Meet The MyBoston Team!

IT TAKES A VILLAGE to find, write, photograph, and publish the most compelling stories in Back Bay and Beacon Hill. Here, we introduce you to MyBoston’s core creative team.

Renata Coker

Renata is the founder and publisher of MyBoston magazine. She oversees the publication and manages partnerships and brand direction, ensuring content aligns with our audience and mission.

Why did you start this publication?

No one was telling the stories of Back Bay and Beacon Hill with the sophistication, depth, and local insight they deserve. I wanted a magazine that celebrates the people, organizations, and culture that make these neighborhoods exceptional— something our readers would truly connect with and read cover to cover.

Describe your role at the magazine in three or four words.

Connector, curator and community champion.

What was your biggest surprise this first year?

How quickly people embraced the magazine—there’s a stronger sense of community in this big city than I ever expected, and a real hunger to connect, gather and participate.

What would your dream cover be?

A secret! Not many magazines here photograph their own original covers, and I am proud that we do. Our covers are hard work to create, but it’s worth the effort because they’re so celebrated and anticipated by readers. We love to keep them secret until the delivery date, and they’ll always feature an everyday hero, neighbor or local icon. We also enjoy making “behind the scenes” social media posts about how we shoot our covers, which people love to watch!

What’s something you’d like MyBoston readers to know about you?

I grew up in the Czech Republic and speak five languages. I started my career as a schoolteacher, then moved into public radio and television, producing my own show, and even toured Europe as a professional singer. During the pandemic, I launched a knitting business. When I came to the U.S., I had to rebuild my career from the ground up, proving it’s never too late to create something meaningful!

How would your closest friends describe you?

Determined, loyal, creative, and social.

Favorite movies and books?

“Kolya” (Kolja), an Oscar-winning Czech film that celebrates the unexpected bond between a man and a young boy, and “Zelary,” an Oscar-nominated Czech film that portrays a woman’s transformation from city medical student to a rural village wife during World War II. My favorite book is Milan Kundera’s “The Unbearable Lightness of Being."  First published in the U.S. in 1984, the novel explores love, identity and existential freedom.

Claire Vail

Editor and lead writer, Claire also takes excellent photographs for many of our stories, including last month’s feature on the Museum of Fine Arts and this month’s piece about Doyle.

Why did you say Yes to this project?

Our publisher Renata and I clicked over cappuccino at Jonquils Café & Bakery. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious, and I figured (correctly) that it would be great fun to work with her! Also, I’ve been a writer and photographer for years, and was intrigued by the opportunity to portray the city I love and have lived in for 25 years.

What’s your favorite hidden corner or ritual in your neighborhood?

I like strolling around Beacon Hill at any time, and remembering how many important moments in my life happened here: Moving a small library up five flights of stairs to our postage-stamp sized apartment on Myrtle Street; getting engaged over dinner at 75 Chestnut while the whole restaurant cheered; pushing our daughter on that spinner thing at the Esplanade playground until I nearly blacked out.

Most memorable or funniest moment while working on an issue?

When Renata took me—a Netflix- addict and aspiring introvert—to four different events on a single evening. We started at The Newbury for a lesson in how to make the perfect mint julep, then we sampled nachos at a taco joint, dropped in at a pop-up, and finally climbed the roof of the Pru, which was decked out like Mount Olympus for a Greek embassy event.

Is there one photo or article from the past year that feels especially meaningful to you?

I typically go to the Museum of Fine Arts at least once a month by myself so I can really focus, so I loved writing and photographing the MFA story. I spent four hours in the museum that day, and I was thrilled to get the second to last ticket to the van Gogh exhibit.

What’s something you’d like MyBoston readers to know about you?

I own hundreds of art books on many different subjects, but I’m especially drawn to medieval and Baroque art. I love traveling and will drop everything to do it. If I could have a button to teleport somewhere, I’d choose Paris or Palaiochora, a village in southwest Crete—it’s got everything I need to be happy.

Night owl or morning person?

Nighttime is the right time, until the wee hours.

How can people submit an idea for (or write for) MyBoston magazine?

We welcome ideas! Our focus is the people and businesses of Back Bay and Beacon Hill, and we want to cover whatever local stories spark your curiosity. Please email editor@mybostonmag.com with any suggestions or offers to write for us.

Ben Flythe

Ben photographed many of our covers this first year, including those featuring Keith Lockhart, conductor of the Boston Pops, and Pierre Terjanian, director of the Museum of Fine Arts.

Why did you say Yes to this project?

I’ve known Renata for several years now. When she presented the magazine’s concept, I said Yes because I know firsthand how many remarkable people live in Back Bay and Beacon Hill. There are so many stories to tell, and I’ve always wanted to highlight the impressive people who call our neighborhoods home.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned in this first year?

How small Boston really is. Everyone knows everyone else, and you’re only ever two steps removed from just about anyone in the city.

What’s your favorite hidden corner or ritual in your neighborhood?

When I take the T into Back Bay, I often get off at Park Street to walk across Boston Common and the Public Garden. During the summer, I literally stop to smell the roses and take the long way around the lagoon.

How is Boston different from other places you’ve lived?

Boston is criminally underrated for its contributions to arts, culture, and community. I was fortunate to have lived in Italy for a short time and travel extensively through Europe. Still, Boston is hands down one of the most culturally significant cities in the world.

Most memorable or funniest moment while working on an issue?

When prepping to photograph Keith Lockhart at Symphony Hall, I planned to make portraits in the orchestra seating. But when I arrived on the day of our sitting, I learned that a private event the night before had cleared all the chairs and replaced them with cocktail tables. Thankfully, I had time to pivot and work in the mezzanine instead. You can plan all you want, but you have to stay light on your feet!

What are three words your closest friends would use to describe you?

Dedicated, thoughtful and curious.

What’s a perfect day off from work like for you?

Honestly, I can’t sit still, so my “days off” rarely look like true days off. A perfect one might be a leisurely breakfast at a local café followed by hours working in my darkroom, processing film or making traditional silver gelatin prints.

Favorite travel destination and why?

To quote the Billy Strayhorn song, Lush Life: “A week in Paris might ease the bite of it.” I love people watching in Parisian cafés (visit Les Deux Abeilles near the Eiffel Tower— you won’t be disappointed), walking along the Seine at twilight, and spending a sunny afternoon at the Musée Rodin and its sculpture garden.