Introduction

Ann Shields is a New York City-based writer and editor. She lives in the East Village with her family and writes about travel, design, architecture, art, history, and culture.

Experience

With more than 30 years of editorial experience working on books, magazines, and websites, Ann has also contributed to Afar, Dwell, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, the History Channel, Atlas Obscura, and Town & Country, among other outlets.

For the past six years, Ann has volunteered and served on the board of directors at EVLovesNYC, a mutual aid that makes and distributes meals to food-insecure New Yorkers in all five boroughs. Since its founding in 2020, the volunteer-powered EVLovesNYC has cooked more than 780,000 meals and distributed nine million pounds of groceries to neighbors in need.

Education

Ann has a BA in Literature and Theater from the University of Virginia.

Introduction

Brad Thomas Parsons is an award-winning writer based in Brooklyn, New York. He is the author of four books and writes the LAST CALL newsletter publication on Substack where he shares spirited dispatches on bar and bar culture, drinks and spirits, restaurants and regional foodways, and popular culture.

Experience

Hailing from Oneida in Central New York, Brad spent more than a decade in Seattle where he was a senior book editor at Amazon. He moved back to New York to work for two major NYC publishers as an online marketing director primarily focusing on cookbooks. He is now a full-time freelancer.

One of the leading authorities in the United States on amaro and Italian drinking culture, Brad has been writing about drinks, spirits, and bar culture since 2008 and his work has appeared in publications including Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Lucky Peach, Imbibe, PUNCH, and VinePair among others. 

He has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NPR's All Things Considered, The Splendid Table, The Martha Stewart Show, and more.

Parsons has conducted talks, tastings, seminars, and master classes on bitters, amaro, cocktails, and Italian drinking culture at bars, restaurants, and venues across the United States and in Italy and has partnered and worked with many brands, including Gruppo Campari, Campari America, Apple, Unilever, Slow Food USA, West Elm, Moët Hennessy, Fords Gin, Amaro Nonino, Amaro Lucano, Luxardo, Bordiga, Angostura Bitters, St. Agrestis, Fast Penny Spirits, and more.

Selected Publications

Books

Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas (Ten Speed Press)

Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas (Ten Speed Press)

Distillery Cats: Profiles in Courage of the World's Most Spirited Mousers (Ten Speed Press)

Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time (Ten Speed Press)

Education

Columbia University School of the Arts, New York, NY. MFA: Creative Writing (Fiction)

State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY. BA: English/Writing Arts; BA: Theatre

Awards

James Beard Award Winner: Beverage (2012) for Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas

IACP Award Winner: Wine, Beer, or Spirits (2012) for Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas

Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award Finalist: Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book (2012) for Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas

James Beard Award Finalist: Beverage with Recipes (2020) for Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time

Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award Finalist: Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing (2021) for "The Night the Neon Went Dark" by Brad Thomas Parsons, PUNCH

James Beard Award Finalist: Personal Essay (2025) for "The Hidden Hospitality Hazards When You're Too Big for the Bar," published on VinePair.

Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award Finalist: Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing (2025) for "The Hidden Hospitality Hazards When You're Too Big for the Bar," VinePair.

Introduction

Caroline Eubanks is an Atlanta-based writer specializing in the food, drink, and culture of the Southern United States. She's also the Lowell Thomas-award-winning author of two books, including, most recently, A Boozy History of Atlanta: People, Places & Drinks that Made a City(2025). 

Experience

Caroline Eubanks is a travel, food, and drink writer based in Atlanta whose work has appeared in Lonely Planet, the Chicago Tribune, Travel + Leisure, and Conde Nast Traveler. 

Books

This Is My South: The Essential Guide to the Southern States, Globe Pequot Press
A Boozy History of Atlanta: People, Places & Drinks that Made a City, Arcadia Publishing

Photography

The Great American Road Trip, Gestalten

Contributor

Where to Go When The Americas, DK Eyewitness
Georgia & the Carolinas, 4th edition, Lonely Planet

Education

Caroline has a BA in political science from the College of Charleston in South Carolina. She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, the Authors' Guild, and the Atlanta Press Club. 

Awards

Caroline is the winner of two Lowell Thomas awards, the top honors in travel writing.

Introduction

Catherine Balston is a journalist based between São Paulo and the UK. She spent 15 years living full-time in Brazil, travelling far and wide across the country in search of stories about food, travel, sustainability and the arts.

Experience

Catherine is the author of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro City Guides for Louis Vuitton and Wallpaper* and has contributed to Fodor's Brazil guidebooks as well as numerous articles for the BBC Travel, Monocle, Forbes, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet and more. 

Selected publications

Books: City Guide Rio (Louis Vuitton), City Guide São Paulo (Louis Vuitton), Wallpaper* City Guide Rio de Janeiro

Education

Catherine has an MA in International Business from the University of Edinburgh and cut her teeth with writing and editing on the job as assistant editor and then deputy editor for Time Out São Paulo magazine. 

Fun fact

A highlight of her time in Brazil was playing the trumpet dressed as a nun on top of a sound truck during São Paulo's street Carnival. 
 

Introduction

Clarissa Wei is a journalist, author, and entrepreneur based in Taiwan. Her work focuses on food, culture, and identity, with a particular emphasis on Taiwan.

Experience

Clarissa is the author of Made in Taiwan, winner of an IACP Award and finalist for a James Beard Award. Her second cookbook, Sitting The Month: Postpartum Recipes for Rest and Recovery, will be published in September 2026.

Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Los Angeles Times, Foreign Policy, and Monocle, among others.

In addition to her editorial work, Clarissa is the founder of HEYDOH, a single-origin soy sauce brand focused on Taiwanese black soybeans and traditional fermentation.

Selected publications

Books: Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories From The Island Nation

Sitting The Month: Postpartum Recipes for Rest and Recovery

Selected outlets: The New Yorker, The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Los Angeles Times, Foreign Policy, Monocle

Education

Clarissa holds a degree in journalism and politics from NYU.

Awards

IACP Julia Child First Book Award winner for Made in Taiwan

James Beard Award finalist for Made in Taiwan

Introduction

David Farley is a New York City-based writer, author, and bon vivant. His writing work primarily focuses on food, drink, travel, and history. He has lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Prague, Rome, and Berlin.

Experience

Farley contributes to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Food & Wine, Saveur, Eater, Travel + Leisure, and Conde Nast Traveler. Many of his articles have been anthologized, including twice in the annual Best American Travel Writing. He annually writes and updates the Fodor's guidebook to New York City.

Selected Publications

Underground Worlds: A Guide to Spectacular Subterranean Places (Black Dog & Leventhal)

An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church's Strangest Relic in Italy's Oddest Town (Penguin Random House)

Travelers Tales Prague & the Czech Republic: True Stories (Travelers Tales)

Education

Farley has a BA in history from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an MA in history from San Francisco State University.

He has taught writing at NYU and Columbia University and is also a certified meditation teacher.

In addition to his native English, he has learned to speak Czech, Italian, German, and Spanish.

He has spent time volunteering at hospices as a friendly visitor and, in the last decade, has also volunteered at refugee camps in Greece and Poland.

Awards

David Farley has received several Lowell Thomas Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers (in 2005, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2025) as well as a Folio Award in 2014.

Introduction

American-born and Italian-raised, Eleonora Baldwin is a writer, food expert, media personality, and culinary travel specialist based in Rome, where she lives and works. After a successful career in the international film industry, she transitioned into writing, focusing on food, travel, and Italian culture. She is the co-founder of Casa Mia Tours, a boutique agency offering private culinary adventures and multi-day vacations with a focus on food, wine, and cultural immersion for international travelers. Her work explores the intersection of food, storytelling, and cultural identity.

Experience

Eleonora is a contributor to publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, and Gambero Rosso, Italy's leading food and wine media group, where she also works as a TV host, content creator and co-author of several television programs, including Cheese Hunters, ABCheese, Uazz'America, and A Tavola con Mamma, and the author and host of the podcast iCheese.

Multilingual, she works fluently in Italian and English, with working knowledge of French and Spanish, allowing her to engage with a broad international audience. Between blog readers, newsletter subscribers, and social media followers, Eleonora reaches an engaged online audience of over 190,000 people across more than 100 countries.

Education

Eleonora holds a degree in graphic design from Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome and has completed the Harvard University online module Tangible Things: Discovering History Through Artworks, Artifacts, and Scientific Specimens.

She participated in the STORY seminar in London with Robert McKee, an internationally renowned program in screenwriting and storytelling.

She serves as a juror for prestigious cheese competitions, including the Italian Cheese Awards, Gran Premio del Formaggiaio, Alma Caseus, Palio del Burro e del Formaggio. She is an honorary member of the Rome chapter of ONAF (Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori di Formaggio). And has been knighted as Compagnon d'Honneur by the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers - Confrerie de Saint Uguzon.

Philanthropy & Additional Work

Eleonora regularly serves as a translator and language support specialist for Sextantio, a philanthropic initiative dedicated to preserving historic mountain villages in Italy through sustainable hospitality models. The organization also supports charitable initiatives abroad, including providing free healthcare services in Rwanda through fundraising and donations.

Fun Fact

Through her work in culinary travel, Eleonora has gone behind the scenes in some of Italy's most celebrated kitchens, interviewing renowned chefs and documenting food traditions, from Michelin-starred restaurants to remote rural communities, often acting as a cultural bridge between international travelers and local culinary heritage.

Guest Speaker

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston (online faculty)

Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Communication and Social Research (guest lecturer)

Wake Forest University, Travel Writing Program (guest speaker)

The Borromini Institute, Rome (guest speaker)

Introduction

Elizabeth Heath is a US-born writer and editor now based in Umbria, Italy, from where she writes about travel, culture, and archaeology in Italy and farther afield. After 17 years in the country, Liz is an Italy expert and fluent Italian speaker, with a keen understanding of Italy from both a traveler's and a resident's perspective. From her adopted hometown of Allerona, she operates a small-group tour company offering immersive experiences in Italian village life. She also manages a guesthouse in Allerona's historic center.

Experience

Liz is a prolific freelance writer and editor with more than 25 years of experience. Her writings on travel, culture and wellness have appeared in major outlets including The Washington Post, Smithsonian, Travel + Leisure, and Reader's Digest and many others. She is also the author of multiple Frommer's guidebooks for Italy. Beyond travel writing, she has written across a wide range — profiles, arts and entertainment, interior design, lifestyle, medical newsletters, ad copy, press releases, radio spots, and even screenplays — and has worked as a development editor for more than 75 Frommer's Travel Guide editions worldwide.

Selected publications

Contributor to Frommer's Complete Guide to Italy and EsayGuide to Rome, Florence Venice, author of Frommer's Rome Day-by-Day

Author of The Architecture Lover's Guide to Rome (White Owl, 2018)

Education

Liz has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art from Ringling College of Art & Design and a Master's degree in Humanities from the University of South Florida. She completed doctoral coursework in Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of South Florida.

She is a member of the Responsible Travel network and the Adventure Travel Trade Association.

Introduction

Fiona Rose founded and runs a home interiors business, Arts & Crafts Living, born out of her admiration for the Arts & Crafts Movement and love of the home. She has been lecturing about topics she feels passionately about since 2010 including William Morris, his artisan daughter May Morris, Frida Kahlo, and Frank Lloyd Wright. Fiona always aims to include the human stories behind the artistic endeavours of her subjects.

Selected publications

Book reviewer for the Journal of William Morris Studies and regular contributor to The William Morris Society Magazine.

Education

Fiona has a BA in Social Psychology from the University of Sussex. She is an accredited lecturer for The Arts Society.

Fiona is an active member of The William Morris Society, the Arts & Crafts Movement in Surrey association, the CFA Voysey Society, and the Friends of Red House.

Volunteering

As a heritage volunteer with The William Morris Society, Fiona serves on the Museum & Collections Committee, offering marketing and public relations support. She has also helped staff plan, organise, and promote several significant exhibitions.

Volunteer house guide and specialist lecturer for the David Parr House; an ordinary Cambridge terraced house with an extraordinary, hand-painted Victorian interior.

Fun work-related fact

Every room in Fiona's home is decorated with at least two patterns by William Morris.

Introduction

Fuchsia Dunlop is a James Beard award-winning food writer and cook specializing in Chinese cuisine. She trained as a chef at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine in the 1990s and has been researching Chinese culinary culture ever since. Fuchsia is the author of seven books and a regular contributor to magazines, newspapers, radio and television. TV appearances include including Ugly Delicious, Chef's Table and Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown, as well as numerous Chinese-language shows. Five of her books have so far been published in Chinese translation in China.

Experience

Fuchsia grew up in Oxford, UK, was education in Cambridge and Sichuan, and has been researching and writing about Chinese cuisine and food culture for more than 30 years.

Selected publications

Seven books including, most recently, Invitation to a Banquet: the Story of Chinese Food, and The Food of Sichuan.

Contributor to publications including FT Weekend, The Guardian, The Observer, Saveur and Gourmet.

Education

Fuchsia has a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University and an MA in Chinese Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies. She was a British Council scholar at Sichuan University from 1994-95 and also trained at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine in Chengdu.

Awards

Fuchsia has won four James Beard awards for her writing, as well as awards from the IACP, the Andre Simon Memorial Fund, the Guild of Food Writers and the Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards.

Introduction

Garrick Ramirez is a writer and photographer who is originally from Los Angeles, and currently living in San Francisco. He is perennially on the road, exploring the Western US and capturing its many notable dining, nature, and cultural destinations. He's also a keen design enthusiast who never passes up a notably captivating space.

Experience

Garrick has 15 years of experience contributing to leading outlets and brands such as Fairmont Hotels, Condé Nast Traveler, and OpenTable. In addition to his writing, he has spent over a decade working with art & cultural nonprofits within the U.S.

Education

Garrick has a BA in Studio Arts from the University of California, Irvine where he was trained as a painter and videographer.

Introduction

Gillian Rhys is a British journalist currently based in London after living in Singapore and Hong Kong for nearly a decade. She has travelled extensively in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and America.

Experience

Gillian has over 30 years' experience as a lifestyle journalist covering fashion, food, design and travel. She has been a writer and editor for magazines, newspapers and websites in the UK, Asia, Australia and the US.

Selected publications

Gillian contributes to the BBC, London Evening Standard, The Sunday Times Style supplement, FT's How to Spend it, The Guardian travel section, delicious magazine, Australian Financial Review, the South China Morning Post and CNN Travel.

While living in Asia she was resident editor of the LUXE City Guide Singapore and became a regular contributor to the South China Morning Post and the Asian editions of Robb Report and Tatler magazines.

She is a former academy voter for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants and the World's 50 Best Restaurants (Hong Kong and South East Asia regions) and contributor to both the World's and Asia's 50 Best Restaurant Guides

Education

Gillian trained as a journalist at Cardiff University's School of Journalism postgraduate programme following a Bachelor of Arts degree from Goldsmiths, University of London.

Fun fact

After decades of overseas travel, Gillian is enjoying exploring Great Britain again.

Introduction

Helen began her writing career with a magazine journalism course at the London College of Communications - now part of the University of the Arts - which led to her first job on Good Housekeeping magazine. She embarked on a fully freelance career five years later and since then has specialised in luxury, design-related subjects, encompassing everything from furniture, interiors, art, antiques and architecture to craft, gardens and decoration.

Experience

Over the past four decades, Helen's work has been published in many leading magazines and national newspapers, including 15 years of contributing to the Financial Times. She has written 27 books.

Helen launched her eponymous online gallery to promote the work of talented artists and makers within the super-prime sector of interior design and architecture. She is a passionate advocate of true artisanship, determined to champion the message that commissioning unique pieces keeps skills alive.

Selected publications

Craft Britain: Why Making Matters (co-authored with David Linley)

Light and Inner Light, a two-book monograph on the work of artist Chris Levine

Charity work

Helen actively supports the work of The King's Foundation and the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), both of which promote craft and craftsmanship in Britain. She launched Dovetail in New York, an event to showcase the work of QEST Scholars. She has organised the first Curated Craft Fair at Daylesford in Kingham in the Cotswolds, UK, which included a space devoted to The King's Foundation. She also took a stand of her own selected artists and makers to the first ever Downtown Design event at Riyadh.

Introduction

Jen Ruiz is a lawyer turned travel writer and content creator. She is an Amazon bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and award-winning travel journalist with bylines in outlets like National Geographic, Fodor's Travel, AFAR, Business Insider, and The Washington Post. Jen has been featured in Forbes, the Miami Herald, and the Daily Mail and named a Top Latina Travel Expert by Mitú and The Points Guy. She was the editor of Lonely Planet's Central America guidebooks and is the solo female traveler behind Jen on a Jet Plane.

Selected publications

Books:

• The Affordable Flight Guide
• You Need a Vacation!
• The Solo Female Travel Book
• 25 Ways to Work From Home
• From Blog to Business
• 12 Trips in 12 Months
• All You Need Is Flights

Contributor to the Lonely Planet Panama Guidebook, Fodor's Travel Puerto Rico guidebook, Offbeat by Lonely Planet.

Education

Jen has a BA in Political Science from Florida International University and a JD from University of Maryland School of Law.

She is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and won a Bessie Award for Most Impactful Piece of Writing, as well as a TBEX creator award for Outstanding Social Media Presence.

Introduction

Jenny Adams is an author, travel writer and photographer, based in New Orleans. Originally from Alabama, she's called New York City, Charleston, South Carolina and Montana home, and, for the last 20 years, she's spent several months per year in southeast Asia. Her work focuses primarily on great meals, lesser-trekked locales, the American South, loud bars and worthy cocktails.

Experience

Jenny has nearly 20 years of experience in the field of journalism, and her work and images have appeared in more than 75 publications globally. She's a frequent contributor to Conde Nast Traveler, AFAR, Garden & Gun, and Fodor's Travel. In photography, she's represented by the Where Y'Art Gallery of New Orleans. She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the New Orleans Photo Alliance.

Selected publications:

Books:

• Mixing New Orleans, Cocktails & Legends
• Hotel Monteleone: More than a landmark, the heart of New Orleans since 1886.

Contributor to the Fodor's Travel Guidebook to New Orleans, 2026 edition

Education

Jenny Adams holds a BA in Corporate Communications from the College of Charleston.

Fundraising

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, when her own Manhattan apartment building took on 15 feet of water, Jenny discovered a knack for, and a love of, fundraising. With the help of friends and strangers, she has organized, hosted and co-hosted more than a dozen philanthropic events since 2012, raising more than $150,000 for a range of charities and causes.

Introduction

Writer, editor, and photographer Joe Yogerst is home again along the coast of Southern California after many years living abroad and working as a journalist and magazine editor in South Africa, Britain, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Experience

After starting his professional career as an editor at Soccer America magazine in the San Francisco Bay Area, Joe worked as a freelance journalist in South Africa for the Washington Post and the Geographical Magazine (UK), a general assignment reporter for a suburban London weekly newspaper, managing editor of Cathay Pacific's award-winning Discovery magazine in Hong Kong, and a business reporter for the International Herald Tribune in Singapore.

An offer to write in Hollywood brought him back to California and a four-year stint developing movies and penning murder mystery scripts for Mary Tyler Moore (MTM) Productions and Stephen J. Cannell Productions.

National Geographic came calling with a year-long project to write a book about driving the Pan American Highway from Texas to Argentina - the first of more than 40 book projects for National Geographic. Nowadays Joe also writes for CNN Travel, Forbes Travel, DestinAsian Magazine, the Los Angeles Times travel magazine, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach magazines, Europe Express and Good Nature.

Selected books

• Long Road South; 50 States, 5,000 Ideas; Wild Beautiful Places and 125 Years of National Geographic Photography in Africa (National Geographic)
• America As It Happened (Washington Post)
• The Vietnam War and The World War One Book (DK)
• Explore! America's Journeys (Kane/Miller)
• Nemesis: A Novel of Old California (Blank Slate Press)

Joe has also contributed to travel guides on Argentina, Peru, Cuba and Costa Rica; Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macau; East Africa and Egypt; Spain, Greece, England, Venice, Barcelona and Amsterdam.

Education

Joe earned a Bachelor's Degree in Geography at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Master's Degree in Journalism at the University of Oregon.

He delivers guest lectures to writing and journalism students at San Diego State University and the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), and mentors student newspaper staff at UCLA.

Awards

Among Joe's many magazine and book honours are eight Lowell Thomas Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers including two Travel Book of the Year gold awards. He was named the Caribbean Travel Writer of the Year in 2006 and has received awards for his nature writing from the San Diego Press Club.

Fun fact

Joe estimates that he's spent at least two years of his life sleeping on the ground while camping in Africa, Asia and North America.

Introduction

John Brunton is a journalist, author and photographer, originally from London. After spending five years in Malaysia, he is now based in Paris and Venice, travelling widely to produce articles for international newspapers and magazines, specialising in wine, food, travel and culture.

Experience

Originally a photographer in Malaysia, specialising in adventure travel, John became a Paris-based correspondent, moved to Venice and started writing, specialising in food and wine journalism.

John has 30 years of experience, contributing to The Guardian, The Observer, The Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Financial Times, Elle magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, South China Morning Post and International Herald Tribune.

Selected publications:

Books: Malaysian Contrasts, Foods from France, World Markets

Photography coffee table books on Mexico, Italy, United States, Malaysia Heart of Asia

Contributor to Lonely Planet themed books - World Wine Trails, European Wine Trails, Food Trails, Culture Trails, Global Coffee Tour, Global Chocolate Tour, Global Beer Tour, Global Distillery Tour, Offbeat Travel, The Joy of Exploring Gardens, The Joy of Swimming, Trip Builder

Education

John has a BA in Modern History from Bristol University, and an MA in American Studies from London School of Economics.

He is a member of international wine juries - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Vinitaly International Wine Competition, Beaujolais Nouveau Trophy, Challenge Millesime Bio, Autochtona indigenous grapes.

He is also a member of Slowfood Jury, Frankfurt International Cheese and Charcuterie Trophy, Chevalier de Tastevin Sancerre and Nobile del Ducato dei Vini Friulani.

Awards

John has been awarded Pluma di Plata (Mexico) for travel writing and the Premio Collio (Italy) for wine writing.

Introduction

John Garry is a travel writer covering everything from urban culture to outdoor adventures. He's also a theater teacher, city cyclist and avid museum-goer who probably eats out too much in Brooklyn, NYC, where he lives.

Experience

After growing up in New York's Catskill Mountains, John spent a decade performing in musicals across North America and Europe before jumping into travel journalism and setting down roots in Brooklyn.

Selected publications

He has contributed to more than 14 Lonely Planet guidebooks since 2021, covering destinations from Colombia to Canada, with a strong focus on New York City and the Eastern US. His work also appears in Fodor's, Matador Network, AAA and other publications.

Charity work

On weekends, he teaches at NYC-based non-profit CO_LAB Theater Group, creating a social and artistic outlet for actors with developmental disabilities.

Awards

John is the recipient of four awards from the North American Travel Journalists Association, including Gold, Silver and Bronze for his work on articles related to the LGBTQ community and accessibility.

Introduction

Jonathan Glancey is a London-born journalist, critic and author. He has lived in many parts of the world, including India and the Spanish Pyrenees, and in recent years in the Scottish Highlands, Venice and the Suffolk-Norfolk border in the UK. His interest in architecture is life-long as is his fascination with design and engineering in all their many forms and his fondness for dogs, birds, aircraft, steam railway locomotives and dragonflies.

Experience

Jonathan began his career with the Architectural Review which took him around the world before joining the Independent as its first Architecture and Design Editor and moving to the Guardian where he travelled extensively including through Iraq shortly before the Bush-Blair invasion of 2003. Now freelance, he writes for newspapers, magazines and websites worldwide. His has made and contributed to numerous TV and radio programmes.

Selected publications

Jonathan's many books include The Story of Architecture, Lost Buildings, Where We Live, Spitfire: the biography, Concorde: the rise and fall of the supersonic airliner, The Journey Matters, Nagaland: A Journey to India's Forgotten Frontier, Giants of Steam and Operation Bowler: The Audacious Allied Bombing of Venice.

Education

Jonathan holds an MA from Magdalen College, Oxford.

He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, a member of the Committee of International Architectural Critics (CICA), a Companion of the Guild of St George, a charitable education trust founded by John Ruskin, and Patron of The Betjeman Society. He has spoken at literary festivals from Cowes on the Isle of Wight to Auckland, New Zealand.

Introduction

Julia Pearey is a freelance writer, editor and copywriter based in Wiltshire, UK.

Experience

More than 30 years in the publishing/editorial world. She started her career at a London agency working on Orient-Express Magazine, then went on to edit a variety of titles, including Island Visitor for people travelling to the Isle of Wight and Livewire, which was placed on the UK's London to Scotland train service.

Since going freelance 18 years ago she has contributed to numerous publications and websites, working mainly in the sphere of travel, art and lifestyle. Most recent clients include Belmond, Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal Cruises and the Art Fund. Her more unusual projects have ranged from managing a peer-reviewed journal for dermatology nurses to copywriting a website for a dental studio on Australia's Gold Coast.

Education

BA Hons in French and German at the University of East Anglia.

Interests

Huge supporter of anything animal/wildlife related, in particular (at the moment) helping dogs who have been badly affected by war.

Introduction

Kaeli Conforti is a travel writer, originally from New York City. She grew up in Hawaii and Florida, began her editorial career at Budget Travel magazine, and served as senior editor at The Points Guy. Following a two-year Working Holiday Visa stay in Australia and New Zealand, Kaeli moved to Washington, DC. She has since updated several DC guidebooks and continues to travel the world and write about her experiences.

Experience

Kaeli has more than 18 years of experience, contributing to Forbes, Thrillist, Lonely Planet, Mental Floss, Frommer's, Fodor's, Point.me, Shermans Travel, Tripadvisor, Budget Travel, Signature Travel Network, CNBC Select, Business Insider, The Points Guy, and Lending Tree.

Selected publications

Books:

• Day Trips from Washington, DC: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler (Globe Pequot, third edition)
• Frommer's Easy Guide to Washington, D.C. (2023 and 2023 editions)
• Fodor's Essential Australia (Outback chapter of the 2019 edition)

Education

Kaeli has a BA in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. She graduated Magma Cum Laude and is a proud member of Kappa Tau Alpha, the Journalism and Mass Communications Honor Society.

Introduction

Kate Mann is a journalist from the UK. She has been based in Munich since 2016 and Germany for longer, with stints in Köln and Berlin. She also spent two years working at the Slow Food headquarters in Piedmont. Her work mainly focuses on Germany, Austria and the Alps, and provides insights into food, culture and travel for British and international publications.

Experience

Kate began writing about Germany upon moving to Munich. She started with a blog, Munich Bites, which focuses on chefs and artisanal producers in Bavaria, before branching out into freelance journalism. Over the past decade, she has written for The Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, Conde Nast Traveller, BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, National Geographic Traveller, Eater and more.

Selected publications:

• 100 years after Bauhaus arrived, Dessau is still a magnet for design fans The Guardian
• Alpine Reawakening: Bavaria's New Wave of Mountain Retreats SUITCASE Magazine
• Austria's under-the-radar city with a vibrant arts scene The Sunday Times
• Sick of talking about Brexit The Independent

Education

Kate has a BA in Geography, First-Class Honours, from the University of Exeter and an MSc. in Global Governance and Ethics, with distinction, from University College London.

She is a member of the Guild of Travel Writers and the Guild of Food Writers.

Introduction

Katy Salter is a food and travel journalist and content editor, based just outside of London, UK. She began her career as features editor for a leading food magazine, before moving into the worlds of food websites and freelance writing.

Experience

Katy is an experienced food and travel journalist, whose work has appeared in BBC Good Food, Conde Nast Traveller, Elle, Eurostar Magazine, Restaurant, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times and Sunday Times among many others. She has worked in-house for several UK food titles including Delicious and Waitrose Food. Her cookbook, Dairy-Free Delicious (Quadrille), was published in both the US and UK.

Her foodie adventures have taken her all over the world and include picking coffee in Costa Rica and tea in Kenya, learning how to make feta in the Greek mountains, sipping the best flat whites in Melbourne and foraging for razor clams in Brittany, France.

Education and volunteer work

Katy has a BA in American Studies from the University of Reading and has also lived and studied in the USA. In her spare time, she volunteers at a local school newspaper club, helping a group of children aged nine to 11 years old produce their own newspaper.

Award nominations

Katy has been shortlisted twice for The Guild of Food Writers’ Journalist of the Year, Fortnum & Mason Food Journalist of the Year and Best Journalist at Le Cordon Bleu World Food Awards.

Introduction

Kristin Luna is a Tennessee-based journalist, photographer, and storyteller whose work spans more than two decades across print and digital media. Her bylines include more than 50 international publications, such as Time Out, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, AFAR, Newsweek and USA Today. She is also the voice behind the award-winning travel blog Camels & Chocolate and the founder of public art nonprofit DMA (for Do More Art), which installs murals across the South, merging storytelling with community-driven placemaking.

Experience

Born in rural Tennessee, Kristin began her career in consumer media during college before moving to New York City, where she built a strong portfolio through in-house reporter and editor roles. She later spent several years in California, where she authored more than a dozen guidebooks and expanded into content marketing within the food and travel space.

Over time, her career has evolved beyond writing into a multi-faceted business that includes running a successful travel platform, producing large-scale public art projects, and creating visual and editorial assets for communities of all sizes. She is also a sought-after speaker and panelist, regularly presenting at national conferences on destination marketing, storytelling, content strategy and creative placemaking.

Selected publications

Education

Kristin holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Electronic Media from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She also studied at Sewanee: The University of the South, the University of Edinburgh, Hogeschool Utrecht in the Netherlands and Danmarks Medie og Journalisthøjskole in Denmark.

She serves on advisory boards for several academic institutions and tourism organizations, including the University of Tennessee's School of Journalism and Media, the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association's Governor's Conference and Middle Tennessee State University's Tourism and Hospitality Management program.

Awards

Kristin has received multiple creative and industry honors throughout her career, including Mississippi's Travel Writer of the Year award and the Daughters of the American Revolution's Public Relations and Media Award, recognizing her commitment to historic preservation and education through her nonprofit work.

Introduction

Laura Hall is an award-winning writer and journalist based in Copenhagen. Originally from Manchester, UK, she covers Scandinavia, the Nordics and the Arctic from a cultural and travel perspective. She is a contributor to all the major broadsheet newspapers in the UK, along with the BBC. She also writes for multiple outlets around the world, from airline magazines in Hong Kong to travel magazines including Conde Nast Traveler and Afar in the USA.

Experience

Laura's background is in travel publishing as a travel guide author and editor, and she has broad experience across the travel sector, as a former founding director of family travel firm Kid & Coe and the former content lead of a national tourist board.

Selected publications

Memoir: The Year I Lay My Head In Water, a memoir of swimming around Scandinavia in search of a better life.

Travel writing: Time Out Copenhagen, Footprint Reykjavik

Children's Books: One Day, So Many Ways, a picture book about world culture.

Contributor: Kinfolk Islands, Kinfolk Journeys, Lonely Planet Denmark, Lonely Planet Scandinavia

Education

Laura holds a BA in English Language and Literature from Oxford University and a post-graduate certificate in Periodicals Journalism from the London College of Printing. She is studying for an MFA in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

She sits on the jury for the annual CIFFT Tourism Press Award and is regularly called on to comment about the travel industry. She writes prize-winning fiction and was the runner up of the Tom Grass Spirit of Adventure Literary Prize in 2025.

Introduction

Lee Cobaj is a travel writer, guidebook author and the founder of luxury travel consultancy Alembic Creative. Lee lives in Hong Kong, the city where she grew up. She specialises in writing about luxury travel in Asia and contributes to a number of prestigious publications, including Conde Nast Traveller, The Telegraph, The Times, Robb Report, National Geographic Traveller and Travel + Leisure Asia.

Experience

After spending nearly two decades criss-crossing the globe as cabin crew, Lee now specialises in writing about high-end adventures and luxury hotels across Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Selected publications

Contributor to DK Eyewitness: Top 10 Hong Kong

Education

Lee Cobaj has a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, and an MA in Literature, Culture and Modernity, both attained at the University of Salford.

Charity work

As well as being a pet therapy volunteer, Lee is an active fundraiser for the Indochina Starfish Foundation, which supports impoverished children in Cambodia through education, football and community projects.

Fun fact

Lee has visit 60 resorts in the Maldives - and counting.

Introduction

Lee Marshall writes about travel, cinema and interiors for a range of international publications. The bulk of his travel writing centres on Italy, his home since 1984. Born in Bristol, he holds dual Italian and UK citizenship.

Experience

Lee moved to Rome on a whim in September 1984 with his partner, straight out of university. They have lived in Italy ever since, moving from Rome to a small town in Umbria in 2008. He became a full-time freelance writer and journalist in 1993, specialising initially in culture but soon focusing on his two core passions: travel and cinema.

Publications

Marshall's travel articles have appeared in Condé Nast Traveller, Travel and Leisure, Departures, The Telegraph, Time Out, Qantas Magazine, The Guardian, The New York Times and many others. He writes film reviews for Screen International, mostly from festivals. He has also been a regular contributor to World of Interiors for more than two decades.

Awards

Marshall was awarded the Premio Sicilia Terra Mediterranean in 2013 for his writing on Sicily in Departures magazine. He has served as a jury member at film festivals in Edinburgh, Bratislava and Salina.

Introduction

Lisa Gerard-Sharp is an award-winning travel writer, editor, author and speaker who also covers culture, cruising, the arts and lifestyle. As a dual British-Italian citizen based in London and on the French-Italian Riviera, she is especially attached to Italy and France, where she is mostly based.

Lisa is a storyteller who delivers in-depth travel writing, cultural talks and interviews.

Experience

Formerly London Correspondent to Italian Vogue, Lisa is a Londoner who has lived in Paris, Brussels, Rome, Florence, Siena and the French-Italian Riviera, her current writing base. It's an eclectic, award-winning range, spanning travel, heritage, fashion, food and wine, literature and the arts. She's as happy infiltrating the Sicilian Mafia as truffling with hounds in Piedmont.

Lisa is also a keen interviewer, hotel/restaurant reviewer and cruise journalist worldwide, who loves quirky cruises and tall ships. That's in addition to speaking at events or travel shows, including the France Show in London or luxury lifestyle shows in Cannes.

Selected publications

Contributor to outlets ranging from Time Out to The Telegraph, The Guardian to National Geographic Traveller, Wanderlust Magazine to World of Cruising, along with work for Lonely Planet, Italia Magazine, CNN and the BBC.

Sole author or contributor to books on heritage, language and education, along with in-depth guides to Italian and French regions, culinary trails, cultural walks and Mediterranean cruises for publishers ranging from Insight Guides to National Geographic and Dorling Kindersley.

Education

As a linguist, former teacher and academic writer, Lisa first trained in education, including roles as a language lecturer in Florence and director of studies of management training institutes in Brussels and Paris. Lisa is also a longstanding member of the British Guild of Travel Writers.

Awards

Lisa has won numerous journalism awards, including Best Travel Writer on Italy, awarded by the Italian Tourist Board, and Best Destination Feature, plus Best Transport Writer, for her work on cruising, from the British Guild of Travel Writers. She has won similar awards for her guidebooks on Italy and France and been acclaimed as a travel blogger by National Geographic Traveller.

Introduction

Mark Johanson is an American journalist who's lived in Santiago, Chile, for more than a decade. His stories about travel, adventure, food, design and the environment have appeared in numerous magazines (Travel + Leisure, TIME, Robb Report, Food & Wine, Outside, Dwell, Newsweek), newspapers (The Guardian, Sunday Times, FT, Chicago Tribune), digital publications (Punch, Narratively, Atlas Obscura), inflights (Hemispheres, Qantas) and global news outlets (National Geographic, Bloomberg, CNN, BBC). He has co-authored more than two-dozen Lonely Planet travel guides and coffee table books, as well as several Fodor's guides and NatGeo coffee table books.

Experience

In addition to his writing, Mark has worked as a presenter for Lonely Planet's video channel and been featured as an authority on travel writing in podcasts and books.

Selected publications

Mark's first literary work, Mars on Earth, was published in 2024 by Rocky Mountain Books. The photo-rich hardcover follows a 1,200-mile odyssey into the heart of the world's driest non-polar desert ― the Atacama.

Mark has also co-authored Lonely Planet guides to Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Panama, Peru, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the U.S. and the Virgin Islands. He has co-authored Fodor's guides to Chile and Peru, and National Geographic coffee table books like the Traveler's Atlas of the World.

Education

Mark has a BA in Media Arts and Design from James Madison University.

Awards

Mars on Earth was listed among the best travel books of 2024 by both National Geographic and Geographical Magazine.