Contributors

We love our Contributors and enjoy building a community of writers and photographers! Take a look at who’s writing for Confetti Travel Cafe.

Contributors:

Nancy Zaffaro, Editor

Nancy Zaffaro loves to travel and explore. At home and away, she loves to hear people’s stories and feels at home just about anywhere. She grew up in inner-city Chicago, has also lived in Vancouver, Canada and Bellingham, Washington, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

In addition to being a lifelong journalist, she’s had a diverse professional career. In past work lives, she’s been a managing partner in a telecom construction company; as an artist, she sold her wire art and crafts at festivals and in shops throughout the West Coast; she edited a natural health newsletter and managed a natural health forum site in the early days of the internet; was a software technical writer; a freelance editor and writer; and an editor for two medical journals, working with international editorial boards. She received a B.A. in Creative Writing from Columbia College in Chicago and has published some fiction, poetry and photography in various, small literary journals. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

Nancy is Confetti Travel Cafe’s Editor.  See more of her work at NancyZaffaro.com. Contact her at editor@confettitravelcafe.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Monica Mattioli

Based in North Carolina, Monica Mattioli’s passion for storytelling sparked during business trips that took her from New York to San Francisco, all around the Southern US, and internationally to Brazil and Italy. Her background spans marketing, public relations, academics, travel and tourism. Equally at home at the keyboard and on camera, Monica is a people person with a gift for languages. Reporting these days primarily from the U.S., number one on her travel bucket list is Hondarribia, Spain, a village in the Basque Country. Visit her via Instagram and follow her blog, MokesOnTheMove.

Shannon Flynn

Shannon Flynn is a technology journalist who has written for sites like Innovation & Tech Today, Hackernoon, and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Medium.

 

 

 

Oscar Collins

Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded. He writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Follow @TModded on Twitter for more articles from the Modded team.

 

 

 

Emily Lamp

Emily Lamp is a professional writer, working closely with many aspiring thinkers and entrepreneurs from various companies. She is also interested in lifestyle travel, business growth and self-improvement.

 

 

 

Katie Tejada

Katie Tejada is a writer, editor, and travel enthusiast. With a love for adventure and the great outdoors, she spends much of her time outside. She enjoys writing about new places, as well as events and home trends.

 

 

Valerie D. Perry

Valerie D. Perry is a travel writer, author, blogger, and all around adventurer. She has visited over 100 United States National Park Sites as part of her #100by100 quest: a goal to see 100 park sites before the National Park Service turned 100 back in 2016. She helps cruisers get the most out of their day in port with the guidebook, Sea More: Caribbean. When not traveling around her native Pennsylvania, you can typically find her working as a Cruise & Travel Director onboard a Holland America Line ship. Join her in the adventure on Instagram.

 

 

 

Adrianne Brockman

Adrianne Brockman is a retired land use planner and attorney. She is a very serious amateur photographer and has won many awards. Writing for pleasure is one of her passions. She has been blessed to travel and photograph in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe including Iceland, Mexico and in much of the U.S.A.

 

 

 

 

Tammy Powell

Tammy Powell is a freelance writer and aspiring novelist. After living all over the U.S. and overseas in the U.A.E., she now resides in Arizona. In her free time, she enjoys books, walking, meditation, cats, and coffee. Learn more and follow along with her adventures at Tamara Spell Author.

 

 

 

 

Janie Houston Pace

Janie Houston Pace is a Travel Writer/Photographer. She is a native Texan based in Fort Worth, covering travel destinations, wineries, breweries, restaurants, cruises and more locally, nationally, internationally from Peru to Canada plus Hawaii to Bermuda. A member of the ITWPA, International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance and USPA; she’s a retired advertising and sales professional. See more of her work on Instagram.

 

 

Brian Fassett

Brian Fassett grew up on a ranch in Southwest Colorado, and first ventured overseas in 1995. He started reading and writing about travel during a four month trip through Western Europe, and has been hooked ever since. His adventures include Semester at Sea, and serving in the Peace Corps with his wife Kate. He has traveled to more than 35 countries on five continents, and lived for extended periods in Ecuador, Bulgaria and recently returned from 14 months in Uganda with his family. He has called Oregon home, in between trips abroad, for most of the last two decades. You can contact him at  bmfassett@yahoo.com.

 

MaryRose Denton

MaryRose Denton is a freelance writer, traveler, licensed massage therapist, yoga teacher, lifelong vegetarian, and most importantly a mother. She enjoys the mash up of these that life brings and writes about them with insight, humor, and wit. A native to the Pacific NW, MaryRose lived for a short duration in Canada before returning home to this richly beautiful area. She has traveled overseas, exploring and visiting friends in their native homes allowing herself a deeper and richer understanding of human nature. MaryRose writes the stories of the people and places she visits, hoping to expand her readers’ interest and touch their hearts. She is a current member of the International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance, TravMedia, and local chapters of various writing groups. Her stories can be found at MaryRoseDentonWriter.com or follow her on Instagram or Facebook.

Sharon Kurtz

Sharon Kurtz is a freelance travel writer who shares her passion for travel and food by exploring unique customs, culture and flavors from around the globe. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three dogs, but her carry-on is always packed ready for the next adventure. Follow her on her travels on Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

Sarah Cribari

Sarah Cribari is a freelance food, wine, and travel writer based in Arizona. She loves adventures and believes travel encourages lifelong learning. She writes to inspire all daydreamers to go out and explore. You can follow her adventures at FarBlueMountains.com.

 

 

Marcea Cazel

An avid traveler since the age of 1 (her first trip was to Jamaica), Marcea Cazel enjoys traveling around Florida finding unique places many people haven’t discovered. With her travel blog My Cornacopia, Marcea gets the chance to visit mermaids, swim in sinkholes and enjoy the natural beauty of the Sunshine State. Her next travel ventures include visiting all 175 Florida state parks and writing about African-American museums around the United States. When not traveling, Marcea enjoys reading, watching old movies and spending time with her family.

Atreyee Dutta

Atreyee Dutta is a travel blogger and freelance writer from Kolkata, India. She left her 9 to 5 job to pursue her passion for travelling and writing. She works closely with travel businesses by creating high-quality content that boosts online visibility. Make sure to check out her website, AtreyeeWandering. You can also connect with her on Instagram.

 

Julie Pacheco-Toye

 Julie Pacheco-Toye is a high school Spanish teacher and a student, dancer and performer of flamenco. She’s also an amateur photographer studying the art of travel photography. She loves to travel and to capture all the beauty she finds in the world when she travels. See more of her work at JuliePachecoToye.pixels.com and Abriendo Caminos.

 

 

 

 

David C. Moore

David C. Moore owned and managed a London marketing agency for 15 years creating advertising campaigns to promote iconic international brands including Mars, Kellogg’s, Renault, Disney, Boots and Coca-Cola. Following the sale of his agency in 1999, he became one of the leading Consultant Marketing Directors in the UK steering businesses in the launch or relaunch of their consumer brands. For more information on David and Turning Left Around the World, please visit the author’s website: davidcmoore-author.com/ and follow him on social media.

Barb Harmon

Barb Harmon is a freelance travel writer. Her travel addiction began as an exchange student in The Netherlands and flourished upon moving to Luzern, Switzerland several years later. As empty nesters, she and her husband plan to divide time between Mexico and France. She blogs at ChasingTheNextChapter.com.

 

 

Carol & Mike Ivey

Carol and Mike Ivey are freelance writers and photographers with a passion for travel who have been exploring together for over 30 years. Follow along as they share their experiences as 50-somethings that still love adventure and seeing the world at CuriousGypsies.com. They are currently based out of Charleston, South Carolina where they live aboard their 53-foot Hatteras Motor Yacht, Gypsy Soul.

Dana Clayton

Dana Clayton lives in Charleston, SC and has been writing for 17 years. She is a full time Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant, but her passion is travel writing. Her published writing includes topics on travel, medicine, health and wellness, and has successfully co-authored two grants. Contact Dana at TheWanderfulJourney.

 

 

 

Mary Charlebois

Mary Charlebois is a freelance journalist and photographer. Her home base is Fort Bragg, California on the wild, remote and fragile Mendocino Coast. When traveling, Mary likes to dig in, getting to know people, history, food, and art. She is drawn to the ‘path-less-taken’. Tying together local food traditions with history and learning local recipes is her favorite way to know an area. To see more of Mary’s work, visit her website, MaryGo.

 

Becky Breshears

Becky Breshears is a traveler who enjoys sharing her experiences and stories to inspire others to take their next bucket list trip. After nearly 40 years of being an administrator and entrepreneur, she recently retired and devotes her time to planning her next bucket list trip and then taking it. Becky is a freelance writer and writes her own blog, TravelingfromBoise.com, where she recounts the stories of her adventures. Becky enjoys immersing herself in the culture where she travels, likes to explore the local food at the local restaurant, and looks for the unusual things that the tourists do not generally find. She also enjoys photography and art.

 

Stefan Pidruczny

Stefan Pidruczny is a travel blogger who runs StefanRTW.com. His blog is dedicated to helping fellow travelers make the most of their time abroad. When he’s not working away at his laptop you can find him exploring a medieval old town somewhere, hiking through the Swiss Alps, or relaxing by the Adriatic Sea.

Candi Licence

Candi Licence is a freelance travel writer who left the corporate world for full-time travel. She and her photographer husband traveled exclusively for 2 years and then relocated to Grenada. She writes about her new home and traveling that is still part of her life at CandiandMichaelonthemove.com.

 

 

 

Leigh Schrom

Leigh Schrom left behind a corporate job and now life’s a lot more fun. I was bitten by the travel bug at 2-years old when my family moved to Europe. Today, I’m a published travel writer with articles in Parachute, TravelMedia, Pink Pangea and Travel Post Monthly. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. I’ve visited most of Europe, 47 of the 50 United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America. Next on my agenda: destination unknown? And, Portugal, still haven’t been I there yet. Right now, I spend part of the year in Bogota, Colombia. I’m a nomad and travel on my own, though I don’t speak the language or know anyone at my destination. I know I’ll always have an abundance of new friends by the time I pack my bags again. My address book is now filled with names, addresses and phone numbers from places I have been. A member of Travel Media, The Association of Travel Writers, The International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance (ITWPA), Travel Massive and Women Traveling South America Writers Group. Inquisitive, curious, and adventurous, I’m an explorer at heart. That will be me: asking questions and wandering purposefully.

Tam Warner Minton

Tam Warner Minton is the travel blogger, writer, and photographer behind the adventure travel blog, TravelsWithTam.com. She has traveled to all seven continents and is an advocate for citizen science, the environment, and getting out of one’s comfort zone. An avid scuba diver, Tam goes on many ocean research expeditions, and is an amateur underwater photographer. She challenges her perspective, confidence, and knowledge by traveling the world and sharing what she has learned and seen with others. She is the author of All Fish Faces, which introduces amazing, colorful underwater creatures many have never seen before, but are crucial to our oceans. As a former University Lecturer and college consultant, Tam is a believer that knowledge is power, and education is always a positive force. Showing kids of all ages the amazing life beneath the waves is the way to preserve our oceans for future generations.

Stephanie Anderson

Stephanie Anderson is a modern soul seeker, storyteller, and explorer. A trained journalist and once upon a time a chef who chose to leave the kitchen and meet the world to indulge her passion for adventure. She now works as a freelance travel writer and photographer finding the places and people you want to know more about. Currently a member of the ITWPA (International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance), SATW (Society for American Travel Writing) and Food Bloggers Association.

Arliss Veldhuizen

Arliss Veldhuizen is the Managing Editor at Trekbible, as well a social media editor at IncomeStore. She is also a writer and aspiring novelist. Arliss has family all over the world including the Ivory Coast, Denmark, Germany, and the Dominican Republic—a fact that greatly contributes to her passion for travel and culture.

 

 

 

 

 

Marie Nieves

Marie Nieves is a student and a blogger who loves unusual trips, gadgets and creative ideas. On her travels, she likes to read poetry and prose and surf the Internet. Her favorite writer is Tracy Chevalier and she always carries one of her books in her bag. Marie loves to share her experiences and talk about practical solutions. You can find Marie on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

Jaimi Truhler

Jaimi Truhler is a recovering marketer with a passion for food, travel, and new adventures. She is an ITWPA member residing in Portland, Oregon. That is, when she’s not out chasing her next travel fix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patricia Conover

At sixteen, Patricia Conover fell in love with travel on a school trip to France. She’s had wanderlust ever since. She’s smitten by the experience of being lost in a completely unknown place and seeing the world through a fresh lens.  Born and raised in a suburb of New York City, Patricia spent her early career at G.P Putnam’s Sons and Random House. She cut her teeth on biographies, memoirs, novels and travel books written by the best in the business. Her recent writing has ranged from an overview of women in architecture to expat strategies for an international education. She’s written essays, features, profiles and criticism for publications including The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Oregonian and Community Newspapers.

Patricia is currently a project editor and writer for Going Global, publisher of guidebooks on culture, careers, economies, education, health, and travel. She also teaches English, journalism and new media at EFAP Paris, l’école de communication (the School of Communication) in Paris. Read about her adventures @ParisRhapsody.

Christopher P. Baker

Professional travel writer and photographer Christopher P. Baker (www.christopherpbaker.com) has written and photographed six books on Cuba, including Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro’s Cuba. He has written and photographed for more than 200 publications, from Motorcyclist to National Geographic Traveler and Playboy.

 

 

 

 

 Jessica Pickett

The daughter of a free-spirited, surfing waitress and a professional cross-country mover, Jessica discovered most of the country from the dog trot of an eighteen-wheeler before turning 5 years old. She was raised along the banks of the Sabine River and was fortunate enough to be able to call both Texas and Louisiana home. She embraces her naturally curious soul, love of nature, and appreciation for culture. After marrying a 4th generation farmer who had never taken a vacation, an entirely new adventure began. They now split their time between farm chores and traversing the globe. You can join them on their many (and sometimes muddy) adventures at TheRootedGypsy.com.

Kaylene Chadwell

Kaylene Chadwell is a southern American saving her pennies to see the world. She took her first international trip a little over two years ago and now can’t help but plan her life around traveling. A year ago, Kaylene combined two of her favorite activities, traveling and writing, by starting CheersToTraveling.com.

 

 

 

Betsi & Jim Hill

Betsi and Jim Hill, husband and wife of 28 years, are the traveling team at Betsi’s World. Betsi is a freelance journalist and blogger, and Jim is a freelance photographer.

Together Betsi and Jim craft lifestyle, history, culture and cuisine content and photography for each destination they visit.

 

 

 

Tomeka Allgood

Tomeka Allgood is a freelance travel writer and travel blogger based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is the founder and managing editor of Short Weeks–Long Weekends, a travel blog dedicated to the weekender. She writes on a broad range of topics that includes but is not limited to: art, history, culture, travel, music, food and wine. She specializes in places and attractions that relate to African American heritage and history.

 

 

Justin & Tracy Uselton

Justin and Tracy Uselton are the writers of A Couple for the Road, a couples travel blog that focuses on food, drink and culture written from a personal and artistic perspective for the avid traveler.

 

 

 

 

Rick Goulian

Rick Goulian and his wife Mary have been passionately traveling the U.S. and Europe for over 30 years. Rick is from New York and Mary is from Chicago, though Phoenix has been their home for 20 years. Their passion is seeing different places and experiencing different cultures every chance they get. You can reach Rick at dgiii@cox.net.

Lynne Curry

Lynne Curry is a frequent contributor to Fine Cooking, Zester Daily and Civil Eats. A freelance food journalist, professional cook and blogger, she lives with her family in the mountains of eastern Oregon. Lynne is the author of  Pure Beef: An Essential Guide to Artisan Meat with Recipes for Every Cut and is working on her next book on pasture-raised meats and poultry.

 

 

 

 

Abby and Weston Tanner

Abby and Weston Tanner are full-time travelers and the founders of Westby Adventures. They are slow travelers, usually living in a country for the maximum time allowed on a tourist visa. They prefer staying with host families through the web platform Workaway, which allows them to work in exchange for food and housing. This not only enables them to dive into a culture for several months at a time, but often results in lifelong friendships. Abby and Weston chronicle their adventures in 5-10 minute videos on their website, showcasing their love of nature and interesting jobs around the world. They have previously worked on a horse and sheep farm in Iceland, lived with an indigenous family of Sami reindeer herders in northern Norway, and worked on Europe’s largest privately-owned island, Lambay Island in Ireland.

Chelsea Martin

Chelsea Martin is a Communication Coach and Organizational Development Consultant in independent practice. Learn more about her work at 4CProfessionalCommunication. Chelsea travels with friends, family, or solo and interest in Spanish and Latin American culture. She resides near Portland, Oregon.

 

 

Leslie Hayertz

Leslie Hayertz received her BA/ed. from Central Washington University and her MA from Middlebury College. As a Spanish teacher and interpreter, she’s traveled throughout Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Central America and Spain. After a gritty day of conjugating verbs with her students, she reverts to her native English to write plays, articles and fiction. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Calyx, Clinton St. Quarterly and Red Rock Review, and her one-act plays have had staged readings and a production in Alaska, Washington and New York. She lives in West Linn, Oregon.