Dawn Campbell
Tourism Sales Manager, Visit Anchorage
Born in Eagle River and raised on the Alaska outdoors, Dawn can’t wait to share highlights and stories from the 49th state! Whether you seek trailheads or tasting rooms, glaciers or grizzlies, Dawn can point you in the direction of your dream Alaska adventure.
Angel Castellanos
World Travel Expert, Writer/TV Host AngelsTravelLounge.com
Angel Castellanos, (www.AngelsTravelLounge.com) is a passionate world traveler, travel writer, influencer, multi-media personality and nationally recognized speaker dedicated to helping people travel smart, well and often. Traveling to over 85 countries on 5 continents (and counting), Angel travels 12-14 weeks internationally each year and draws on his experience and frequent travels to teach “Smart Travel” and equip travelers with the skills they need to make travel easy and enjoyable. He bridges the gap between the practical, common sense advice he’s learned by traveling the world and the new savvy tips and experiences that have helped his generation revolutionize travel. Angel has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Fox News, Univision, Frommers Radio, USA Today & Travel & Adventure Show as “America’s Newest Travel Expert”.
Since you’ve last seen Angel, he has visited The Philippines, Colombia, Honduras, Singapore, Laos, UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Bosnia, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt.
His favorite travel memories include camel trekking in the Sahara, traveling overland by train from Beijing to London, Horse trekking in Mongolia, Hot Air Ballooning in Laos and sailing down the Nile River.
When not in Italy or Paris, Angel is home in Pasadena, California where he is a proud volunteer with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.
Erin Cornwell
Sun Country Airlines and Natalie Rogers, Palace Resorts
Julian Douglas
Travel Writer, Photographer and Experience Curator, Listen, Journey, Savor
“Listen, Journey, Savor with Julian Douglas”… is exactly what he asks of his family, friends and especially his readers to do with him.
As an experienced traveler, Julian has traversed the globe since he was a child. From treasured moments with his flight attendant mother growing up, to his years in the music industry, to just vacationing with his wife Nicole for pleasure. It has all inspired Julian to write about his passions for music, food and especially his love of travel.
Trish Feaster
Founder & CEO, Founder & CEO of The Travelphile
For 25 years, Trish Feaster has traveled throughout Europe, Central and South America, Southeast Asia, North Africa, The Caribbean, and the good ol’ U.S. of A. She champions the notion that we can all “journey well” by allowing travel to heighten our senses and to remind us to see things with open eyes, an open heart, and an open mind–even if we’re just “traveling” in our own town. Trish embraces her love of travel as an opportunity to learn about the people, history, architecture, art, politics, religion, and cuisine of other cultures, and to bring those lessons home and learn from them. During her fifteen-year tenure as a high school Spanish teacher in California, Trish shared her love of travel with her students by taking them on annual trips to Europe. These days, she’s expanded her “classroom” even more as a veteran tour guide and guidebook researcher for Rick Steves’ Europe, a tour guide for Imprint Tours and as a writer for her travel blog, www.thetravelphile.com.
Journey with The Travelphile and follow her adventures on…
Tiffany Funk
Managing Editor at One Mile at a Time
Tiffany Funk manages One Mile at a Time, the largest independently-owned travel and loyalty blog, focusing on making luxury travel accessible for cheap. Her articles break down the basics of redeeming miles for aspirational travel — whatever those aspirations may be!
One of the world’s top experts on airline award travel, Tiffany speaks at conferences worldwide to educate business and leisure travelers on frequent flyer programs and maximizing their points.
Tiffany is a passionate traveler, having lived abroad on multiple occasions and visited over 70 countries. She is currently based in Spokane.
Stefan Krasowski
Founder Every Passport Stamp Facebook group, blogger at Rapid Travel Chai
Stefan Krasowski has traveled to every country in the world. He founded Every Passport Stamp, the leading Facebook group for travelers that think no destination too remote or difficult. His travels have earned him membership in the Circumnavigators Club and Travelers’ Century Club.
Blogging on frequent flyer programs at Rapid Travel Chai, Stefan is an expert in rewards credit cards, airline and hotel programs, specializing in using points for exotic and remote destinations. He is a Delta Million Miler and has top tier status with multiple loyalty programs.
Stefan got his traveling start in China where he lived and worked for a decade, becoming fluent in Mandarin Chinese. He is currently based in Seattle.
Debra Lee
Director, Travel Industry Sales, Greater Miami Convention & Visitor’s Bureau
Debra Lee was appointed Travel Industry Sales Director at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau in April 2019. She has responsibility for the Southeast, Southwest and West US, the Caribbean and Brazil.
Debra is a graduate of the University of Miami with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and a Minor in Marketing. She has over twenty-five (25) years of experience in the travel industry and started her career as an American Airlines Customer Service Representative at the Miami International Airport in 1990. After spending eleven years with American Airlines in various departments; Debra went onto become Regional Sales Manager for the Caribbean at global distribution and travel technology provider, Travelport. During her 15-year tenure at Travelport, Debra also served as Marketing Support Manager for Latin America and was the Steering Committee Coordinator for Travelport’s Latin America Expansion Project. In 2016, Debra assumed the role of Business Development Manager with American Airlines Vacations. Prior to joining the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Debra worked as the Business Development Manager for the Southwest USA at the Jamaica Tourist Board.
Rudy Maxa
Travel Journalist, Broadcaster
Former Washington Post investigative reporter and columnist, Maxa has worked for 17 years as a contributing editor with National Geographic Traveler magazine; co-created and hosted the former public radio show, “The Savvy Traveler;” and has produced and hosted 98, half-hour episodes for public television featuring the world’s great destinations, “Rudy Maxa’s World.” Those shows have garnered numerous awards including several Emmys. As a consumer travel writer, he’s written numerous newspapers and magazines around the world and served as a travel columnist for ABC.com and MSNBC.com.
Andrew McCarthy
Award-Winning Travel Writer, Actor and Director
Andrew speaks about his personal journey and how travel and self-reflection changed his life. Aside from his successful acting and directing careers, he is now a successful writer and editor at large for National Geographic Traveler. He discusses fear of the unknown, taking the time to enjoy the precious moments in life, pushing yourself to try new things, and looking at the world with new eyes. Best known for his acting career and starring roles in St. Elmo’s Fire, Pretty in Pink, Mannequin, and Weekend at Bernie’s, he has a successful Broadway career and is currently a highly regarded director. Current projects include hit series’ Orange is the New Black, Turn, and The Blacklist. He returned to acting in ABC’s 2016 hit, The Family. His debut novel for young readers, Just Fly Away was published in March 2017.
Dan Pattarini
Outreach Officer, Office of Policy Coordination and Public Affairs, bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Dan Pattarini is a Foreign Service Officer currently serving in the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Office of Policy Coordination and Public Affairs where he helps to promote the safe and secure international travel of American citizens. Prior to his current position, Dan served as the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg.
Dan has spent much of his career on the front lines of America’s public diplomacy promoting U.S. foreign policy, building ties of mutual understanding, and telling America’s story to foreign audiences. In addition to his service in Luxembourg, Dan also had three assignments in the Middle East. He served at the U.S. Embassies in Baghdad, Iraq from 2014-2015, Cairo Egypt from 2012 to 2014, and in Muscat, Oman from 2009-2011.
Before joining the State Department, Dan worked for almost five years at the non-profit Institute for International Education, serving as a Program Officer for Fulbright Visiting Scholars and then as Senior Outreach Manager for an international scholarship program.
Dan earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Government at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA and his Master’s Degree in International Affairs at American University in Washington, DC. Dan is married and has three children. He enjoys hiking, theater, good food and beverages and playing with his Labrador retriever, “Mosby.”
Richard Peterson
President & CEO, US Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council
Richard’s passion for cultural experiences, museums, music, history and all things food are not only a business focus, but a personal one as well. And as President & CEO of the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council he has a front row seat – and is also the Publisher of “The Cultural Traveler Exploring America” magazine; and the Cultural Connection monthly newsletter.
Richard and his team collaborate with clientele within the tourism, museum, arts, heritage and destination marketing arenas – facilitating consumer connections and signature initiatives throughout North America and key international markets. This is complemented through key engagements with leading industry organizations including: Brand USA, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association, International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association, Americans for the Arts, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, U.S. Travel Association and the World Travel & Tourism Council. Richard has also been a featured industry contributor, speaker and facilitator of numerous cultural tourism programs across the U.S. and key international markets.
Collectively, the diversity of personal travel experiences and career engagements frame the insights embodied in Richard’s continued work to strengthen the importance of cultural & heritage tourism – and the positive impact to communities and visitors alike. Sharing stories and bringing connections to cultural & heritage experiences throughout America inspires travelers of all ages.
Wayne Peyreau
Regional Vice President, Sales (USA), MSC Cruises
Cruise industry veteran Wayne Peyreau joined MSC Cruises as director of sales in the company’s USA division eight years ago. Working out of the Fort Lauderdale office, Peyreau oversees the business development managers for the Southeast Region and the Caribbean.
A graduate of Miami Dade College and Florida Atlantic University, Peyreau’s resume includes serving as director of national accounts, regional director (Southeast) and director of field sales business development for Norwegian Cruise Line. He also served as district sales manager and regional sales manager (Southeast) for Chandris/Celebrity Cruises.
Visit our website: www.msccruises.com
Discover the MSC Yacht Club: www.mscyachtclub.com
Lillian Rafson
Founder + CEO, Pack Up + Go
Lillian Rafson, founder and CEO of Pack Up + Go, launched the business in January 2016 at 23 years old. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, and a graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School with a major in Consumer Culture, Lillian has always had a passion for travel and supporting small businesses. She is thrilled to share her love for exploration through Pack Up + Go’s mission of embracing the unknown and encouraging spontaneity in each of its travelers.
James & Dee Saccomano
Journey Hosts Holland America Line
James and Dee are nomads at heart with a unique love of travel. After almost 25 years in the airline industry- where they worked globally, they retired and set off to explore the rest of the planet. After a few years of wonderful wanderings, they found Alaska and Holland America Line. They currently live in Skagway, Alaska during the summers and spend the winters traveling the lower 48 sharing their expertise and love of travel doing On Stage Alaska Presentations
Paul Theroux
Bestselling Author, Novelist, Travel Writer
Many of Theroux’s novels are set in exotic locations both real and imagined. They are inspired by his own prolific travels, which he chronicles in his highly distinguished body of nonfiction. With his landmark works The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia and The Old Patagonian Express, Theroux established himself as America’s foremost travel writer. In his many subsequent books, including Riding the Iron Rooster, Dark Star Safari, and The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate African Safari, Theroux has continued to hone that reputation. In Last Train to Zona Verde, Theroux wrote that he would no longer be writing from the farthest corners of the world, and so for his tenth travel book, he trained his eye stateside for the first time. Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads is at once “a vivid contemporary portrait of rural life” and “a deeply affecting personal account” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution).
Continuing in this tradition, Theroux’s latest is On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey, a book about the cultures on both sides of the US-Mexico border. As he traverses the deserts between Arizona and Sonora, Theroux finds a place brimming with vitality, yet visibly marked by both the US Border Patrol looming to the north and mounting discord from within. In their starred review, Kirkus praised the book as “Illuminating, literate, and timely—a must-read for those interested in what’s going on inside Mexico,” and The Wall Street Journal called it a ”fierce and poignant account”. On the Plain of Snakes was one of Publishers Weekly‘s Top 10 Memoirs for fall 2019.
Born in Massachusetts in 1941, Theroux began his travels in earnest after graduating from the University of Massachusetts in 1963. In addition to his books, he has written widely for Time, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Talk, GQ, Smithsonian, and Esquire. He has lived, taught, and written around the world, including in Urbino, Italy; Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda; the University of Singapore; the United Kingdom; and Malawi, where he served with the Peace Corps. He lives in Maine and Hawaii.
To Read Paul Theroux ‘s FULL Bio Visit: http://www.lyceumagency.com/speakers/paul-theroux/
Steve Wellmeier
Managing Director, Poseidon Expeditions USA
A 30-year veteran of the expedition cruise industry, Steve has actively been involved in polar expedition cruising since 1997. This includes five years as Executive Director of IAATO, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. In that capacity, he represented the Antarctica tourism industry, helping to ensure best practices and environmental stewardship by all Antarctic tour operators. A resident of Providence, Rhode Island since 2005, Steve currently manages the North American office of Poseidon Expeditions, which he opened in 2014.
Valerie Joy Wilson
CEO, Travel Journalist, Host, Photographer, Trusted Travel Girl, LLC
Valerie Joy Wilson is a travel expert, journalist, self-made social media influencer, host, explorer, and entrepreneur. Valerie has been a travel enthusiast and experience junkie from a young age. Growing up in the foothills of the Adirondacks, Valerie found her sense of adventure and love for the outdoors by participating in skiing, sailing, hiking, scuba, and waterskiing. She attributes her audacity and eagerness to explore the world on her own to the discipline and sense of confidence that these activities instilled in her at such a young age.
In addition to writing about her experiences and providing valuable travel deals and advice on her website, Valerie has been featured as a travel expert in Forbes, Insider, The Daily News, The Culture Trip and on Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, as well as the KTLA morning news. She has written for the Huffington Post, JetSetTimes, Thought Catalog and Matador Network. Valerie also hosts her own video segments in which she reveals an intimate look at some of her favorite destinations.
Founder of Trusted Travel Girl, Valerie Joy Wilson, believes that the best adventures lie just off the beaten path and the only way to make the most of your time while traveling is to experience each city like a local, not a tourist.
Valerie’s philosophy is that it is not enough to just see the sites, but you need to leave the tourist traps and immerse yourself in the local culture of the city or country. Get off-the-beaten-path and enjoy the local cuisine, experience the beliefs and values of the community, and absorb the art and knowledge of the people. Trusted Travel Girl seeks authentic experiences, creating unique content for each destination visited. Valerie inspires her audience to leave the beaten path of tourism and encourages everyone to be travelers, not tourists.
Alanna Zingano
Travel Content Creator, Travel the World From A to Z
Travel the World From A to Z is a Cruise and Travel blog. If the destination falls in-between Alanna Zingano’s initials, she is probably cruising there and blogging about it! Alanna’s content revolves around inspiring others to travel more as she shares her advice and knowledge through her own adventures. Her continuous goal is to create a message about weekend getaways, cruise planning, travel and vacation tips and tricks, and excursion advice!
