Erin McGrady and Caroline Whatley take a selfie outside. They're dressed in winter gear and have a cute brown dog with white eyebrows and a beard in between them.

Authentic Asheville is a team of three.

We’re Erin McGrady (she/her), Caroline Whatley (she/her), and Maggie.

We’re passionate about each other and our work and are committed to living lives that require us to step into vulnerability on the regular. We aren’t shy to share about our experiences and the challenges that we face in trying to live our most authentic lives. We’re also passionate about amplifying stories about others, particularly those in the QPOC community. We believe that love is love and that it’s everything.

Video, photography, writing, content creation, and social media are our specialties and we use these tools to share stories with meaning and purpose in order to foster connections with others. We’re most at home in the outdoors. Nature is the place where we feel the most comfortable and it has a central role in our lives.

We’re based out of Asheville, North Carolina but are always thrilled to take to the road for work. We own a camper van and it allows us to travel to jobs near and far. We’ve driven across the country and back a couple of times and are always up for making a detour for a project that catches our interest and aligns with our values.

To see some of our work as well as a list of clients, please visit our Media Kit.

FEATURED CLIENTS

Outside

The Outbound Collective

AFAR • Matador Network • Men’s Journal

MerrellColemanOrvis

Brooks Running

Patagonia • Eddie Bauer

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

CamelBak

Google Pixel • Made By Google

ENO Hammocks • BUFF

HOKA • Snow Peak • Stio

Allegiant Air • OtterBox

Visit NC • Explore Asheville • Visit Florida

Well Told • Well + Good

Aramark • Nation’s Vacation

dapperQ • ROVA Magazine

To learn more, please visit our Media Kit.

To get your questions answered about content creation and/or content marketing in Asheville and beyond, please email us at hello@authenticasheville.com


A headshot of Erin McGrady. She is smiling at the camera, wearing a green beanie and a yellow t-shirt. The background behind her is blurred out.


Erin (she/her) is a photographer, filmmaker, writer, content creator, athlete, and FAA certified commercial drone pilot. A big picture thinker with an attention to detail, she is passionate about sharing stories that are helping to build a more inclusive outdoors. She’s also not afraid to share about her experiences as a queer person of color and hopes that using her voice gives others the confidence to do so as well.

Erin is a 3-time marathon finisher with numerous half-marathons and shorter distances under her belt. She’s also completed several triathlons, most of them at the sprint and Olympic distances. These days she’s focused less on competition and more on building community, having founded the Asheville Run Crew in 2022 which celebrates BIPOC + LGBTQIA2S joy through movement. It’s also a welcoming space for allies.

In 2023, Erin was named to Merrell’s Hiking Club as a Trailblazer for the second year in a row. In 2022 she was named to the Coleman Collective and in 2020-2021 she created content for The Outbound Collective as part of a six-month Writer’s Residency.

A headshot of Caroline Whatley. She is standing outside and smiling. She has on a yellow and blue hat with the brim flipped up. It's black underneath. She has on a blue running jacket.


Caroline (she/her) is a photographer, filmmaker, food and prop stylist, content creator, athlete, and FAA certified commercial drone pilot who is committed to sharing stories through photos and videos that help amplify the experiences of people within the LGBTQ+ and QPOC communities.

She is the quiet and steady hand behind all of our projects, making sure that nothing gets forgotten or incomplete.

Caroline completed her first half marathon in 2022 and has run in a handful of 10K’s and 5K’s. She has been an integral part of Asheville Run Crew.

Prior to working with a camera, Caroline started two successful Asheville small businesses, Hole Doughnuts and Tin Can Pizzeria. Though no longer in the business of making crave-worthy food, she continues to put her creativity to use by leading and styling shoots for local and national brands. One of her strengths is in sourcing the ‘right’ props for each project whether it’s apparel, gear, or even food, and then making sure they look natural and authentic on camera.

 
 
 

Maggie is the heart and soul behind Authentic Asheville. Part cattle dog, part schnauzer, she’s the first one to rise and the last one to go to sleep. Always up for an adventure, her fun-loving, easy nature and pure enthusiasm for all things outdoors makes her our team MVP.

 

Our Creative Community Involvement + Speaking Engagements

Guest on WUNC 91.5 North Carolina Public Radio’s Due South (2024)

Hosts and founders of the BIPOC + LGBTQIA2S + Ally (Asheville Run Crew) 5K Run/Walk Pop-Ups (2023 - present)

Panelist at Patagonia ATL’s 50th Anniversary (2023)

Guest on Sweet Tea 103.3FM, a show that celebrates everything LGBTQ+ in Asheville (2023)

Panelist w/Brooks Running at the Boston Marathon (2023)

Panelist w/Brooks Running and Prolyfyck for the Who Is A Runner Film Screening in Charlottesville, Virginia (2023)

Cut Fruit Podcast (2023)

Organized a run with friends and donated $2500 to Fearless 261 which offers education and running opportunities to women (2023)

Campaign For Southern Equality Pride Photo Show (2022)

Featured on The Trail Ahead Podcast (2022)

Panelist for Columbia during AAPI Month (2022)

Panelist at the Brooks Running Hyperion House during Boston Marathon Weekend (2022)

Panelist for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Pride (2021)

Panelist for The Outbound Collective’s Writing Residency (2021)

Guest Lecturer w/ the Photography Department at the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) (2021)

REI Photography Class: How to Take Better Outdoor Photos on Your Phone (2019)

Guest Speaker at Tech Talent South in Asheville (2018)

Guest Speaker at PhotoCon Lite: Be Connected (2018)

REI Photography Class: Basic to Better: How to Improve Your Adventure Photos (2017)

Hosts and Founders of the Asheville Instameet (2016, 2017, 2018)

Please contact us for more information or to discuss speaking engagements and opportunities.


Authentic Asheville’s Social Media Channels

Instagram:
@e.mcgrady 26.5K
@authenticasheville 13.4K
@carolineperdue 2.3K

Threads:
@e.mcgrady 1.7K
@authenticasheville: 1.7K

Facebook:
@AuthenticAVL 2.4K + Personal accounts

Social Media Followers: 47.7K+


Together, we are Authentic Asheville.

We are working to increase representation on both sides of the lens.

Not sure how we can help but interested in learning more?

Drop us a line and let's get creative together!