Our Writers
Table of Contents
The dedicated, talented, well-traveled writers at PlayStayEat bringing the world to you.
Jeanine Consoli
Travel Writer
Jeanine Consoli is a freelance travel writer, photographer, and foodie based in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. A retired elementary school teacher, she used her summers to feed her passion for travel and kept journals of all the destinations she explored. Today, Jeanine is working as a writer full-time. She loves uncovering the history and understanding the culture of each location, including the local flavors of each unique place. She has traveled extensively in the United States and Europe and is excited to keep adding to the list, finding unique sites that are off the beaten path both at home and abroad.
Julie Diebolt Price
Travel Writer
Julie Diebolt Price is an award-winning photographer, educator, travel writer, guide, and a passionate traveler. Along with extensive travel in the United States, she has many European, Mexican, and Chinese stamps in her passport. She enjoys planning, researching, creating and sharing experiences. Julie is a member of TravMedia, Professional Photographers of America, International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance, and Travel Massive.
Jim Thomas
Travel Writer
Originally from Aurora, IL, I served 26 years in the U. S. military around the world. Thus far, my travels have taken me to all 7 continents and 114 countries. I delight in the opportunity to actually visit places and experience cultures that most people only read about. My undergraduate degrees in history and political science and a master’s degree in public administration have given me an understanding of world history and the various political issues, globally. My master’s degree in special education from The Johns Hopkins University, combined with 24 years teaching experience, have given me an awareness and insight into the human needs of various cultures. Thus, I use all of these tools in planning my travels and writing my stories. I hope these narratives will serve as an interesting read as well as a useful reference for your own future travels. Jim is a member of ITWPA and you can read more about his travels at Jimpatjourneys.com.
Roxie LaFever
Travel Writer
Based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, Roxie LaFever likes her town but knows she needs to explore the world and search out her own truth. Without creating even an “unofficial bucket list,” she’s been to all 7 continents, seen all 7 Wonders of the World and over 40 countries. With each trip – she tries to identify a way to step out of her comfort zone – and grow. Whether she’s jumping off a mountain in Rio to hang-glide down to the beach, exploring the world’s largest waterfalls by ultra-lite or zodiac, hiking at high altitudes in Bhutan and Peru, or doing the “Walk of Faith” on the world’s longest glass bridge in China, you’ll want to travel along. In addition to freelance travel writing and photography, Roxie manages a lifestyle and travel blog at www.RoamingwithRoxie.com.
Kerrie-Anne Riles
Travel Writer
Kerrie-Anne Riles is an Australian freelance travel writer. She has lived in seven different countries and travels extensively. Her travel writing includes traveling to unusual places and quirky travel experiences, luxury travel especially cruising and train trips, and gluten free cooking and restaurants.
Member: International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance, International Travel Writers Alliance, TravMedia
June Russell-Chamberlin
Travel Writer
June Russell-Chamberlin likes nothing better than to explore and photograph the gems and hidden corners of the Pacific Northwest and the world. When she’s not traveling, June can be found tucked into a good mystery novel, hiking in the Cascade Mountains or continuing her quest for the ultimate piece of pie. She lives in Eugene, Oregon, with her family and a very bossy cat.
Robin O'Neal Smith
TRAVEL WRITER
Robin O’Neal Smith is a freelance writer, photographer, and foodie from Saxton, Pennsylvania. A former teacher and school district administrator, she left her job to pursue writing, and her passion for traveling. A young baby boomer, Robin has traveled throughout North America, many of the Caribbean Islands, and Europe. She loves cruising and inspiring others to live their dreams of travel.
Robin is a member of TravMedia and International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance. You will find some of her adventures at https://RobinONealSmith.com
Elsa Dixon
TRAVEL WRITER
Elsa Dixon is a freelance travel writer, photographer, and author of three instructional music books. Under her maiden name, Elsa van der Byl, she wrote an Afrikaans biography, PIET wat POMPIES was of her father, a famous South African comedian and songwriter, and a memoir available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible. Besides teaching piano, Elsa established TravelswithElsa LLC in 2008, taking small groups on tour to different continents during school holidays. Her four children live in Canada, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. She blogs extensively about her tours and travels on her website https://travelswithelsa.com/.
Janie Pace
TRAVEL WRITER
Janie is retired from retail advertising and sales after over 40 years. She and her husband love traveling, writing and photographing destinations like Machu Picchu, Peru; the Canadian Rockies, all four main islands of Hawaii, and they recently traveled to Albuquerque, Taos and Durango. She and Ronnie added a cruise out of Galveston to Roatan, Honduras, Costa Maya and Cozumel on Royal Caribbean with an ATV run through the jungle and a floating raft trip.
Janie is a member of the ITWPA International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance, USPA United States Press Agency, IFWTWA International Food Wine Travel Writers Association, and TravMedia.
Dan Ciufo
TRAVEL WRITER
After four years in the US Marines, then nearly 24 years in the US Air Force, finally finishing up in Hawaii, Dan retired in 2006 and began a career in education, teaching Air Force Junior ROTC at a local high school in Texas. Dan and his wife Daphne have a passion for travel and have been to nearly 30 countries. An assignment in Germany led them to fall in love with their little German village in the Rhineland Pfalz, but also gave them the opportunity to take their young children Anna and Leah to over 15 other European countries. Dan also enjoyed traveling to numerous more exotic locations with the military. Recent travel highlights include three weeks of independent travel in the Balkans, a terrific itinerary in California, and have an upcoming trip of several weeks to Israel and Jordan. Dan and Daphne enjoy unusual and off-the-beaten path locations, interesting and diverse cultures and independent travel.
Dan is just getting started in the travel writing genre but enjoys chronicling their many adventures and has done a lot of writing over his career.
Jo Clark
TRAVEL WRITER
Jo Clark is a happily-retired teacher, travel writer, photographer, food and wine lover from South Carolina’s Grand Strand. She loves learning about local flavors unique to travel spots and adding to her list of places “off the beaten path.” She is a member of the ITWPA (International travel Writers and Photographers Alliance), TravMedia, ITWA (International travelWriters Alliance), and travel Massive.
Travel partner Darrel Mellies is a retired Chiropractor, who loves to travel, take photos, and eat almost as much as Jo does! He is a member of the ITWPA (International travel Writers and Photographers Alliance), TravMedia, and travel Massive
Websites, Portfolio & Blog: www.HaveGlassWillTravel.com & www.PhotographybyDarrel.com
Amy Piper
Travel Writer
Amy Piper is a writer, photographer, and explorer with an affinity for luxury travel and food adventures. She is the founder and publisher of Follow the Piper and author of the Michigan Chapter in the anthology, Midwest Road Trips Adventures. Amy’s work has appeared in Collectible Automobile, Great Philippines Expedition, Savvy Retiree, Shop Local Lansing, Links and Libations, and Food, Wine, and Travel Magazine. She is a contributor to more than 29 publications. She’s spoken on travel writing success panels, and you can find her interviews on Great Escape Radio and Happy Trails Hiking podcasts. She’s also a board member of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA.)
Gail Clifford
Travel Writer
Gail Clifford, MD, a physician for more than 25 years, has traveled to five continents and all 50 United States. An avid traveler, she happily goes on new adventures, especially on birthdays. She enjoys inter-generational and solo travel focused on learning a new skill. When traveling locally, she enjoys digging deeper into history to discover new things about old experiences. Her articles have been published in area, national and international magazines and websites. She is an award-winning photographer and travel writer. She is a member of TravMedia, Travel Massive, International Writers and Photographers Alliance, and International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association. She divides her time between Ireland and the U.S.
Michelle Fedosoff
Travel Writer
Michelle is a traveller, writer, photographer, wife, and mother. She has travelled to 13 countries and is always on the look out to find unique and interesting things to do. From counting turtle eggs in Mexico to looking for tigers in India, eating Haggis in Scotland and pig snout in Spain, drinking Chai tea from street vendors in India to black sesame hot chocolate in Canada, she is willing to try almost anything once. Michelle is a member of ITWPA, CAPA, and IAPP.
Cassandra Ellis
Travel Writer
Cassandra and Joseph Ellis are travelers, a court reporter and a videographer by trade, parents and grandparents who currently reside in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. They have traveled extensively across the United States and around the world, for both business and pleasure, experiencing a variety of cultures and foods from Asia, the UK, all over Europe, as well as the Isles of the Caribbean, and Canada. They are living their dreams of writing about and photographing the world around them and enjoying all of life’s opportunities. They are always looking ahead for their next big adventure.
Erin Jones
Travel Writer
Erin Jones works in a corporate job but doesn’t leave any vacation days leftover at the end of the year. From long weekends state side to longer journeys in Europe, Erin loves an adventure and discovering new cities. You can read about her adventures on her blog: [email protected] and via social media: http://www.facebook.com/adventuresoferin and Instagram: @londonerin8.
Joeann Fossland
TRAVEL WRITER
This baby boomer hippie chick was bitten by the travel bug decades ago and has never recovered. She has adventured through over 30 countries and 4 continents and can often be found on a warm island beach. Sharing tips and experiences to inspire others to live their dreams makes her filled with joy. She loves hot springs, historic hotels, beaches, food and tennis. A member of TravMedia, Travel Massive, ITWPA (International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance) and IFWTWA (International Food Wine Travel Writers Association), she is published in numerous magazines and e-zines. Her blog is at http://www.JoeannsView.com.
Scott Kendall is the Founder, Editor, and frequent contributor to PlayStayEat. He is a former Navy Officer, teacher and tennis coach who is an avid traveler and writer. Scott has traveled extensively throughout the United States and overseas to Italy, France, England, Croatia, Slovenia, and others. In addition to his contributions to PlayStayEat.com, much of his published work can be seen at scottkendalltravels.com.
Scott is a member of SATW (Society of American Travel Writers) and IFWTWA (International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association).
Are you a hard-working, talented travel writer with lots of stories to tell? Check out the Application to become a regular contributor to PlayStayEat, helping our readers to make the most out of their travel time and money.