Contributors

As an award-winning writer and highly published editorial contributor, Damon's work has been seen in a number of global travel and lifestyle print publications, as well as many in-room hotel magazines, in-flight magazines, digital publications and news outlets. He has also contributed to numerous award-winning media outlets as a guest contributor and industry expert, recognized for his expertise in travel, tourism, hospitality, golf, spa, wellness and fashion. Beyond his work as a copywriter, copyeditor and editorial contributor, Damon's work in media and communications together with editing for a number of international publications allows for a unique understanding of the publishing process.

Born in Hawaii, Michelle has been a traveler since the age of five when her family boarded the Matson ship “Lurline” to San Francisco. Curiosity about the world's cultures, gastronomy, architecture and history has ruled her life. Readers know her from her work at Conde Nast Media, Islands Magazine, The NY Times, Saveur, Western Art and Architecture, Northwest Travel & Lifestyles, Afar Media, Honestcooking.com and her blog culinarytraveler.com. Michelle has served as president of the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). She is a correspondent for Travel Writers Radio on JAIR FM based in Melbourne and a Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary International).

Though she travels the world, Priscilla is an admitted Paris addict. She began her career as a food and travel writer through her own personal trips and her time spent living and working abroad. Her 20-year passion for Paris led to the creation of TheWeekendInParis.com. Born in Boston and living a snow-free winter on her Oyster 54 in the Caribbean, she splits her time between her homes in Boston and Newport, Rhode Island. She is an avid volunteer, sailor, tennis player, skier, foodie and amateur sommelier.

Adam is a freelance writer, marketer and travel blogger based in Europe, where he covers city trips around the world, expat life, LGBT issues, festivals, and nightlife. His writing has been featured in The Guardian, AFAR, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveler and numerous online publications. When he’s not out exploring the coolest bars and clubs, he’s usually enjoying the local arts, cultures and restaurant scenes. His travel stories are available on his blog.

Andrew Villagomez is a journalist, photographer and blogger covering travel, men's fashion, grooming and other lifestyle topics. His work has appeared in print and online publications including Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Essential Homme, Delta Sky Magazine, Out, Details and more. He also runs his own style and travel blog, Vee Travels, which is a reflection of his work as a journalist, and other highlights he comes across during his travels and being behind-the-scenes of the style industry. He has visited over 20 countries, and among some of his favorite international destinations are Tel Aviv, London, Cinque Terre, Peru and Vancouver.

Anne-Sophie Blin is a travel and cuisine writer and educator. She hails from Normandy, France. She studied at the University of Caen-Basse-Normandie, the University of Texas at Austin, and California State University. Anne-Sophie spent 18 years in the San Francisco Bay area where she explored and thoroughly enjoyed escapades in the gorgeous National and State parks in California and neighboring states. She now lives in Berlin, Germany. She has extensively traveled in Western Europe and the Near East, most recently in Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, China, and Israel. She is a freelance contributor to the blog GrapeStone Concepts and to PRiME Magazine.

Beth writes about the things that feed her soul - food, wine and travel. As a PR consultant for more than 28 years, she represented some of the top luxury resorts, chefs and destinations worldwide conducting media relations and social media campaigns to increase brand awareness. As a freelance writer, she draws on that storytelling experience to share the unique and often untold stories about cultures and destinations through the personalities. Her work has been published in a number of print and digital luxury magazines, and is a member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association.

Catherine Maisonneuve is a Freelance travel, lifestyle & food writer based in Montreal, Canada. She writes both in french and in english on her own blog, sometimes as a contributing writer on LuxeGetaways, Zeste, HRI Mag & HuffPost. You can also catch her on the web series Onsenfood where she shares her food discoveries and on Global News Morning for her travel segments. Catherine worked in both the restaurant and the hotel business and has a great passion and knowledge for these two industries. In the last years, she've traveled all around the globe to discover the nicest destinations, with a focus on luxury and boutique hotels and also, on food.

Debbi Kickham is former Editor of Robb Report Magazine, and is now a freelance contributing writer covering luxury, travel, beauty, spas, cruises, shopping and more. Her features have been published in a wealth of national and international media outlets, such as The Ritz-Carlton Magazine, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Glamour, InStyle, Cigar Aficionado, US Airways Magazine and more. Debbi is also author of The Globetrotter’s Get-Gorgeous Guide: Diet and Beauty Secrets of Travel and Beauty Pros, Traveling Executives, and Celebrity Travelers.

Doug Gollan has spent his career in the travel and luxury media industries, and is considered an expert on UHNW trends. He spent his first 14 years at Travel Agent Magazine, starting as a junior reporter, and later rising to Group Publisher. From there he co-founded Elite Traveler, a magazine distributed globally on private jets where he served as President and Editor-in-Chief until 2015. Doug has written several books; he currently serves as a consultant for companies within the Super Rich/UHNW segment; he contributes to Forbes.com, LuxurySociety.com, LuxeGetaways and others; and is on the Management Board of Travel Market Report.

Elizabeth Heath is a US-born writer and editor now living in central Italy. She has degrees in fine art and humanities and completed post-graduate work in anthropology and archaeology. Her first job out of college required her to visit all corners of the US, and the travel bug firmly bit. She has served as editor in chief for several lifestyle magazines in Southwest Florida and taught writing and humanities at the university level. Liz now writes about luxury and family travel, culture and cuisine in Italy, Europe and the Mediterranean for LuxeGetaways, Citizen-Femme, Frommer's Travel Guides, Frommers.com, TripSavvy, EatSipTrip/USA TODAY’s 10Best, and other outlets.

Eric Althoff is the former Entertainment and Travel Editor for The Washington Times, where he conducted interviews with filmmakers, professional musicians, politicians and cultural figures. His stories also entailed covering such high-profile events as the Oscars in Los Angeles and the Kentucky Derby in Louisville. He has visited all 50 states and has written extensive travel stories about every section of the country, from Boston to Alaska and Alabama to the Midwest and the Rocky Mountains. His writing has also appeared in Hustler magazine, Brides magazine, Black Belt magazine, Pasadena Magazine, Screen Comment, MadeMen.com and elsewhere, and is a regular lecturer for ACES (the Society for Editing).

Ginger is the founder of Time Travel, LLC. that offers bespoke travel to Ireland & The British Isles. Passionate about offering a way to learn while you travel, she features the best of the best in Ireland in what they do, offer and teach; along with common philosophies, ethics and goals for the world. Ginger is also a gardener, foodie and travel writer. Past Regional Director of Garden Writer’s Association she is originally from South of the Mason Dixon Line, but now loves that she gets to live and work in two of the best places in the world: the Pacific Northwest and Ireland.

Janice Tober is a freelance travel and lifestyle writer living in Canada. A former contributing editor for Condé Nast Traveler’s HotelChatter, Janice now writes for a variety of publications and web sites including BravoTV.com in the US, iExplore and TravelPulse, the world’s most popular web site for travel agents. She specializes in hotels, spas, food and wine, cocktails and bars, museums and galleries, architecture and design – anything hip and happening and leaning towards luxe.

Jeff Helms is an avid golf traveler and writer. He has spent the last 22 years traveling the globe in search of the Holy Trinity - great golf courses, excellent food, and fine accommodations for golf travelers. His blog, www.bettergolftrips.com, chronicles his off-the-beaten path and often luxury experiences for golfers (and companions forced to travel with them) about where to stay, play, and eat.

Jennifer Ceaser is a seasoned freelance travel, food, and lifestyle writer and editor based in Europe. A former New Yorker, she was the Deputy Editor of travel and real estate for the New York Post for nearly a decade. She also served as the Editor in Chief of Islands Magazine and the Editorial Director of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons and Caribbean Travel & Life. She regularly contributes to top US and UK publications including Conde Nast Traveler, New York Magazine, AFAR, Time Out, Evening Standard London, The Independent, Coastal Living, and Bloomberg Pursuits. If she’s not on a terrace drinking a glass of local red wine, you can usually find her hiking or biking.

After covering fashion, society and travel for The Boston Globe for 22 years, Julie Hatfield is now freelance contributor for a variety of travel magazines and websites. She has written for Hemispheres Magazine, Executive Travel, JustLuxe.com, visualtraveltours.com, and TravelWorldInternational magazine, among others. Julie blogs for AllThingsCruise.com. and has recently published a biking book, Thirty Years on Two Wheels. An active member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA), which recently presented her with its Gold Award for a British Columbia travel story, Hatfield was named to the Boston Magazine “Dream Team” of reporters in its annual “Best of Boston” issue.

Julie Leventhal is a writer and public relations specialist with a love for fashion and travel. She regularly pursues numerous opportunities to elevate her enjoyment of both through her journalism and public relations work with travel brands, start-up companies, retail brands and charity events. She has contributed articles to publications including Luxury Living, Social Life Magazine, Affluent New York and 25A Magazine.

Life as an expat in London and Hong Kong, as well as a residence in a Four Seasons, is completely responsible for Katie Dillon’s sense of wanderlust. Specializing in luxury family travel, she documents her love of five-star hotels, premium class cabins and kid-friendly destinations on LaJollaMom.com, named for the seaside community in San Diego she now calls home. Often tapped by national media as a San Diego expert, her work has also been seen on USA TODAY, Four Seasons Magazine, NBC San Diego, Money Magazine, Parent’s Magazine and more.

Mark Orwoll is a veteran journalist. As the International Editor of Travel + Leisure and Executive Editor/International of the Time Inc. Affluent Media Group (formerly American Express Publishing), he oversaw 21 editions of T+L, Departures, and Food & Wine in more than 70 foreign markets and 9 languages. Mark has appeared on TV and radio 600+ times as a recognized travel expert, including NBC’s Today Show, CNBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, and FOX. Mark has been an adjunct professor at New York University, and a guest speaker at media and travel conventions around the world. His current features can be seen in Town & Country, Departures International, Frommer’s, Culture Trip, LuxeGetaways and more.

An experiential luxury traveler at heart, Matt Long shares his adventures with thousands of readers every day through his award-winning site LandLopers.com. As someone who has a bad case of the travel bug, Matt travels the world in order to share tips on where to go, what to see and how to experience the best the world has to offer. Based in Washington, DC, Matt’s work has been seen on BBC, CNN, Travel Channel, Lonely Planet and more; and has been to more than 70 countries and all 7 continents.

Merilee Kern is a lifestyle, leisure, travel and consumer goods expert who reports on exemplary destination experiences, extraordinary events and noteworthy products and services at all price points – from the highly affordable to the luxury extreme. She keeps her finger on the pulse of what is trending to inform, enlighten and entertain. As an esteemed industry voice of authority and award-winning author and writer, she’s a highly regarded spokesperson who also frequently appears on national and regional TV and radio programs throughout the United States, including the nationally-syndicated Coffee With America, FOX5 San Diego, California Life, the Jersey Central Radio Show and the All Tech Radio Show, among others.

Nicholas Kontis was born in Greece’s crown jewel of Santorini Island, and then raised in America’s culture capital of San Francisco. From a very early age, he developed a passion for travel as he shuttled between Athens and his California home. At age 24, after a whirlwind trip around the world, Nick launched a travel agency specializing in around the world airfares. Today, Nick is an award-winning travel journalist and author of “Going Local – Experiences and Encounters on the Road.” He still calls San Francisco home, while also spending time in the Napa Valley, Greece and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Rob Goss is a British writer based in Tokyo, focusing on books and features on Japan, travel writing, and creative writing that ranges from short fiction to short-form poetry. Rob is the author of four books on Japan with Tuttle Publishing, including the NATJA Gold Award-winning Travel Pack Japan and NATJA Silver Award-winning Tokyo: Capital of Cool. His current projects include a first collection of micro and short fiction (“And Other Stories…”), a book on Japan’s traditional inns, and a photo book on Japan’s main tourist destinations. He has also written for nearly 100 magazines and online publications around the world, from National Geographic Traveler magazine and Time to the in-flight magazines of Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM, Korean Air, Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Qatar Airways and US Airways.

Sahar Khan is New York-based writer and editor. She covers luxury travel and arts and culture and profiles personalities in the worlds of fashion and politics. She was previously an editor at Manhattan and Elite Traveler magazines. She has written for Monocle, Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue India, and Rhapsody magazines, among others.

Born to two travel-lovers, Shelbie began her life of adventure in her early teens after her parents chose to homeschool and cart her and her four siblings across the U.S. and the Bahamas. While attending Samford University where she graduated with a degree in English and Geography, Shelbie worked as an intern and editorial contributor for Healthy Travel Magazine and Fit and Well Birmingham. Currently working at a scuba dive shop in Birmingham, Alabama and as a part-time stewardess on private yachts, Shelbie writes freelance, has recently started her own travel blog and is always searching for new travel adventures.

As a freelance writer and photographer, Tracy’s work has been published in Northwest Travel & Life, Upscale Living Magazine, Luxe Beat Magazine, Communities Digital News, Wander With Wonder, and other magazines. Her stories focus on luxury and adventure travel, spas, fine dining, and delicious libations. Tracy shares a unique perspective on the world from both her personal travels and her excursions as the founder of an international children’s nonprofit. She attended culinary school in San Francisco, California, and owned a catering company giving her an authoritative understanding of food. Her fifteen years of writing in various genres strengthens her storytelling.

Tricia Conover, DipWSET, CSS, is a contributing wine and travel writer for LuxeGetaways, LuxeEpicure section of JustLuxe.com, FWT Magazine, Signature Bride, The Clever Root, and the SommJournal and the Contributing Wine and Travel Editor for PRiME Magazine. She holds a WSET® Diploma of Wine Level 4 certification. She also holds a CSS, Certified Spirits Specialist, Society of Wine Educators, and (C.W.P.) Certified Wine Professional from the Culinary Institute of America, Greystone. Tricia is an Environmental Sciences B.S. graduate of Purdue University and has done wine studies at University of California at Davis and the Culinary Institute of America. She has done MBA studies at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.