Where are you based? 

Cleveland, OH

What topics and places do you cover? 

I cover stories about outdoor adventure, culture, astrotourism, nature-based wellness, and conservation.

What outlets do you usually pitch (and write for)? 

I most regularly write for National Geographic, Outside, Travel & Leisure, Vogue, and Business Traveler Magazine.

Are you in-house or freelance (or both)? 

Freelance

What is your approach to press trips? 

I only take a handful of press trips each year, so I have to be pretty selective. I prefer to proactively approach a tourism board with a specific press trip proposal tied to a story or a string of stories I've found myself (I know the kinds of stories my editors want, so I'd rather have control over as much of the itinerary as possible to get what I need for articles, both reporting and photo-wise). That said, I do *sometimes* accept press trip offers if I can easily see what the story will be and why XX trip would make me a good person to tell it, but it has to have a super unique angle, a strong news hook, etc. 

What are your professional pet peeves? 

To be honest, all of us—journalists, PRs, destinations—are juggling a lot right now, so I do try to be understanding and patient before jumping to conclusions/ frustrations. That said, the main thing that pushes me to the point of frustration is the lack of follow-through. If you say you'll connect me with a source, or you'll provide images, coordinate a press trip, etc., then go dark…that's not cool, and it's hard to come back from that in my book. Conversely, when PRs do follow through and meet deadlines, and fulfill promises, I notice and will often go out of my way to work with them again!   

In your past professional life, you were … 

Actually, a PR pro! So I've been on both sides of the industry (although my PR work was more in lifestyle/ products)

Where would you like to return to? 

I've already been three times but Greenland! I love the culture, the raw adventure (esp. for land-based travelers), and of course the northern lights. I also visited Brazil for the first time earlier this year and would love to see more of the country.

What's on your bucket list? 

I mean…everything? I don't really have a bucket list because I'm obsessed with crossing things off lists, and I don't want to approach travel as a checklist. I usually choose destinations based on good stories and gut feelings, and I've yet to be disappointed!

Where do you travel for fun? 

Hmm. I would say every trip I've been on, work or not, is fun in one way or another. That said, if I'm planning an all-fun, no-work trip, I'd probably head to a national park or wilderness area, preferably something a bit off the grid. My husband and I slept on the floor of the Grand Canyon last year, and despite the down-and-up slog, it's still one of my favorite trips to date.

Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is … 

still haunting me to this day. I spent several nights in the jungle and accidentally left my luggage open at one point. Three cockroaches hitchhiked with me back to the destination's main city, where they crawled out into a five-star hotel and caused, uh, quite a ruckus up on the eighth floor. 

What advice would you give your younger professional self? 

Find & listen to your intuition. It's easy to get swayed by outside factors and opinions, but practices like journaling and setting boundaries on social media have helped me mute the noise, listen to myself, and brainstorm fresh ideas. My intuition has also helped me learn which opportunities to say yes to, and which to dodge. 

What nugget would you like to add that we haven't touched on? 

I've touched on this before but I want to reiterate that my favorite press trips are collaborative—where, instead of a cookie-cutter itinerary, I work with the PR to determine what I'd like to see, who I want to meet, who/ what I'll need to photograph, etc. (all based on my specific and pre-researched storylines). These collaborative trips often yield the most unique/ lesser-told angles, and since that's what my editors want, these are the kinds of trips I'm pursuing in 2025! 

How best should people contact you? 

Email, please. You can find me on TravMedia.