It All Started When…

·      I’m a Chicago-based travel and lifestyle writer, with over a decade of experience, covering adventures across the globe.

·      I have clips—print and web—in a wide variety of publications including: Parents Magazine, Forbes, Fodor’s Travel, TripSavvy, Delta Sky, Modern Luxury, Red Tricycle, Better, Sun-Times Media, Tribune Brand Publishing, The Daily Meal, Simplemost, Om Yoga Magazine, Yoga Chicago, Chicago Parent, Outdoorsy, and many others. I’ve contributed my writing to the Association of Writers and Writer’s Programs, productions like the Listen to Your Mother Show, and on tourism board websites.

·      I’m a thought leader, panelist, and featured speaker, contributing to travel industry discourses and lectures on travel writing.

Experience:

I have diverse industry experience on the agency side, writing and conducting research, as a former itinerary and travel tips writer for a boutique luxury travel company. Learning from global tour operators and hospitality representatives has enriched my experience and made me a leader in the travel space.

My freelance travel writing career began with a position as a special correspondent and contributing writer for Sun-Times Media, where I wrote articles for print publication in Pioneer Press’ 32 local newspapers and the Chicago Sun-Times. I worked on many print magazine projects for Sun-Times Media, churning out hyperlocal articles on the regular. As a special columnist, I wrote an online parenting column, called Wendy City Mom, for Sun-Times Media’s special section, Good to Know.

In addition to newspapers, I have extensive published works in digital and print magazines, focusing mainly on adventure travel, through the lens of women, family, and solo explorations, covering all aspects of the journey.

I’ve written stories on: traveling solo, around the world, with stops in Dubai, Bali, and Hong Kong; female pods of skydivers; learning to surf in El Salvador; how traveling to Japan can teach your kids lessons of empathy and respect; rock climbing, kayaking, and biking with a women-only group of adventurers; the practice of eating horse meat in Iceland; tips on hiking in the Grand Canyon National Park, rim to rim; exploring national parks in the winter with kids; swimming with whale sharks; and where you can grab a great local beer.

Fun Fact: I was also part of the Windy City Rollers content committee when I was a roller derby skater. I wrote bout recaps, press releases, news blasts, and skater stories.

Education:

I’m very proud of the fact that I was the first in my family to graduate from college, doing so with High Honors from DePaul University in Chicago. I studied abroad in India, with the English and Women’s and Gender Studies departments, earning degree credit, accolades, and awards.

Volunteer:

I graduated from Americorps NCCC, the domestic Peace Corps, a year-long government residential volunteer experience that allowed me to travel all over the U.S., helping people in need. I received high-level training that enabled me to assist at-risk vulnerable communities as well as areas affected by natural disasters.

I continue to volunteer on a regular basis in my own community as well as with great non-profits like The Honeycomb Project, a volunteer project aggregator in Chicago.