DFW Young & Social is filled with unique and wonderful individuals and it wouldn't be the same without you! Our Member Spotlight gives us the chance to say thanks for being a part of the community, and to highlight a few of our wonderful members! 

We're honored to kick off the series with one of our most dedicated duos—the incomparable Rachel and Rusty! 

What’s something about you that not many people know? 

I have the opposite of a green thumb! Plants wither as soon as I look at them. Fortunately, my husband can grow anything—and rescue the plants I look at wrong.

What’s the last book you read? 

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake—a very cool book about fungus.

Do you have any passion projects or side gigs?

I’m lucky that my passion projects are my work—I get to spend all day writing and editing articles about tons of interesting things, like technology and public policy. 

Are you currently binge-watching any shows? 

I don’t really watch much TV, but YouTube knows I’ll stop what I’m doing if it offers me a M*A*S*H clip.

What's your favorite hobby? 

My favorite hobby is knitting—but learning how to dance is quickly catching up!

What was your favorite DFWYAS event so far? 

Going to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden was a lot of fun. A good-sized group show up, and we spent the day looking at all the different gardens, chatting, and exploring. It was a great way to spend a Sunday!

What’s something about you that not many people know? 

I love thrifting! It's a lot of fun going to second-hand stores and seeing what’s available. Plus, it gives me an opportunity to try totally different clothes and styles, without paying crazy money! Rachel and I used to have a “date night” theme, where we’d go to a thrift shop and choose each other’s outfits for the next date night, it was an absolute blast!

What’s the last book you read? 

I’m a big fan of self-help books, but I recently re-read A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson. It's a fun book about the history of the Appalachian Trail and an older suburbanite’s attempt at completing it. Bryson is a super witty writer and a lot of fun to read.

Do you have any passion projects or side gigs?

I really like to do DIY home improvement projects. On top of the sense of accomplishment, it's just super fun improving my living space by taking something non-functional or antiquated, and replacing it with something that markedly improves our quality of life. Plus, it helps a lot in my day job; since I work with a lot of first-time home buyers, I can point out which things are DIY-able, or which issues require a professional.

Are you currently binge-watching any shows? 

It's really common for me to have a nature documentary on in the background while doing things around the house. Recently I’ve had David Attenborough’s The Blue Planet on a lot. I really like nature docs, plus our dog Bailey gets super excited!

What was your favorite DFWYAS event so far? 

I think it's really hard to pick! I especially liked the “Move and Mingle”, and the “Shake Your Grass” outings. It's a lot of fun to play around, meet new people, and try out what we’ve learned in a social environment. A really close runner-up was the Holiday Masquerade. It was a ton of fun to dress up and have a party!