About James Kaminsky
James Kaminsky is a senior editorial director and digital content strategist with a record of leading high-impact media brands across both print and digital platforms. He has served in top editorial roles at Maxim, Playboy, Rolling Stone, Men’s Journal, Realtor.com, and Homes.com, where he managed successful editorial operations.
Early Career and Education
James Kaminsky was born in Westport, Connecticut. After graduating from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science in Film and Broadcast Journalism, he threw himself into the editorial world. During college, Kaminsky wrote for the university’s newspaper and landed an internship as a junior reporter at the Boston Globe.
Business Publishing and First Major Editorial Role
Kaminsky moved to New York after college, and upon relocating, he started in business publishing. Over a series of roles, he moved from staff writer to editor. His first significant break came when he was named editor-in-chief at Act III Communications, a publishing venture led by television pioneer Norman Lear. In Act III, Kaminsky managed editorial strategy and directed a team of writers and editors producing content covering the intersection of entertainment, business, and emerging technologies.
Shift to Consumer Media
Eager to work on larger cultural platforms, Kaminsky transitioned to consumer magazines. He was a freelance writer, contributing to The New York Times, Details, GQ, and other publications. His editorial track record earned him senior positions at Men’s Journal and Conde Nast Sports for Women.
At Men’s Journal, he was part of a leadership group responsible for its early identity, a mix of adventure stories, fitness reporting, product reviews, long-form journalism, and interviews with prominent figures. Conde Nast Sports for Women gave Kaminsky insight into the step-by-step process of launching a big-budget magazine and platform at one of the nation’s largest and most venerable publishing companies.
Breakout at Maxim Magazine
In 1999, James Kaminsky joined Maxim as executive editor. At the time, the magazine was a small, UK-based men’s publication just entering the U.S. market under Dennis Publishing. Over the next three years, Maxim experienced explosive growth, becoming the top-selling men’s magazine in the country and the fastest-growing independent title in U.S. magazine history. Kaminsky played a central role in that rise. He directed editorial planning, managed daily operations, and helped shape the content mix that made the magazine a phenomenon.
Leading Playboy’s Editorial Reinvention
On the strength of his work at Maxim, Kaminsky was offered one of the most sought-after roles in American publishing: the editorial director of Playboy in 2002. He became the third person in the magazine’s 50-year history to hold that position. At Playboy, Kaminsky expanded long-form journalism, introduced new photography styles, and pushed the publication to connect with younger readers without losing its identity.
A Second Act at Rolling Stone and Men’s Journal
Kaminsky then returned to Wenner Media in 2005, taking on high-level editorial roles at Rolling Stone and Men’s Journal. At Rolling Stone, he helped refresh non-music coverage, led news strategy, and oversaw features that brought new depth to the magazine’s reporting.
At Men’s Journal, where he served as top editor, Kaminsky guided a full redesign and directed the launch of the publication’s first digital platform. Under his leadership, single-copy sales rose substantially, and digital growth gained traction.
Return to Maxim and Expansion into Digital Strategy
Kaminsky was back at Maxim in 2007 in a top editorial capacity after a private equity firm acquired the magazine from Dennis Publishing with the goal of reinventing it for a new generation of readers. This second term differed from his first. The market had changed, audiences had fragmented, and the magazine faced new challenges from digital-first competitors. Kaminsky expanded coverage, refined content cadence, worked on mobile-first initiatives, and collaborated with sales teams to develop branded partnerships.
Building Life Reimagined at AARP
Following Maxim, Kaminsky served as Executive Editor of Life Reimagined, an ambitious digital start-up launched by AARP. The goal was to connect with Americans in their 40s and 50s—pre-retirement age—who weren’t being reached by traditional platforms. During his time there, the editorial voice developed and sharpened, and the content began reaching the intended audience.
A National Real Estate Voice at Realtor.com
Kaminsky’s longest and most influential digital role came next as Senior Editorial Director at Realtor.com in 2015. Over eight and a half years, he built a news division from scratch. He hired a 13-person editorial staff, managed content planning, and worked closely with SEO strategists, designers, product managers, and video producers. The site grew from a modest online presence to an industry leader in consumer-facing housing content. During his leadership, the site’s organic traffic rose by over 250%, while page views increased by more than 300%.
Launching a New Coverage Category at Homes.com
In his most recent post, Kaminsky led a new Manhattan-based content initiative at Homes.com, focusing on luxury urban housing in the New York metropolitan area. He directed a group of 10 architecture and style writers covering high-end condos and co-ops. The project involved working across editorial, research, and video teams. It also involved training AI models to support scaled national coverage.
Personal Interests
Outside of work, James Kaminsky is an avid road cyclist and hiker. He’s a devoted film fan, especially of works by Hitchcock, Kubrick, Scorsese, and the new crop of indie filmmakers. He also reads widely across fiction, non-fiction, journalism, and criticism. And Kaminsky somehow remains an unabashed, lifelong fan of the New York Jets despite the team’s well-earned reputation for heartbreak.
Currently, Kaminsky works independently as a strategist, writer, and editorial consultant. He contributes to various publications and agencies, including frequent work for Ad Age.
