Authors
Nicholas Kontis was born on Santorini Island in Greece and raised in America's cultural capital, San Francisco. After a 13-month whirlwind around-the-world adventure, Nicholas returned to San Francisco and started the first travel agency in the United States specializing in discount around-the-world airfares. He is an award-winning travel writer, journalist, and USA Today photojournalist who has traveled to over 100 countries and is the author of the experiential travel book Going Local Experiences and Encounters on the Road.
Sonja Stark of PilotGirl Productions is an award-winning director, editor, and aerial videographer. She has shot video productions in over 80 countries for broadcast television series and documentaries. She is a certified New York State WBE and carries a FAA Part 107 UAS license and PADI open water SCUBA certification.
Julie Diebolt Price is a seasoned photographer, author, and travel writer with over 35 years of experience. Her diverse career spans travel, documentary, corporate, stock, and event photography. See more of Julie's work at www.PhotoTravelWrite.com.
Freelance writer. Road tripper. Travel diva. Dog rescuer. Writes for food or kibbles and bits. Based out of Pittsburgh, PA, via Juneau, AK, Vanessa has been a freelance writer for more than 25 years. An avid traveler, she always bring home amazing memories, intriguing stories...and often more dogs. www.VanessaOrrInk.com
Teh Chin Liang is a long-time travel journal contributor to Dave’s Travel Corner and Global Travel Insider and a Senior Writer for GoNomad. Having traveled to more than 30 countries and counting, he especially enjoys venturing off the beaten path and experiencing unique local customs and cultures. He mostly travels solo and loves to capture what he sees on the road through words and photographs. Becoming a travel writer has made him more sensitive to each place he visits and encourages him to live more fully in the present.
Bruce Northam is a veteran and prize-winning travel writer and five-time author. Here are his recent features. His talk, Directions to Your Destination, reveals a new way of evaluating tourism. Bruce is the author of THE DIRECTIONS TO HAPPINESS: A 135-Country Quest for Life Lessons as well as a renowned Lower East Side NYC walking tour guide. Bruce’s show, American Detour, bares a travel writer’s journey to 150 countries.
Eliza Amon is a seasoned journalist and editor with a deep passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail. As the former editor of World Footprints, Eliza was instrumental in guiding the magazine's editorial direction, curating impactful stories that resonated with a global audience. Her leadership helped World Footprints become a beacon for insightful, culturally rich travel journalism, celebrating diversity and the power of travel to connect and transform us. Eliza has published in The New York Times, Harper’s Magazine and Bloomberg News among others. She currently lives in Seattle where she is thrilled to have the opportunity to discover new adventures in the Pacific Northwest.
Kerwin McKenzie is a seasoned travel expert, content creator, author, and speaker with a unique background in the airline industry. Having spent 14.5 years working for four U.S.-based airlines, Kerwin has transformed his insider knowledge into a platform that inspires others to explore the world. To date, he’s flown on 181 airlines and traveled to 137 countries and territories (including 105 recognized by the UN). Originally hailing from Jamaica, his first international trip took him to Martinique, sparking a lifelong passion for travel. Through his various platforms, Kerwin delivers up-to-date guides on airports, destinations, and ground transportation, along with comprehensive airline and hotel reviews. His main site, Passrider.com, is specifically tailored to airline employees, motivating them to make the most of their travel benefits. Kerwin also caters to a broader audience with Cruisinaltitude.com, which offers detailed information about airline travel, and Unfamiliardestinations.com, where he highlights 365 lesser-known destinations. For those [...]
Michele Bisceglie is Director, Business Development and Strategic Initiatives for SCG Legal, a worldwide network of 120+ independent law firms dynamically connected across 60+ countries, as well as Principal/Founder of Butterfly Communications, a boutique consultancy that devises and implements targeted acquisition, retention, and expansion strategies for nonprofit and for-profit organizations with local to global impact. She has three decades of experience executing multifaceted business development, marketing, communications, sales, and/or fundraising initiatives for entities such as Legal Sales & Service Organization, LawVision, CEO Connection, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (now Dentons), Nixon Peabody LLP, Wiley LLP, Historic Charleston Foundation, Jekyll Island Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, ClubCorp (now Invited), Leadership Louisville Center, and SchenkelShultz Architecture. This exposure to a wide variety of business situations has nurtured Michele’s ability to adapt quickly to diverse environments, establish trust with stakeholders from grassroots to board level, and creatively unite people toward advantageous outcomes. She [...]
Anna Staropoli is a freelance writer. She studied English, creative writing and geography at Dartmouth College. Since then, she’s written for national and international publications, including National Geographic, Food & Wine, and Italy’s La Repubblica.
Marni Patterson is a freelance travel writer, photographer and videographer based in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a member of TravMedia, IFWTWA, and SATW. Living in Belgium as an exchange student for a year led to Marni's love of travel. Publications she’s written for include GoNOMAD, TravelAwaits, Matador, Wander With Wonder, Foodie Flashpacker, and Savory Traveler.
June Russell-Chamberlin is an Oregon-based travel writer and photographer with an unquenchable curiosity and a love of adventure. A journalist for more than 25 years, you’ll find her traveling off-the-beaten-path in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. She writes about sailing, hiking, history, culture, food, wine, and whatever captures her interest. She is a member of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram: [at] junerussellchamberlin.
