A North
Carolinian-turned-New Yorker, I’m an author, journalist, producer, copywriter,
and creative consultant. I'm also the founding editor of IgoUgo.com, the
largest database of first-hand travel reviews on the Web. My copywriting and
creative consulting clients have included major international brands such as
Coca-Cola and Live Nation, as well as mid-size brands and startups
like Movoto Real Estate and Myclickit. My first book on cultural
history, Reading the Sphinx, was released
by Palgrave MacMillan in October, 2008.
My career began in New
York, where I worked for WNET and National Geographic Television as a
researcher and assistant producer. I earned my first film credit on Ghosts
of the Bayou (National Geographic, 1994). Wanting to see more of
the world, I took a job teaching English to high school students in a remote
Czech village. My passion for travel writing was sparked through
stories published in The Prague Post, the
English-language newspaper of the Czech Republic. Upon returning to
the US in 1996, I worked as a media consultant for Harvey Gantt for
US Senate. Then, in 1997, I accepted a teaching fellowship at NYU, where I
earned my doctorate in English Literature. While teaching courses in writing as
well as literary, film and advertising theory, I wrote film treatments for
clients like Storyville Films and columns for women-oriented media
company iVillage.
After completing my
coursework, I joined the team of IgoUgo, a scrappy internet startup that
blossomed into a major force in online travel and a leader in social
networking. Through creating an award-winning editorial presence and
shepherding a vibrant online travel community, I discovered a love for forging
connections between people and creating compelling content for exciting brands.