Our Authors
Soila Kenya
Local ExpertSoila Kenya is an award-winning data journalist, content creator and communications specialist from Kenya. She enjoys writing about women's health, science, environment, travel, career advice, tech and internet, and pop culture. She has written for Quartz Africa, Poynter Institute, The Org, The Continent, openDemocracy, The Star Kenya, Debunk Media, and Inspire Afrika. Find her work at soilakenya.com.
Richard Powell
Local Expert / TravellerRichard Powell is an expat Canadian freelance writer/photographer. His articles and stories have appeared in local and international magazines and blogs. He also writes both fiction and non-fiction books. Richard’s history/travelogue of Stane Street in South East England was published in 2021. It combined his passions for photography, writing, research, and history. Drawing on his earlier life as an IT analyst, entrepreneur, curios shop owner, and publican, Richard is now applying his enthusiasm to writing on the island of Cyprus where he lives with his wife.
Cecilia Mwangi
StorytellerCecilia is a Kenyan IT graduate who chose to follow her dreams of becoming a freelance copywriter. For 8+ years, she has worked with agencies, independent clients, and freelancing platforms. She loves writing about travel destinations, personal finance, business, iGaming, and health and wellness topics. When she is not on her keyboard cooking up a storm with words, Cecilia loves travelling, reading, and pampering her two beautiful children and a furbaby. You can check out her blog or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Mathia Pacenti
Traveller / StorytellerMathia Pacenti is based in Northern Norway. He lives in the Vesterålen archipelago, where eagles fly and the Northern Lights illuminate his path. Italy is his country of origin, a birthplace that instilled a big passion for history and geography — and a deep sense of community and traditions. Mathia also believes in the ideas of cultural sharing and travel sustainability. He began his career by jumping into international tourism, rapidly improving his skills in the hotel and service industry. After a long pilgrimage, he arrived in Norway; for Ethical Travel Portal he now introduces visitors to the dramatic northern landscapes he’s fallen in love with.
Cheryl Rodewig
ActivistCheryl Rodewig is an award-winning journalist with a passion for travel and exploring the wonders of the natural world. When she’s not planning her next trip from her current home base in Florida, she’s putting her MBA to use crafting stories for brands. Over the past 15 years, her words have appeared in AARP, USA Today GoEscape, The Guardian, Country magazine, Fodor’s, Thrillist, Roadtrippers and all over her website. She loves it when people reach out on Twitter and Instagram.
Precious Uzoma-Nwosu
StorytellerPrecious Uzoma-Nwosu is a culture, content and creative writer who specialises in topics relevant to women and covers other thought-provoking and intriguing stories that matter. Precious has written for reputable magazines like Culture Custodian, Adventures From, Document Women, Gay.Uk, etc. and is also a book reviewer. You can reach her on Twitter @adannaya.
Charlotte Cassedanne
StorytellerCharlotte Cassedanne is a freelance travel and lifestyle writer who grew up in the South of France and now lives in London, United Kingdom. She specialises in sustainable travel, wellness, culture, and adventure. Find out more about Charlotte.
Halima A. Abdullahi
Local Expert / StorytellerHalima is a freelance travel, food and real estate content writer, copywriter and avid researcher with many years of experience. She is a writer who is passionate about helping businesses and websites gain visibility and generate profitable leads through engaging, informative, and high-quality writing services. Aside from writing, she loves helping budding writers learn how to effectively hone their writing skills. She’s also an unapologetic foodie and a travel enthusiast who dreams of travelling around the world and trying out different delicacies from various parts of the world.
Simona Popescu
Local ExpertSimona Popescu lives in a small village near the city of Vatra Dornei, Romania. She has a bachelor’s degree in advertising and master’s degree in public relations and advertising and is currently working as a copywriter and content writer for various local businesses in the Vatra Dornei area. She loves hiking and practicing her landscape photography skills, and plans on turning travel into a job in the future.
Shagun Kaushik
StorytellerShagun Kaushik is a dedicated, inquisitive journalism student with a deep-rooted passion for storytelling and a commitment to ethical reporting. Her journey into the world of journalism is marked by an insatiable curiosity to explore and convey the narratives that shape our society. As a budding journalist, Shagun aspires to bring meaningful stories to light, amplify diverse voices, and provide valuable insights to her readers.
Abderrahemane Nejam
StorytellerAbderrahemane Nejam is a content writer, storyteller, and interviewer. He works with athletes, entrepreneurs, startups, and companies on both a national and international scale. He is passionate about societal and internet culture, self-help, and unrepresented topics.
Sophie Baker
Storyteller / Local ExpertSophie Baker is a freelance travel, content, and equestrian writer with a decade of experience. She lives in South Africa and has been published both locally and internationally. When she’s not telling stories about the people, places, and cultures she’s encountered, she can usually be found cooking, tasting new foods and wines, or riding her horse. To find out more about her work or read more articles, visit her online or on LinkedIn.
Steven Knipp
Local ExpertBased in Asia, Steven Knipp is an American journalist with 20 years’ experience — as a reporter, writer, foreign correspondent, columnist and magazine editor. Steven’s byline has appeared in such publications and websites as the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, Time.com, Newsweek, Smithsonian Air & Space, Vogue China, Travel & Leisure, the International Herald Tribune, HNN.com and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Oluwaseun Famoofo
StorytellerOluwaseun Famoofo is a passionate narrator. A lover of comedy shows and wine, you will mostly see her glued to her laptop revealing one story or another. Creating her novels and building their characters gives her the utmost satisfaction. She has written for publications like Adventures from the Bedrooms of African Women and Shado magazine. She hopes to shed light on issues in her society by any means possible.
Joyce Wachau Chege
Local ExpertJoyce Wachau Chege is a young Kenyan writer with a degree in Mass Communication. She is a correspondent for MyGov and also runs her own blog, Wachau Joyce. An enthusiastic observer with a niche in human interest stories and an experience of four years, she has had a handful of pieces published, working to change lives one story at a time. She is licensed as a journalist by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).
Folu Oyefeso
StorytellerFolu Oyefeso grew up in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria, as the first child of two business people/entrepreneurs. From a young age, he's had interests in a wide variety of subject matter but formally pursued academia in the sciences and business material. After graduating with a business degree from the University of Walla Walla, Washington, USA, he returned home to Nigeria where he started to tell short stories and document places of interest in his part of the country. This journey led him to develop an online directory, where stories and pictures from his travels are documented with the purpose of rekindling a sense of pride for Nigerians and Africans.
Vanessa Chiasson
StorytellerVanessa Chiasson is a Canadian travel, food, and culture writer with bylines in the Globe and Mail, USA Today, Buzzfeed, Travel Awaits, and more. Her award-winning blog, Turnipseed Travel, focuses on cosy, affordable travel experiences. You can follow her travel adventures on Twitter.
Tom Graham
StorytellerTom Graham is author of the Genius of The Poor, a TEDx public speaker, and social entrepreneur. From founding Make A Difference (MAD) Travel in the Philippines, MAD has recently harnessed technology to enable learners around the world to connect to communities through interactive video.
Elsa Dixon
TravellerElsa Dixon is an award-winning freelance writer and contributor to stock photography sites who has been leading custom tours to South Africa and other countries since 2006. The company, TravelswithElsa LLC, has an active website and blogging component and lists her articles. She has published a biography of her father, an iconic South African entertainer (PIET wat POMPIES was), and a global award-winning memoir, Hippos, Hotspots, and Homelands. Recently retired, she also runs a private piano teaching studio. Headshot photo: HM Cotton
Sabah Gurmat
StorytellerSabah Gurmat is an independent journalist presently based in Mumbai, India. She is interested and curious about issues of human rights, culture, and gender, and has reported primarily on the same. She can be reached on Twitter.
Leyla Rose
StorytellerLeyla Rose is a freelance writer and trained journalist based between the United Kingdom and Lombok, Indonesia. She has been freelancing since 2019 and specialises in writing about food, travel, and culture. Her work has been published in numerous magazines and online publications such as Fodor’s, Here Magazine, Culture Trip, and Matador Network, among others. She is also an avid and published photographer that goes hand-in-hand with her journalism. Find her work online.
Rhea Vitto Tabora
StorytellerRhea Vitto Tabora is a professional travel writer with more than 14 years of experience working in the hospitality industry in Vietnam and Indonesia. She returned to her home country, the Philippines, in 2014 to pursue her dream of writing about amazing places and creating content for hotel and tourism brands while also travelling. Her work has been published in Travel Asia Now, Arrivedo, Daily Tribune, and Mise En Place Asia magazine, as well as various hotel websites.
Kristine Hansen
StorytellerBased in the U.S. Midwest, Kristine Hansen covers sustainability, food, and design as it relates to travel, contributing to other outlets that include TravelandLeisure.com, Fodors.com and ArchitecturalDigest.com. She's also the author of Frank Lloyd Wright's Wisconsin: How America's Most Famous Architect Found Inspiration in His Home State and Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook: Creamy, Cheesy, Sweet, and Savory Recipes from the State's Best Creameries, both published by Globe Pequot Press.
Pamela MacNaughtan
Local ExpertPamela has been a freelance travel and food writer for the last 10 years, writing about travel, culture, and food in Québec on her website, Urban Guide Quebec. She has written for Québec City Tourism, and updates guidebooks on Montréal, Québec City, and Canada for Michelin and DK Eyewitness. Montréal is a favourite day trip, often filled with neighbourhood explorations, culture, and a lot of food.
Eleanor Hughes
TravellerEleanor is a New Zealander who wrote children's fiction, then took up freelance travel writing to justify long overlanding travels through South and Central America. A relaxing holiday is not for her; she enjoys discovering, new adventures and a few challenges along the way. When not writing or travelling overseas she's exploring her own country, cycling or hiking New Zealand’s Great Rides and Walks, playing hockey or running.
Erika Ebsworth-Goold
Traveller / StorytellerErika Ebsworth-Goold is a US-based two-time Emmy-award winning journalist now focused on travel, adventure, lifestyle and culture. She's been commissioned by Fodor's, Matador Network, Midwest Living, Insider, and is a frequent contributor to TravelAwaits, an online travel hub for 50+ travellers and adventurers. Erika is a proud member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, the Society of American Travel Writers, and the Midwest Travel Journalists Association.
Linathi Makanda
StorytellerLinathi Makanda is an experienced editorial writer and photographer with an eagerness to craft compelling narratives and make a positive impact through her writing. She has published work in several prestigious publications, including Nataal Media, Vogue Italia, The Luupe, and ColorBloc Magazine, and has experience in the fields of fashion, travel, art, and entertainment. She is an evolving and multi-faceted artist in the creative industry, known for her distinctive perspective and capacity to add a fresh voice to any topic.
Ruba Velagić
Local ExpertRuba Velagić is a seasoned project manager with a decade of expertise in tourism, encompassing international development projects and the private sector. Specialising in crafting exceptional visitor experiences and driving destination marketing, she leads the design and implementation of initiatives that enhance tourism offerings. With a focus on developing new products, experiences, and itineraries, Ruba also excels in optimising existing ones. Proficient in marketing activities on national and international scales, she adeptly utilises B2B and B2C channels across offline and online platforms.
Julie-Ann Sherlock
Local ExpertA mother of two adult sons, Julie-Ann has been travelling while working as a content writer and editor since 2015. While exploring Asia in 2017, she first fell in love with Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and made it her home. She takes advantage of easy access to other parts of Asia to continue gradually exploring the continent's wonders. The pandemic saw her return to Europe for a while, and she lived in Albania for a year, using it as a base to explore the Balkans. Back in her beloved KL since early 2023, Julie-Ann is happy to slowly and consciously continue her explorations of the region and beyond for the foreseeable future.
Alexandra Wrigley
ActivistAlexandra Wrigley is a copywriter and content writer from the United Kingdom. Her primary focus is centered around tech and travel. She loves to write on her blog in her downtime.
Dermott Kelly
Local ExpertDermott is a sound engineer, freelance writer and photographer who has lived in Victoria, BC for over a dozen years. He spends most of his free time on two wheels; either his Kona Kahuna or Kawasaki Ninja 636. Making the most of what’s in his backyard, ‘Up Island’ is a favourite trip, as he goes where the road — and off-road — take him.
Mariam Gogaladze
Local ExpertMariam Gogaladze is an education administration specialist and freelance writer based in Georgia. She has been freelancing since 2023 specialising as a creative copywriter, but at the same time writes blogs and articles about culture, education, social issues, travel and sport. Mariam likes to learn and make new discoveries, often researching different subjects. Her works cover topics ranging from European football to the issues of national minorities or school education. With travelling as one of her hobbies, she also writes about her own experiences.
Tom Hayes
StorytellerAn Irish native, Tom Hayes has worked in the national newspaper media, both print and online, for over three decades. He’s a freelance editor and writer covering a variety of subjects including sport and film. Tom’s lived and worked in cities from Rome to Cologne, and prefers a leisurely self-guided holiday with a little planning and a lot of freedom to explore. In his spare time, he enjoys playing some of the world’s finest golf courses (conveniently located in Ireland), following his beloved San Francisco 49ers, and spoiling his dog, Bruno.
Erin Coyle
Storyteller / Local Expert / TravellerErin Coyle is a freelance writer and ESL teacher based in Oman. Her work has been published in the Oman Observer, Go World Travel, Wander with Wonder, Confetti Travel Cafe, Rovology, Foodie Flashpacker, among others. She also lived in China for five years, teaching ESL. Erin's travels have taken her to Southeast Asia, Oceania, Europe, the Middle East, East and South Africa. She is always planning her next trip.
Jean-Claude Razel
Resonate Team / ActivistJean-Claude Razel has 30+ years of experience in the adventure business. Initially focused on mountaineering and climbing, he is now active in all aspects and his company, Alaya, is the leading outdoor adventure provider in Brazil. Jean-Claude is currently an Educator for AdventureEDU, the training branch of the ATTA. Very much concerned with sustainability, he is also an Educator for Ecological Transition at French universities in Paris, Lyon and Dijon. As a manager of the Brazilian National Rafting Team, he won six world championships. French-born Jean-Claude lives in Chamonix; in his spare time, when he’s not exploring the great outdoors, he plays the piano and sings rock ‘n’ roll with his band.
Carrie Back
StorytellerCarrie Back is a freelance writer and trained journalist based between the United States and Southeast Asia. She has been freelancing since 2018 and specialises in writing about sustainability, travel, and culture. Her work has been published in numerous magazines and online publications such as Travel and Leisure, AFAR, Culture Trip, and Matador Network, among others. She is a proud member of the Cherokee Nation. Find her work online.
Jordan Ashley
ActivistWhile embracing New York City’s fast-paced yoga culture, Jordan Ashley (MA Human Rights and PhD candidate) recognised a need for a more service-based practice; a need for experiences which give perspective to the self through selflessness. Drawing on her experience travelling and teaching yoga, she created Souljourn Yoga Foundation, a US 501(c)3 non-profit that creates transformational yoga retreats and teacher training programs to raise awareness and funds for young women’s education around the world. Jordan’s work has been featured by Forbes, the LA Times, Marie Claire UK, and more.
Jennifer Johnson
StorytellerJennifer Johnson is a freelance writer and researcher who aspires to write about her favourite things — true crime, historical events, media and entertainment, health and wellness, mental health, family relationships, career guidance, and workplace topics — but she’s been known to take on any project that piques her interest.
Stephanie Osmanski
ActivistStephanie is a freelance writer who writes about health, the planet, and being a woman. She has almost a decade of experience writing with bylines at INSIDER, Parade, Newsweek, Reader’s Digest, and WebMD. She lives in New York with her pomsky, Koda, and writes a Substack newsletter for publicists called Pitch, Please.
Graeme Hanna
StorytellerGraeme Hanna is a freelance writer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland who has been writing full-time for the last three years. He specialises in football and Rangers FC, as well as writing on news and trending matters. His work has been published in titles such as Rangers Review, Give Me Sport, Manchester Evening News, MyLondon and the Belfast News Letter.
Khalid Ismail
TravellerKhalid Ismail is a freelance writer and travel blogger hailing from Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. He embarked on his freelancing journey in 2019 and actively collaborates with clients on Fiverr and through direct partnerships. Khalid also specializes in crafting SEO-optimised articles related to solar energy systems, SaaS, Science and Technology, and other niches. His work has found its way into numerous online publications, showcasing his expertise in these domains. In addition to his passion for writing, he possesses a deep appreciation for photography, which complements his travel blog content. You can reach out to him on Facebook.
Emma Jones
StorytellerEmma Jones is a non-fiction writer based in the UK. She specialises in art and culture writing, reviews and travel writing. Emma’s work has been published online and in print, including in Source Magazine, The Radavist and Elsewhere: A Journal of Place. In September 2023, she was writer in residence at Marchmont House in the Scottish Borders, working on her first full-length manuscript. A comprehensive writing bibliography, and her contact details, can be found on her website.
Bandita Mukherjee
TravellerA Kolkata-based teacher, Bandita is an avid traveller. While she is thrilled to hike unknown terrain, explore cities steeped in history and understand the culinary scene of every new place she travels to, the nuanced textures of her native India are what she finds most exciting as a compulsive traveller. When she is not teaching or on the go, she can be found making plans for her next trip, with a mug of fresh Darjeeling tea and her pet cat curled up by her side.
Eric Obwanga
Local ExpertEric Obwanga is a passionate advocate for eco-tourism and cultural exploration. Over the past few years, he has lived and worked on Rusinga Island, building connections with the community and gaining a deep understanding of its traditions, challenges and aspirations. He is passionate about collaborating with local writers on more destination guides, workshops, and initiatives that empower travellers to make a positive impact while experiencing the world. Eric firmly believes that "Travel is not just about the places we visit, but the connections we forge and the stories we share." You can connect with him on Instagram.
Abdisa Dawit Shifera
Local ExpertAbdisa Dawit Shifera (Abdisa meaning ‘hope’), is a student pursuing a degree in Theology at Tangaza University College in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a Consolata seminarian, aspiring to become a Consolata missionary. When he is not immersed in his books or attending class, he loves watching and playing football. He is well-acquainted with the Ethiopian culture, loves touring often and seeking an adventurous life.
Soneya Ali
StorytellerSoneya Ali is a traveller and freelancer born and raised in Gilgit Baltistan. Her upbringing in this breathtaking environment inspired her to explore and write about the different cultures, foods, and places that are not very well-known to tourists — and these discoveries have driven her to share her experiences through her blog. Her dedication to travel is evident in everything she writes, and her readers can always count on her for reliable content.
Ang Dolma Sherpa
ActivistAng Dolma Sherpa is an environmentally and culturally engaged social entrepreneur who won the top ‘ideator’ award at Idea Studio Nepal 2019 for her concept of Biodegradable Khatak (Tibetan traditional offering scarves) and Lungta (Buddhist prayer flags). This led her to open Utpala Craft in Nepal in 2020, encouraging a shift from synthetic khatak and lungta to biodegradable ones in response to the discovery of microplastics in Himalayan glaciers. Ang Dolma carries out community education initiatives in her native Sherpa Nation in Nepal and is part of an international movement along with scholars and researchers from India, New Zealand and Canada: Biodegradable Blessings. Find out more online by searching ‘Biodegradable Blessings’ or ‘biodegradable prayer flags’.
Valery Opondo
Local ExpertValery Opondo is a proud native of Kisumu, Kenya and has always been captivated by her hometown’s beauty and diversity. Her writing skillfully weaves vivid descriptions, historical context, and insights into the local way of life. Through her words, readers can almost smell the fish roasting by the shores of Lake Victoria and feel the rhythm of the traditional Luo music that echoes through the city's vibrant streets. In addition to her writing, Valery is a dedicated clinician working towards unlocking her fullest potential within the realm of healthcare. She firmly believes that responsible travel is not just a trend but a responsibility every traveller should uphold.
Kennedy Majanga
Local ExpertKennedy Majanga was born and raised in Kakamega where he has spent most of his life. Professionally, he currently holds the position of an Assistant Account Executive at Levanter Africa Limited. He is passionate about his work and has dedicated five years to honing his skills. He also engages in photography. He studied at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Outside his work, he loves football and volunteering, taking every opportunity he can to give back to the community.
Saurabh Joshi
StorytellerSaurabh Joshi is a travel expert who curates sustainable itineraries focusing on India as a destination. Before making New Delhi his base, Saurabh led cultural and food tours across the country for several years, work which dovetailed perfectly with his passion for storytelling (and chai!). Saurabh also shares a keen interest in cricket and is actively involved with the Sunder Kanti Joshi Award, an initiative taken by his family to encourage and promote women's sports in Rajasthan.
Noreen and Amour
Local ExpertWe are Noreen Cichon and Amour Suleiman Amour El-Hinawy from AMO Zanzibar Tours & Safaris, a Travelife Certified, family-owned, well-established tourism company situated in the middle of Stone Town’s maze in Zanzibar. We aim to offer thoughtful — and therefore responsible — tourism which provides our guests with an authentic insight into the Swahili coast territory and the region while minimising the negative aspects of mass tourism in terms of environmental and social degradation.
Aisha Nabwanika
Local ExpertAisha Nabwanika is the founder and CEO of Ewaffe Cultural Village, an eco-cultural tourism centre. Located just an hour's drive from Kampala, Uganda, the village is a gateway to a world where food tourism and cultural immersion unite. Aisha holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Makerere University Business School. She has served as an Administrator at Uganda Tourism Association (UTA), and her passion lies in cultural tourism development and climate education.
Tricia Patras
StorytellerTricia Patras is a writer from Chicago. She is a published poet, author of A Chain of Thoughts (Substack) and @achainofthoughts (Instagram). She has lived across the globe from London to Florence and is a seasoned solo traveller. She has a set of poems published in Open Doors Review, a literary magazine based in Florence, Italy; her short story, Morning Spaghetti, was published in Maudlin House. She was interviewed for Medium magazine based on her poetry Instagram account with +6,500 followers. She is currently in the publishing stages of her debut novel, Just An Average Girl.
Kate Harrison
TravellerKate Harrison is a writer living in North Wales, in the United Kingdom. Though a Science Writer for Technology Networks by day, her true passions are rock climbing and travel, which she writes about on her blog. She feels most at home in the outdoors and in her free time, can usually be found halfway up a cliff face.
Bosco John Juma
Local ExpertBosco John Juma is a conservationist, social entrepreneur and the Executive Director of Big Ship Organization. He has over 10 years of hands-on experience promoting the conservation of marine, forest, and allied natural resources. Bosco continues to share information on marine conservation efforts through his social media accounts via Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook.
Heather Jasper
StorytellerHeather Jasper is a freelance travel writer based in Cusco, Peru since 2019. Her articles about South America are published in BBC Travel, Horizon Guides, Frommer’s, Fodor’s Travel, Lonely Planet, Insider and more. She’s the author of Peru’s first travel guide app, Peru’s Best. Find links to her articles and blogs from over 30 countries on her website; follow her on Instagram to see where in the world she is now.
Elisa Spampinato
ActivistWith a wealth of experience with Community-Based Tourism (CBT) projects in Latin America and, most recently in East Africa, India and Nepal, Elisa Spampinato connects Indigenous and traditional communities with responsible travellers through storytelling. She uses storytelling with an ethnographic approach and writes compelling stories with local community members to ensure their narratives reach bigger audiences. She writes for several blogs and online publications about sustainable tourism and ethical travelling. Elisa loves cultures, speaks four languages fluently, and is currently learning two more. She has an innate passion for photography, which she brings strongly to her work. Find more about her work on her LinkedIn page; follow the Traveller Storyteller blog for more grassroots stories and immersive cultural experiences with Indigenous communities.
Ricardo Moreau
StorytellerRicardo Moreau is a Trinidadian freelance writer who lives in Brazil. Realising that the only thing foreigners knew about Brazil was the city of Rio de Janeiro, he took it upon himself to start a blog that talks about the other 99% of the country. When he's not doing that, you'll find him buried in obscure textbooks and working on his first novel that should have been finished six years ago.
Miriam Calleja
TravellerMiriam Calleja is a prize-winning Maltese bilingual wordsmith and poet. She has three poetry collections: Pomegranate Heart, Inside, and Stranger Intimacy, and a collaboration titled Luftmeer. Her work appears in Sentinel Quarterly, Indigo Dreams Publishing, and The Gloucestershire Poetry Society, and is forthcoming in Modern Poetry in Translation. She hosts creative writing workshops and enjoys writing about health, food, and travel. Miriam believes that storytelling encourages unity, connection, and understanding. She has great faith in collaboration as a key to communication.
Lelde Beņķe-Lungeviča
Local ExpertLelde Beņķe-Lungeviča is a freelance writer, translator, and tour guide based in Riga, Latvia. She combines an education in journalism with a professional background in marketing and communications within the travel and architecture industries. Most of Lelde’s work focuses on stories about people and places. She is the founder and editor of LifeinRiga.com, a platform she describes as the hybrid of an expat blog and guidebook. In the words of one of her readers, she "always goes one step deeper, wider, and wiser," which has become her benchmark.
Emily Cathcart
Local Expert / Resonate Team / StorytellerFrom her base in Ireland, Emily Cathcart was delighted to join Resonate as a Content Manager and has been revelling in the opportunity to collaborate with writers worldwide ever since. Emily enjoys encouraging authors through the creation process and also helping non-writers to tell their tales — all with Resonate’s ethical principles in mind. When she isn’t busy commissioning or editing, she can be found, camera in hand, seeking out-of-the-way discoveries for her own site that’s literally All About Dublin. And when Emily’s not working on any/all of the above, she’s writing articles and photo essays as a freelance journalist for publications from boutique magazines to national newspapers.
Ana Astri-O’Reilly
Local ExpertAna Astri-O’Reilly is a fully bilingual Spanish-English writer originally from Argentina. She’s lived in great places like Buenos Aires, Dallas, Toronto, and the Channel Islands and has been incredibly fortunate to visit many countries and cultures. Ana writes about travel, culture, food, HR, and language learning and has had her work published in various outlets. Ana also writes her musings here.
Louise Slyth
Traveller / Storyteller / Local ExpertLouise Slyth is a communications consultant and freelance writer. Born in Edinburgh, she has lived in Sydney and Barcelona, and now resides in Dublin with her husband. Her work has been featured in publications around the world, including HuffPost, Stylist, The Independent and The Ethel, to name but a few. When she’s not writing, she’s planning her next trip. You can connect with her on Instagram.
Ferenc Elekes
ActivistFerenc Elekes has been a devout overlanding enthusiast for many years. During that time, Ferenc has explored 75 countries on six continents, with overland travel involved in 40 countries on three continents. From his trusty 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with a roof-top tent, he’s blogged about experiences that can only be found in the remotest regions on Earth. Along the way, he’s gained in-depth knowledge of the novel challenges overlanders encounter and practical ways to meet them. On his website, he shares informed opinions about everything from the best overland gear to how to get a vehicle unstuck. Ferenc has also written for Ih8mud, the Expedition Portal, and the Overland Journal, and he is often invited as a guest to outdoors-related podcasts.
Lia Mageira
Traveller / StorytellerLia is a Greek travel photographer and writer who graduated from the University of West Attica, Greece. Lia’s work has been published in more than 110 national and international newspapers, magazines and websites, both in print and online. Among them are the BBC, Lifo News, Efsyn Newspaper, Ethnos Newspaper, The Greek Reporter, Go World Travel, Passion Passport, Frsthand Magazine, and GoNomad. Lia has also appeared in literary journals recently as a cover artist including Typehouse Magazine, Absynthe Magazine, Rivanna Review Magazine, Zoetic Press, Mud Season Review, Josephine Quarterly Magazine, SunLight Press, Star82 Review Magazine and others. She was nominated for the Best of the Net Awards 2020-2021.
Shuvangi Khadka
ActivistShuvangi Khadka is an independent writer and researcher based in Kathmandu, Nepal. She is also one of the editors of The Pomelo, an e-magazine which explores Himalayan voices. Currently, she is working on a short documentary film. You can follow her work on Instagram.
Mark Levitin
Storyteller / Traveller / Local ExpertMark Levitin is an award-winning travel photographer and writer. Mark has been nomadic since the age of 18, which was before digital technologies had arrived in most of Asia, so he started off as an analogue nomad, then upgraded to a digital version. Mark’s preferred region of the world is South and SouthEast Asia. The driving force behind all his wandering is an insatiable curiosity: for anything, any knowledge, generally speaking, but first and foremost, for the diversity of human cultures. See some of Mark’s works on Instagram.
Raj Gyawali
Resonate TeamBased in Nepal, Raj Gyawali is one of the driving forces behind Resonate and Ethical Travel Portal. He has over two decades of specialist knowledge of responsible tourism in practice and ground-level experience building, developing his company socialtours as the first in Asia to be sustainability certified. Working in Ghana, China, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh and India, he's kept a finger on the pulse of developments around the world of tourism. Raj consults on responsible tourism for organisations, especially on destination development. Through consultation, he helps governments and communities create more sustainable practices. He is the expert Dreamweaver for Asia and adventure-related experiences, drawing from his passion for soft adventure. Raj loves most to be in the mountains, leading a multi-day hike or on a bike trip, or researching new experiences!
Marissa Taylor
Local Expert / StorytellerMarissa Taylor is an environmental journalist based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Taylor has been working as a journalist since 2013, and has been a part of newsrooms of The Kathmandu Post, The Himalayan Times, and, most recently, The Record Nepal, where she was assistant editor. Although she covers a wide array of environmental topics, she focuses on writing on the intersections of climate change, poverty, inequalities, and public health. She was among the grantees in Thomson Reuters Foundation’s Climate Change Reporting programme in 2020 and in the British Council’s Women Reporters on Climate Change programme in 2021.
Mwende Mutuli Musau
Storyteller / Activist / TravellerMwende Mutuli Musau is a freelance writer from Kenya. She covers travel, culture, and food for an array of international publications. Mwende is an ardent African traveler who began exploring the world in her early childhood and it has become a part of her lifestyle. Mwende also has a passion for content creation; she actively creates travel content on Tiktok, Instagram, and Youtube. During her leisure time, she's a healthy girl who eats sustainably and is a fitness fanatic. Mwende enjoys spending time in nature, reading books, and yoga.
Linda Veråsdal
Resonate TeamLinda Veråsdal is one of the driving forces behind Resonate, and is the Founder of Ethical Travel Portal. Splitting the year, she spends half her time in Norway and the other half in The Gambia. Linda is passionate about responsible tourism and using tourism as a tool for positive development. With a Master's in Responsible Tourism, she has years of experience in the field, from owning a company to developing experiences to leading trips. Putting principles into practice, Linda has shown how tailor-made responsible travel packages can have a transformative, positive impact on communities, especially in remote areas of The Gambia where she and her team have been actively promoting sustainable tourism for several years.
Anna Richards
Local Expert / StorytellerAnna is a travel and outdoor writer living in Lyon, France. Drawn by mountain peaks, fine wine and obligatory long lunch breaks, she’s been living in France full time since 2021. An avid explorer, Anna travels slowly and sustainably where possible, often undertaking long odysseys on foot, the most recent being four weeks solo hiking the Transcaucasian Trail across Armenia. When she’s not disappearing into the wild, she can often be found eating and drinking her way around Lyon in the name of “research.” Her work has been featured in the BBC, The Independent, Lonely Planet, and many other publications.
Maya S.
StorytellerBorn in 1998, Maya S. was raised in Bihar, India. Their essays speak about living in cities, lovelessness, and faith. Maya read history, literature, and sociology at Ashoka University to their parents’ satisfaction, works in education, enjoys all things jazz, and is learning to play the saxophone, terribly. They live in New Delhi and wish their arms were long enough to embrace the city. You can reach out to them at dotmayadash@gmail.com or on Instagram.
Matthew Nelson
TravellerMatthew Nelson is an American travel photographer and writer from Des Moines, Iowa. An advocate for sustainable travel, he has photographed responsible tourism initiatives in nine countries, notably in the Western Balkans, India, and Nepal, and is passionate about creating opportunities to travel with a positive impact to both the environment and local communities. His work has been published in National Geographic Traveller Magazine. You can follow his blog on transformational travel and find him on Instagram.
Miriam Jøms
TravellerMiriam is an entrepreneur who believes that ethical values are best shared through personal meetings and good experiences. Her passion for animal rights made her create and start, together with her partner, Norway’s first vegan beach café, Palma. She developed a love for travelling as a Peace Corps participant in India, student in South Africa, and travel guide for Ethical Travel Portal in Ukraine, Romania, and Oslo. Meeting people from other cultures and experiencing new perspectives of life have strengthened her joy for documentary photography and writing. Miriam currently lives and works in Sarpsborg, Norway.
Ingrid Thornes
TravellerIngrid worked for Ethical Travel Portal for three years as a local specialist based in Bergen, Norway, where she grew up. She studied tourism management and has spent every available opportunity traveling within Norway and other places in the world. She is passionate about hiking, sustainability, and nature, and loves giving travelers her inside information based on experiences traveling in Norway by meeting them in person or planning their trips from start to finish.
Jeanett Andrea Søderstrøm
TravellerJeanett Andrea Søderstrøm is a freelancer, communications advisor, mother of two, and podcast host of I lys av døden (a podcast about how death affects our lives and society). She holds a master in responsible tourism and has through previous intrepid traveling and years of living abroad, been passionate about sustainable living and traveling, environmental conservation, and community-based advocacy efforts. Jeanett currently lives in Oslo, Norway.
Angela Njehia
Local ExpertAngela Njehia is a director of Tierranjani Africa, a boutique tourism consultancy based in Nairobi. She has 15 years of experience in sustainable tourism, working in Kenya and across Africa. Her expertise is in product development, strategic planning, sustainability, and tourism marketing. She has extensive knowledge of African tourism currently having a footprint of her work in over 10 African countries. She is a Travelife coach and auditor, a recognised woman in the Leadership in Tourism category in the Top 100 Women of Tourism in Africa 2022 as well awarded the Transformational Leadership Award 2022, at the Annual Pan African Women Transformational Summit.
Oana Racheleanu
StorytellerOana Racheleanu is a passionate freelance journalist with a keen eye for bringing characters to life in her writing. Based in Bucharest, Romania, she embarks on frequent travels that inspire her storytelling. With a love for profiling individuals, Oana has crafted nearly 60 profiles of Romanian teachers dedicated to transforming traditional teaching methods inherited from the communist era. She approaches people's lives like a puzzle, respectfully collecting each piece and skillfully arranging them to create a vivid and clear picture of their stories. Always curious and excited about the amazing world we live in, Oana writes about the environment, education, and artisans. See her portfolio here, follow her work on LinkedIn, and her travels on Instagram.
Ashley Parsons
TravellerAshley Parsons is a wandering journalist, travelling slowly by bicycle, horseback, or on foot. Conscious and slow travel, adventure, the outdoors, curious traditions, and grassroots movements are her favorite subjects to write about. She's written books for Lonely Planet, and her articles have been published in places like Atlas Obscura, Whetstone Mag, Fodor's Travel, Earth Island Journal, Sidetracked Magazine, and more. You can find her work online and follow her and photographer Quentin Bohem's travels at En Selle! or on instagram.
Susan Onyango
Local ExpertSusan Onyango is a young African woman hailing from Kenya. A travel enthusiast and a responsible tourism ambassador passionate about tourism in East Africa, Susan has an academic background in Mass Communication with a major in Public Relations. For over a year now, she has been working in the tourism industry in Kenya. Her most recent professional engagements have been with Ecotourism Kenya, Tierranjani Africa and Kenya Utalii College.
Wame Miriam Molefhe
StorytellerWame Miriam Molefhe was born in Francistown, Botswana. She has two short story collections, Just Once (2009) for young adults and Go Tell the Sun, first published by Modjaji Books and subsequently republished by the author in 2018. She is a Fellow of the Civitella Ranieri Residency, Italy (2015). She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Rhodes University.
Jason Florio and Helen Jones-Florio
TravellerJason Florio (UK/USA) and Helen Jones-Florio (UK) are photographers and filmmakers based in The Gambia. They have produced multiple projects in Africa for clients including National Geographic, The New York Times, and the United Nations. In 2009, they co-led the first recorded circumnavigation of The Gambia — a 930km expedition by foot — producing an award-winning series of portraits documenting traditional leaders (SILAFANDO). Two years later they co-led the River Gambia Expedition, the first documented source-to-sea expedition along the length of the 1130km river. Since the fall of Yahya Jammeh, Gambia’s former dictator in 2017, they have been working on a long-term project to document the victims and resisters of his regime (The Gambia - Victims & Resisters); the work has been used as a tool of advocacy, education, and peace building. Follow their work on Instagram (Jason Florio, Florio Photo, and Helen Jones-Florio), Facebook (Florio Photo and Jason Florio), Twitter, and online (Florio Photo and Photos Tell Stories)
Alex Crevar
Local ExpertAlex Crevar has covered the Balkans for more than two decades. He writes for several international travel publications. An assortment of his stories can be found at AlexCrevar.com, and/or you can follow his travels on Instagram.
Ioana Lucaciu
Local ExpertBorn and raised in the northern part of Romania, Ioana has always felt deeply connected to the roots of her culture, to her distant ancestors, and a very special way of seeing the world. It was probably this — and her close relation with nature, which she developed through scouting — that made her travel to hidden places in her country and then become an ecotourism guide. In parallel, she worked with an NGO on sustainable development projects in northwestern Romania and later on moved to more technical work (monitoring nature conservation projects), which she is still doing. Besides nature and traveling, Ioana’s other love is writing and learning new languages, so she really enjoys combining all of these, especially for interested readers!
Son Dang
Local Expert / StorytellerSon Dang is the motivator of the Footprint Travel team. His work ethic is unsurpassed with drive, desire, determination, and discipline. Son co-recreated Footprint Travel and Puluong Retreat, and continues to pursue his dreams in the travel industry. He believes that life and travel are one in the same and take his ideas of learning and sharing into everything he does. The notion of responsible travel has been and always will be a big part of Son’s work and life.
Aniket Singh Chauhan
StorytellerAniket is a 22-year-old freelance journalist based in India. A traveller at heart, Aniket loves to write on a host of topics including international relations, defence, popular culture, and, of course, travelling. He graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of Delhi and is currently pursuing his master’s in journalism from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He loves to explore the thousands of hidden worlds within our big world and hopes to experience cultures from around the globe.
Jo Hendrickx
Resonate TeamJo Hendrickx started out life in tourism as a holiday representative over 20 years ago and progressed into a health and safety role before becoming Sustainable Destinations Manager at the Thomas Cook Group. Jo worked with overseas teams and project managers to bring sustainability to life through local excursions and also supported hotels in preparing for sustainability certification. In 2017 she founded Travel Without Plastic to focus on helping the travel industry to reduce unnecessary waste. They have created a range of downloadable resources for accommodation providers; they also provide personalised support for hotels and tour operators as well as project managing destination-based activities.
Dave Adams
Local Expert / StorytellerAfter a lifetime of travelling in the developing world, Dave finally hung up his rucksack in the Gambia. Having arrived with a plan to travel further into West Africa, he fell in love with Janjanbureh and decided to stay, establishing his social enterprise business, Fair Play Gambia River Adventures, on a shoe-string budget in 2016. Fair Play has since become renowned for offering unique ecotourism experiences for small groups of discerning travellers and for its positive impacts in the town. Dave now lives in Lamin Koto, across the river from Janjanbureh Island, with his two Gambian sons and dog, Limpy.
Joliene Adams
StorytellerJoliene Adams is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, USA. She covers travel, the outdoors, arts, and culture for a variety of international and local USA/Canadian Pacific Northwest publications. She’s an advocate of multilingualism and has a background in language education, global literature, and supporting heritage languages as well as languages-in-revitalization. You can find her as ‘Joliene Carolina’ on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. She takes promoting accountability in the travel industry and educational sector seriously, but also believes in deep joy and can frequently be found having a good, hard laugh at just about anything.
Nikola Radovic
Local ExpertNikola Radovic is a translator, licensed tour guide, tour operations manager, and owner of Nikena Eco Adventures, a tour operator from Podgorica, Montenegro, specialising in tailor-made trips for small groups with a special accent on local encounters, sustainability, and promotion of off-the-beaten-path regions within his home country. A huge fan of travelling and all types of sports, Nikola currently resides in Podgorica, Montenegro.
