About RoanokeFamily: Southwest Virginia's Family Guide Since 2012
We're not a national parenting brand with generic advice. We're local. We know the trails, the teachers, the family-owned businesses, and the hidden-gem spots that make the Roanoke Valley a genuinely great place to raise a family. We know this community because we live here — and we've been building this resource, one trusted recommendation at a time, since 2012.
Our Story
RoanokeFamily was founded in 2012 by Josh Eagan with a mission as simple as it was needed: make parenting easier and growing up fun in the Roanoke Valley. What started as a local resource for Southwest Virginia families grew over more than a decade into the region's most trusted guide — connecting Star City parents to the camps, schools, events, healthcare providers, and community experiences that make this area special.
In 2025, RoanokeFamily was bought by Zinnia Communications — the family media company behind CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine, which has served Central Virginia parents since 1998. That partnership brought new energy, resources, and reach to RoanokeFamily while keeping what matters most exactly the same: a deep commitment to the families of the Roanoke Valley.
CharlottesvilleFamily's proven model — award-winning local content, trusted community relationships, and readers who come back year after year — is the standard RoanokeFamily is built on here in Southwest Virginia.
What We Cover
RoanokeFamily is the most comprehensive local guide for families in the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia, from Roanoke and Salem to Vinton, Cave Spring, Hollins, Botetourt County, Franklin County, and beyond. Our readers come to us for:
- Education — Preschools, private schools, daycare, and public school guides for Roanoke City and surrounding counties
- Summer Camps — The region's most complete camp guide, from day camps and arts programs to sports and sleepaway options
- Health & Wellness — Pediatrician recommendations, kids sports and classes, and family health resources
- Family Fun — The best things to do in the Roanoke Valley with kids, birthday party venues, parks, playgrounds, and outdoor adventures
- Moving to the Roanoke Valley — A go-to resource for families relocating to Southwest Virginia
- Community & Events — Local family events, seasonal guides, and the organizations that make this region a great place to grow up
Meet Our Team
Amanda Danaher — Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Amanda is the founder of Blue Cottage Media LLC, which publishes RoanokeFamily under license. A journalism graduate and experienced family media editor, she took over as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief in 2026. She's raising five young children in Lexington, which means she knows what Roanoke Valley parents are actually looking for — and she's passionate about connecting them to the resources, recommendations, and encouragement they need.
Jennifer Bryerton, M.A.Ed. — Founder, Zinnia Communications
Jennifer is the co-founder and publisher of CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine and the driving force behind Zinnia Communications, the family media company that includes RoanokeFamily and VirginiaSummerCamp.com. She has spent over 25 years building trusted local resources for Virginia families — first in Charlottesville, now across the state. She has been recognized as a child development and family resource expert, including by Virginia Living Magazine and the Virginia Discovery Museum. She is a frequent contributor to small business and parenting podcasts and gives regular invited community talks. A mother of four, she loves collecting treasures from her travels to decorate their home, reading, pickleball, botanical crafts, and caring for the family's gardens.
Why Families Trust Us
Local Expertise, Not Algorithms Every recommendation we make comes from real knowledge of the Roanoke Valley — the people, the places, and the things that actually work for local families.
Backed by Award-Winning Standards RoanokeFamily is part of Zinnia Communications, whose flagship publication CharlottesvilleFamily has earned multiple Gold Awards from the Parenting Media Association — the national trade organization for family media — for editorial and design excellence. That same standard guides everything we publish.
A Community We're Part Of [ADD: community organizations, local causes, events RF supports — this is a strong trust signal worth filling in as you build it out.]
Part of a Trusted Virginia Network RoanokeFamily is proud to be part of Zinnia Communications alongside CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine and VirginiaSummerCamp.com — Virginia's most trusted family media network.
For Local Businesses
The Roanoke Market
The Roanoke Valley is one of Virginia's most compelling markets for businesses that serve families. Here's why:
The Roanoke metro area is home to nearly 195,500 residents across the city and county, with more than 26,800 public school students enrolled across both systems. Roanoke County alone has 27.7% of households actively raising children under 18 — nearly 1 in 3 families — with a median household income of $83,709, a median home value of $286,000, and a homeownership rate of 75.7%. Median ages of 38–44 across the valley put this squarely in the heart of the family-formation years. These are established, engaged, community-rooted households with real purchasing power — and they're making decisions about schools, healthcare, camps, activities, and services for their kids every single day.
Our Reach
RoanokeFamily's email list is an opt-in audience of 6,000+ subscribers — parents who chose to hear from us — with an open rate above 25%, well above the industry average for publishing. These aren't passive followers. They're parents actively looking for local guidance, and they trust what we recommend.
- 6,000+ opt-in email subscribers
- 25%+ open rate (industry average: ~16%)
- Roanoke Valley families across the city, county, and surrounding region
- Print, digital, email, and social reach
We believe local businesses and local media thrive together — and our sister publication CharlottesvilleFamily has the multi-decade advertiser partnerships to prove it. Zinnia Communications is a SWAM-certified (Small, Women & Minority Owned) business.
