Traveltalk, Australia's highest circulating and longest surviving travel industry magazine, has announced the appointment of new managing editor Sheriden Rhodes, effective June 4, 2012.

Sheriden, who will initially act as consulting editor, takes over the reins from Kris Madden who has left the magazine to pursue her own interests after seven years.

Sheriden, an experienced and award-winning travel writer and photographer with two decades of journalist experience under her belt, is looking forward to the new role and building on the excellent work by outgoing editor Kris Madden.

"Traveltalk has come a long way under the leadership of publishers Debbie Sproule and Jenny Rowland who purchased the magazine in 2011. Kris, who stayed on as managing editor, has done a fantastic job in raising the magazine's profile and delivering a magazine that has become a benchmark for travel reporting in Australia and the Asia Pacific," Sheriden said.

Sheriden is an experienced and award-winning travel writer and photographer (Australian Society of Travel Writers/Air NZ Travel Writer of the Year and Bell Publishing Awards Business Writer of the Year in 2002). She was also a finalist in the ASTW Travel Writer of the Year Awards in 2007 and 2010.

Her work has appeared in Qantas - the Australian Way, Australian Airlines magazine, Jetstar's inflight magazine, Royal Auto, The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review, OAG Executive Flight Guide (Asia Pacific), Cuisine magazine (NZ), Mercedes magazine, Open Road,

Vacations&Travel, the Sunday Age, the Sun Herald, Real Weddings, Australian Country Style, Australian Good Taste, Silver Kris, Il Tridente, The NZ Herald on Sunday, The Australian Travel & Indulgence, Drive magazine and Voyeur. She also writes regularly for Holiday with Kids magazine, is the roving reporter for Signature Media's new Five Star Kids title, writes a monthly travel column for Essential Kids, part of Fairfax's Essential Baby website with 225,000+ members and is the editor for the Melbourne Luxe City Guide.

"I'm excited to take up the role as Traveltalk's managing editor and look forward to working closely with the publishers, the editorial team, and the industry to deliver a magazine that continues to evolve and provide relevant content to its readership. I'll be working with the Traveltalk team to build a stronger online and social media presence, grow our readership and ensure editorial content is interesting, timely and informative," said Sheriden.

Traveltalk is published monthly and is Australia's highest circulating and longest surviving travel industry magazine. It features the latest industry news, industry perspectives on travel and tourism issues, features on international and Australian destinations, and cruise, property and special reports in each edition. Each quarter, Traveltalk publishes a unique bumper, consumer and trade publication, which is sold in newsagents across Australia four times a year to savvy travellers wanting an inside glance into the exciting travel industry.

Sheriden will work with key Traveltalk editorial staff, Deputy Editor Jessica Zoiti, newly appointed online editor and writer Hayley Beullens, Production Manager Antony Boon and respected industry contributors.

For further information contact:

Jenny Rowland
Publisher & National Sales Manager
Ph: 0414 746 146
email jenny@traveltalk.biz

Debbie Sproule
Ph: 0403 833 295
debbie@traveltalk.biz

Sheriden Rhodes
Ph: 0421 045 435
email sheriden@traveltalk.biz