiences, and local businesses the city has to offer.
When she’s not working from home or keeping up with her busy household, Kristi enjoys Disney adventures, savoring (often reheating) a good cup of coffee, sushi dates, walks with friends, sitting by a fire, lighting seasonal candles, volunteering at her kids’ schools, and perfecting the art of curbside pickup. She also loves supporting local arts and discovering hidden STL gems.
Kristi is passionate about helping St. Louis moms feel seen, supported, and inspired, celebrating the messy, beautiful realities of motherhood!
Director of Events
Michelle Hanna
Michelle Hanna and her family began an exciting new chapter in Missouri in 2020. Before their move, Michelle co-owned an event planning company in California with her best friend, where she gained over seven years of expertise in event planning and design. From managing private celebrations to large-scale events, she has honed her skills in creating meaningful and impactful experiences. Her passion lies in fostering connections, supporting local businesses, and crafting memorable gatherings. She’s thrilled to bring her creative vision and organizational expertise to St. Louis Mom events, ensuring they are seamless, inspiring, and fun for the community!
When Michelle isn’t planning events, she treasures her role as a stay-at-home mom and loves adventuring with her two little boys. Recently, she’s embraced the art of sourdough baking and finds immense joy in experimenting with recipes. Exploring St. Louis’s vibrant food scene, supporting women-owned businesses, and connecting with other moms are among her favorite activities.
Joining the incredible St. Louis Mom community has been a meaningful experience for Michelle. She fondly recalls relying on similar resources when her family first arrived in this beautiful city. She’s grateful to be part of this amazing group and looks forward to contributing her creativity and enthusiasm to help foster connection and community!
Social Media Manager
Lauren Cappell
Lauren lives in Kirkwood with her husband, Eric, and their two daughters, Claire (7) and Frances (5).
Both she and her husband are transplants, Lauren originally from San Diego and her husband, Charleston, SC. They’ve called St. Louis their home since 2013. Lauren taught both first and third grade for 10 years before becoming a full-time stay at home mom.
Moving to a new city without friends or family forced her to get outside her comfort zone and establish friendships and discover all that St. Louis has to offer families. She understands the immense value of community which is what brought her to St. Louis Mom.
Brand Manager
Jessica Hendricks
Jessica lives in Creve Coeur with her husband Josh, and three kids Stella (2010), Graham (2012), and Mia (2015), along with two Australian Labradoodles, Bear and Macy.
She is originally from Louisville, Kentucky but was raised mostly in Irmo, South Carolina. After earning a BS Degree in Sociology at The University of Kansas she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and during her 15 years there she met her husband and started their family. In 2014, they moved back to her husband’s hometown of St. Louis and have loved exploring all the city has to offer for families. She has lived in several places around the country, but St. Louis is her favorite.
Managing Editor
Carol Kerber
The Kerbers call Castlewood Stables in Ballwin their home, and all of their neighbors run around on four legs. While this lifestyle seems a bit foreign to her nature, being part of the STL Mom team is just the opposite. Carol has always loved to write but had never really given that dream wings until now. Being part of the St. Louis Mom team fulfills both the editor and writer in her spirit, and she gets to write about what she knows best: being a mom.
Contributor Coordinator
Jennedy Lombard
Jennedy grew up in West County, attended Mizzou and now works as a full-time School Counselor. At home, her life moves along at quick pace to a lovely soundtrack of music provided by her husband, Kyle, who is a classical musician and two young sons.
When time allows, Jennedy loves a project- whether it be tiling a bathroom, decorating, gardening, meal planning, learning to sew or finding new and efficient ways to manage her household. Jennedy is hoping to figure out the magic formula of work, life and self-care balance. She’ll be sure to blog it right here when she does.
Events Coordinator
Danielle Sawyer
Danielle resides in O’Fallon with her husband Devon, two boys, Harrison and Nolan, and three dogs! Danielle is a local Autism Teacher, who advocates for all abilities. Danielle and her son are both deaf/ hard of hearing— they’re a hearing aid/ cochlear implant household.
Danielle’s hobbies include baking, riding four wheelers, exploring their property, sitting around a campfire, board games, and pinteresting crafts she most likely will never do! You can find The Sawyers at some of their favorite spots: Magic House, Big Joel’s Safari, and Indian Camp Creek!
Web Manager
Maria Tavares
Maria loves being a part of the St. Louis Mom team. From Contributing Writer, to Events Director, and more recently Web Manager, Maria has embraced each role within the team and is championing their mission all the way from Arizona.
She loves to read, dance, hang out in the sunshine, travel with her family and explore every new place she can find.
Maria is happily married to a successful Marine Industry Professional and is the proud mother of a daughter and one dog; one is easily settling into her teenage years, and the other is her momma’s fluffy shadow. Catch a glimpse of her days across the country on her Instagram @ria.fiesta.
Sponsorship Coordinator
Kalyn Harris
A proud St. Louis native, Kalyn currently resides in Ferguson with her husband, Carl, and their two daughters, Corinne (5) and Callie (3). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Hospitality Management from Southeast Missouri State University and earned her MBA from Webster University.
After completing her studies in 2013, Kalyn embarked on an unforgettable adventure teaching English to elementary students in South Korea. That year abroad not only fueled her love for travel but also deepened her appreciation for cultural exploration and global connection.Upon returning to the U.S., Kalyn relocated to Dallas, Texas, where she met her now husband.
In 2020, shortly after the birth of their first daughter and amid the pandemic, Kalyn and her family made the decision to move back to St. Louis to be closer to loved ones.Rediscovering her hometown through the eyes of her children has brought new joy to Kalyn’s life. Her family enjoys exploring local parks, trying out new restaurants, and participating in the many family-friendly activities St. Louis has to offer.
Kalyn joined the St. Louis Mom executive team in 2023 as Event Director, where she found joy in building relationships with local businesses and connecting with moms across the metro area. After two years in that role, she returned to full-time work as an Event Coordinator for a local accounting firm.
Still deeply passionate about the mission of St. Louis Mom, Kalyn is thrilled to remain part of the team as Sponsorship Coordinator—continuing to support and uplift the St. Louis mom community.
