Leah Rumack

Leah Rumack is a Toronto-based journalist specializing in lifestyle, beauty, and cannabis culture. With bylines in Toronto Life, Refinery29, and Broadview Magazine, she combines service journalism with incisive cultural commentary.

Pitching Preferences

  • Beauty Tech Innovations: Prioritizes Canadian-developed products with clinical trial data or unique applicator designs.
  • Nostalgia-Driven Features: Seeks fresh angles on retro trends, especially those intersecting with Gen-Z consumer habits.
  • Cannabis Lifestyle: Open to pitches about consumption rituals, boutique dispensaries, or harm reduction tools.

Awards Snapshot

  • National Magazine Award nominee for Investigative Reporting (2018)
  • Finalist, Just For Laughs Stand Up & Pitch Competition (2022)

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More About Leah Rumack

Bio

Leah Rumack: A Multifaceted Voice in Lifestyle and Culture

We’ve followed Leah Rumack’s dynamic career as she’s evolved from magazine editor to a versatile writer covering beauty, lifestyle, and cannabis with equal parts wit and rigor. Her work, spanning two decades, reflects a keen understanding of cultural shifts and consumer trends, making her a trusted voice in Canadian media.

Career Trajectory: From Editorial Leadership to Narrative Depth

Rumack’s journey began at Today’s Parent, where she honed her skills in features editing and audience engagement. She later served as Deputy Editor at Toronto Life, overseeing digital, print, and social content while establishing herself as a specialist in travel journalism. Her pivot to freelance writing allowed her to explore niche beats like cannabis culture and beauty innovation, contributing to outlets such as Refinery29, The Kit, and Broadview Magazine.

Key Articles and Impactful Storytelling

This profile of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Ross Gay dissects the intersection of joy and grief in his work. Rumack contextualizes Gay’s themes within broader societal conversations about resilience, weaving in interviews with literary critics and snippets from his Book of Delights. The piece stands out for its nuanced exploration of how personal sorrow fuels artistic expression, reflecting Rumack’s ability to tackle abstract concepts with grounded relatability.

A masterclass in product journalism, this article combines rigorous testing with cultural commentary. Rumack enlisted a diverse group of testers to evaluate tanners across skin tones, assessing factors like odor and streak resistance. She pairs practical advice with playful insights into pandemic-era beauty standards, noting how “lockdown glow” became a paradoxical status symbol. The piece drove significant affiliate revenue for R29, underscoring her commercial acuity.

Rumack uses Helen Fielding’s iconic character to examine shifting gender dynamics in romantic comedies. Through interviews with film scholars and Gen-Z viewers, she critiques the franchise’s uneasy transition into the #MeToo era while acknowledging its nostalgic appeal. The analysis is peppered with box office data and streaming trends, showcasing her ability to blend pop culture critique with hard metrics.

Beat Analysis and Pitching Strategies

1. Pitch Hyper-Local Beauty Innovations

Rumack consistently highlights Canadian brands in her beauty coverage, as seen in her Refinery29 piece on Shoppers Drug Mart’s skincare launches. Successful pitches should emphasize homegrown formulations, sustainability practices, or unique founder stories. Avoid generic “clean beauty” angles unless tied to specific cultural moments (e.g., cannabis-infused topicals during 4/20).

2. Leverage Nostalgia in Pop Culture Pitches

Her Kit article on Bridget Jones demonstrates a fascination with legacy franchises navigating modern sensibilities. PR pros might pitch retrospectives on Y2K trends, reboots with feminist twists, or interviews with creators revisiting their early work. Ensure tie-ins to current discourse around aging or gender roles.

3. Explore Cannabis Beyond Product Launches

While Rumack reviews edibles and topicals, her Broadview interview with a hotline abortion provider during COVID-19 reveals interest in cannabis’ societal role. Consider pitching stories on maternal cannabis use, regulatory inequities, or the plant’s intersection with wellness movements like “quiet quitting.”

Awards and Industry Recognition

  • Six-time National Magazine Award nominee

Rumack’s nominations span categories from Personal Journalism to Investigative Reporting, a rarity for writers bridging lifestyle and hard-hitting features. Her 2018 investigation into Canada’s maternity leave policies for Chatelaine prompted parliamentary discussions, illustrating her dual focus on reader service and systemic change.

“I’m drawn to stories that let people laugh while they learn—whether that’s about vaginal moisturizers or corporate greenwashing.”

Top Articles

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