Where are you based? 

I've been based in New York City for more than 20 years. I grew up mostly in Toronto and then lived in Montreal for a few years. Even as a kid, I knew I wanted to live in New York, so I made that happen. It's still my favorite city to explore and eat in.

What topics and places do you cover? 

These days, I mostly cover the eastern US and Canada for work.

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

I edit and write for Lonely Planet.

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

I'm in-house. Before Lonely Planet, I worked at Google, on several of their travel platforms, and before that, I was an editor at Fodor's Travel for a decade. I'm still passionate about guidebooks. I really believe that having a trusted source of travel information is the best way to have a great trip. I don't limit myself to a travel guide, but I like to start with that and then add other bits and pieces and recommendations and spontaneous whims.

What is your approach to press trips? 

I've worked for several publications that allow press trips, and I've been fortunate to enjoy some truly exceptional experiences over the years. It can be a really wonderful way to explore a destination and meet really interestin,g passionate people. That said, I don't think you have to go far or do something expensive to find a great story. 

What are your professional pet peeves? 

I dislike receiving form-letter pitches or pitches in which the writer has not made any attempt to discover the areas that I cover.  

In your past professional life, you were … 

Before I started working with travel content, I spent a number of years in traditional publishing, mostly editing fiction. I was also a freelance copy editor and a proofreader for many years, while I was working full-time. In other words, if you're sending me a pitch, please use proper punctuation and grammar.

Where would you like to return to? 

I don't think there is anywhere I DON'T want to return. I'll reframe the question: where am I less excited to go? I love the water, but beach vacations aren't really my thing. 

What's on your bucket list? 

South Africa, southern India, Beijing, Canada's Northwest Territories… honestly, the list is endless.

Where do you travel for fun? 

I usually pass on beach vacations, but I love hiking and outdoor adventures, so that's always something on the agenda. I'm also a city girl, and I like to travel for art or music, so I keep a list of global art exhibits and concerts that I can plan around.

Your funniest (or most harrowing) most formative travel story is …  

When I was in university, my boyfriend and I were planning a backpacking trip to Europe. We started out thinking about Spain, and I wanted to go from there to Morocco. He found an old travel guide in a used bookstore and, using that, he found us a remote hotel in the Atlas mountains he wanted to visit from Marrakesh. It wasn't easy to get to, and we ended up hiring a taxi, which dropped us at night, in the dark, and then drove away. There were no lights on, and we quickly discovered that the hotel that sounded wonderful in the guidebook had been closed for several years. There wasn't much else aroun,d but a neighbor took pity on us and let us sleep on the floor of his garage and gave us a tin of sardines to eat for dinner. Maybe that's why I'm so passionate about up-to-date travel guides.

How best should people contact you? 

See my profile on TravMedia here.