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Editors
Scott Medintz -- Executive Editor
Scott has been a working journalist for more than 15 years. His writing has appeared in the New York Observer, the New York Sun, the New York Times, NextBook, and the Forward. He spent eight years at Money magazine, six as a senior editor, where (among other roles) he oversaw the magazine's consumer-service travel coverage. More recently, he spent two years working for Mansueto Ventures, the publisher of Inc. and Fast Company magazines. Scott lives in Brooklyn with his wife and three children.
- Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
- Places Lived: Chicago, Ill.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; London, England; New York, N.Y.
- Education: B.A. in English literature, University of Michigan; M.A. in English and American literature, New York University
- Prior Experience: Mansueto Ventures; Inc.; Fast Company; Money magazine; Smart Money; American Lawyer
Ellen Stark -- Managing Editor
Ellen spent 18 years at Time Inc.'s Money magazine, most recently as executive editor. At Money, she produced dozens of cover stories and special reports, including two National Magazine Award finalists for personal service, and helped guide the magazine's travel and spending coverage. She has been a frequent guest on television news programs, including the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, and MSNBC. An amateur singer, she has been a member of the New Amsterdam Singers since 1990. She lives in New York City.
- Hometown: Aquebogue, N.Y.
- Places Lived: Aquebogue, N.Y., Sao Paulo, Brazil, Northampton, Mass., Providence, R.I., Evanston, Ill., Washington, D.C., New York, N.Y.
- Education: B.A. in American History, Brown University; M.S. in Journalism, Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism
- Prior Experience: Money magazine, Psychology Today, The Washington Monthly, Chicago Enterprise
Will Begeny -- Senior Editor
Will is both an editor and reporter for Oyster Hotel Reviews. A journalism outsider with investigative training alongside the NYPD, he has worked to develop our unique, covert reviewing process. He's a veteran traveler with passport stamps from Serbia to Laos to Guatemala. He enjoys creative writing, home carpentry, experimental artwork, and exotic cuisine (having sampled more than a reasonable number of delectable insects over the years).
- Hometown: Royal Oak, Mich.
- Places Lived: New York, N.Y.; Kosjeric, Serbia; Chiapas, Mexico
- Education: B.A. in English literature, University of Michigan
- Prior Experience: Office of the Mayor of New York
Tom Foster -- Contributing Editor
Tom has worked in publishing for more than a decade, primarily as a magazine editor. At Men's Journal, he held just about every position on staff, from intern to editor in chief. Most recently he was the executive editor of Budget Travel, and before that was a features editor at Fast Company. Along the way he's done freelance work for ESPN, Blender, Wenner Books, and more. Tom lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Samantha, and an aging pug named Zuzu.
- Hometown: Mesa, Arizona.
- Places Lived: Binghamton, NY, Honolulu, HI, Mesa, AZ, San Antonio, TX, Brisbane, Australia, Madison, WI, Columbia, MO, New York, NY
- Education: B.A. in Sociology, Trinity University; M.A. in Journalism, University of Missouri
- Prior Experience: Men's Journal, Men's Health, Best Life, Fast Company, Budget Travel
Donna Marino Wilkins -- Contributing Editor
Donna is a veteran travel writer and editor who has reported on tourism developments in Asia, Hawaii, Latin America, Puerto Rico, the South Pacific, and the U.S. Most recently, she was senior editor at Zagat Survey, where she oversaw travel- and hotel-related content. She was previously executive editor for the weekly travel industry news publication, Leisure Travel News, and has written for publications including Bridal Guide, Consumer Reports Travel Letter, Ralph Lauren Magazine, The New York Times, and Travel Agent. Donna lives in Manhattan with her husband and son.
- Hometown: Farmingdale, N.Y.
- Places Lived: Farmingdale, N.Y.; Sandwich Bay, Kent, England; Urbino, Italy; New Hyde Park, N.Y.; New York, N.Y.
- Education: B.A. in Political Science, SUNY Stony Brook
- Prior Experience: Zagat Survey; Leisure Travel News; ASTA Agency Management
Paul Brady -- Oyster Locals Editor
Paul was born in Seattle, grew up in Missouri, studied in Italy and temporarily settled in New York to pursue a travel journalism career. Before landing at Oyster, he spent eight months exploring the wilds of South America, eating steak in Uruguay, riding horses in Chile and attempting to salsa dance in Colombia. His friends -- and his parents -- are in no way surprised that his job involves staying in lots of hotels.
- Hometown: Jefferson City, Mo.
- Places Lived: Seattle; Jefferson City, Mo.; Rochester, N.Y.; Arezzo, Italy; Syracuse, N.Y.; New York; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Punta del Diablo, Uruguay
- Education: B.A. in Italian Studies, University of Rochester; M.A. in Magazine Journalism, Syracuse University
- Prior Experience: Jaunted.com, HotelChatter.com, Diversion magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, The Syracuse Post-Standard
Kelsey B. -- Editorial Assistant
Kelsey spent six months traveling all over Italy, Greece, and Turkey and stayed in dozens of hotels that ranged from mediocre to astonishingly bad. Memorable experiences included getting robbed by a Gypsy child in Rome, riding a donkey in pouring rain in Santorini, and getting scrubbed down at the Cemberlitas hamam in Istanbul. Besides traveling and writing, she likes good restaurants, her family, historical novels, and online TV.
- Hometown: Folsom, Calif.
- Places lived: Folsom, Calif.; Palo Alto, Calif.; Cameron Park, Calif.; Leysin, Switzerland; Hanover, N.H.; Italy; Greece; Turkey; New York, NY
- Education: B.A. in English and B.A. in classical studies, Dartmouth College
- Prior Experience: Beet.TV, The Dartmouth. Contributed to: Conde Nast Traveler, Silicon Alley Insider, the Los Angeles Times, Vibe Vixen.com, Life Newspapers.
Jennifer G. -- Editorial Assistant
Jennifer has already amassed more useless tchotchkes than most travelers could hope to obtain in an entire lifetime. This is in part due to her love of markets, where she can often be found snapping colorful photos and blowing too much money on things she doesn't need (fav markets include Mahane Yehudah in Jerusalem, Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and Portobello Road markets in London). When not buying useless crap, Jennifer can be found watching the Food Network, dining at restaurants she can't afford, and trying to find the best bottles of wine under $12.
- Hometown: Merrick, New York
- Places lived: Great Neck, Merrick, and New York, N.Y.; Hanover, N.H., Prague, Czech Republic
- Education: B.A. in psychology and B.A. in geography, Dartmouth College
- Prior Experience: mediabistro.com, The Dartmouth. Contributed to: Time Out New York, Conde Nast Traveler, Psychology Today, Park Place magazine.