There are a variety of contributors to the Discovering Ohio Blog, including staff members at the Ohio Tourism Division, as well as members of our teams at our public relations and multicultural agencies and some exciting guest travel bloggers from around Ohio and beyond. Below, you will find out more about them.
A 20 year veteran of the Tourism Industry, Amir Eylon is currently the State Tourism Director for Ohio. As his professional life matches his personal passions for travel, food, and all things Ohio, Amir is always seeking out what’s new, hidden gems, authentic local experiences, and culinary treats. Look for Amir’s insights as to the latest travel trends in Ohio, updates on some of his personal experiences and observations from the road, as well as his “foodie” tales from around the state!
Pat Barker is the Assistant Director of Tourism at the Ohio Tourism Division and a lifelong Ohio resident and Ohio State University grad. She served as the Director of the Dublin Convention and Visitors Bureau, headed up the Public Relations Office at an ad agency and founded Columbus Alive newspaper. She also stayed home for a few years in between to be with her two children, which means she served on a lot of PTO committees. You can email Pat at Pat.Barker@development.ohio.gov.
Tammy Brown has been sharing Ohio tourism experiences with media and travel writers for 15 years and currently leads the Tourism Division’s award-winning public relations office. The best part of her job is seeing the look on a writer’s face as they experience Ohio’s many hidden treasures and their preconceived notions about Ohio melt away. Tammy is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in journalism/public relations. She spends her free time hiking and biking Ohio, bird-watching and gardening. Only the shyest creatures escape her camera lens. You can reach Tammy via email at tamara.brown@development.ohio.gov or on Twitter @trvloh.
Eric Herzog is the Tourism Information Manager of the Ohio Tourism Division. He holds a B.A. in Communications from The Ohio State University. When not exploring all things geeky, Eric enjoys road and mountain bicycling. He lives in Marysville Ohio with his wife and two daughters. You can email Eric at Eric.Herzog@development.Ohio.gov
Roger Barker is the Electronic Information Coordinator for the Ohio Tourism Division where he manages social media and web development. A University of Texas graduate, Roger has lived in Ohio for nearly 20 years and is an avid Columbus Blue Jackets fan, loves the capital city's diverse dining and entertainment options, and enjoys exploring - and sharing - a destination's history and culture when he travels. You can email Roger at Roger.Barker@development.ohio.gov and connect with him on Twitter via the Ohio Tourism Division's account, @DiscoverOhio.
Joe Giessler is public relations coordinator for the Ohio Tourism Division. A native of Cincinnati, Joe earned his B.A. in Communications from the University of Dayton. Joe is an avid golfer, diehard Cincinnati Bengals fan and overall sports enthusiast. He now lives in Gahanna, where he enjoys running, cooking, grilling and meeting new people. You can email Joe at Joe.Giessler@development.ohio.gov.
Lara Kretler, VP and social media lead at Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations, is passionate about the strategic use of the social web. A career Public Relations pro with both agency and corporate experience spanning more than 15 years, Lara brings over a decade of online community building and social media expertise to her public relations work. Before moving to Ohio, Lara spent six years working for public relations firms in New York City, including PorterNovelli. Now a resident of the Columbus area, Lara spends her time outside of work sharing Ohio’s beautiful landscapes, culinary delights and best play places with her husband and young daughter. You can email Lara at lara.kretler@fahlgren.com.
Abbey Roy is a guest blogger at DiscoveringOhio.com. She is a Kent State University graduate with a B.S. in journalism and is a reporter for the Newark Advocate, where she writes mostly human-interest and lifestyle pieces. She enjoys spending time with her family - namely her husband, Seth, and 2-year-old daughter, Analeigh - reading, being outdoors (especially in the woods, water or both), bicycling and photography. She also makes a mean zucchini bread. Check out Abbey's blog at writerabbey.wordpress.com. You can email her at abbey.m.roy@gmail.com.
Karen Dion hails from a small town in Scotland and lived in Japan, Australia, Chile, the Czech Republic and Hawaii before settling down in Columbus, Ohio. She has an M.A. from University College London, and has written for publications including Honolulu Weekly and http://www.matadornetwork.com/. Karen enjoys exploring new places around the state and taking advantage of Columbus' great local food and drink scene. You can find her on Twitter @karendesuyo.
Susan J. Owens is a business strategy consultant and writer, and a lifelong Ohioan. You can find her on the web at susiej.com and susiejinc.com, and as a guest columnist at The Suburban News Publications. When not writing, you can find her in her kitchen cooking for her very active family. Her husband is an Ironman, and they have four busy boys. One of her dreams is to find a way to extend Ohio’s growing season so that her vegetable garden could last beyond November.
Dominique King is a metro Detroit writer, hockey fan and frequent visitor to Ohio. She began her writing career as a freelance writer for local newspapers, covering business, art and regional travel topics for the Mirror Newspapers, the Daily Tribune and Hour Detroit Magazine. She has a degree in Communications (M.A.) from Detroit's Wayne State University and an interest in history. You can find Dominique writing about Midwest travel at http://www.midwestguest.com or connect with her on Twitter @midwestguest.
Terri Ford is the Communications Specialist at Singleton & Partners, the multicultural agency for the Ohio Tourism Division. Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, she is a proud Ohio State University graduate and has enjoyed creativity through writing since her youth. She has worked in Communications since 1997, and has been with the Singleton & Partners team since February of this year. Terri is the mother of a five-year-old boy and a seven-year-old chocolate lab, both of whom bring her much joy. You can email Terri at terrif@singletonpartners.com.
Brad McQuillan is a husband, a father, and a big kid at heart. You can typically find Brad in his local store's toy aisle "shopping for my girl" or playing video games on xbox live in his spare time (usually from 9pm to midnight, depending on sleep schedules). Brad's hobbies include photography, graphic design, cartooning, blogging, web design, music and exploring Ohio. You can keep up with Brad by following his blog at The Chatter Box or connect with him on Twitter @Chatterbox4REAL.
Jill Kerr Tepe and Jenny Kerr run a travel website and blog called Jaunting with the Kerr Sisters. The site has gained popularity through its funny anecdotes and personal stories from around the globe, including those of the oldest sister Julie. Travel has always been a passion for the Kerr family, and Jill has successfully instilled that love in her husband Nick as well. Both sisters have their BA in Graphic Design from Flagler College in Florida, and they are now proud to be a part of the world-class arts community in Cincinnati. Also avid food and wine enthusiasts, the girls enjoy restaurant hopping and wine tastings. For more about the arts and culinary scene in Cincinnati, follow the girls on Twitter at @JauntingKerrs or email them at jill@jauntingwiththekerrsisters.com or jenny@jauntingwiththekerrsisters.com.
Robin Ott has been a freelance graphic designer for over a decade. After graduating with a degree in Computer Animation from the Art Institute of Dallas she worked for Fossil, Inc. as a product and accessory designer north of Dallas, Texas. Missing the changing seasons and her family, she returned to her native state of Ohio. Robin enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and their busy, two-year-old son, Jacob. She recently started documenting and sharing her experiences on her new blog OHtheThingsWeDo.com with co-creator Kendra LaBouf. You can find Robin checking out local wineries or horseback riding in her free time, or creating a new line of stationery and designs online at http://www.robinottdesign.com/.
Kendra LaBouf was born and raised in Southern California and has since lived in Missouri, New York, Texas and now Ohio. A mother of four, she loves discovering all there is to do in Ohio. From hiking to museums, from local festivals to Lake Erie Monster games, Kendra and her children will try anything! After living in so many states, she has exploring down to a science and loves to share her experiences on her blog OHtheThingsWeDo.com, co-created with Robin Ott. You can contact Kendra at klabouf@gmail.com.
For Anietra Hamper, writing is a passion. Anietra spent nearly 20 years as a top-rated television news Anchor telling thousands of stories that impact people's lives. Now, away from the spotlight, Anietra is a published travel writer. Anietra's zest for exploration and photography has taken her to untouched regions of Vietnam and tribal territories of the Philippines, sharing those journeys along the way through articles and blogs. Anietra is also a correspondent for Child Fund International; one of the largest non-Government Organizations in the world.
Anietra graduated Cum Laude from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio and studied journalism at American University in Washington D.C. She enjoys fishing, photography, fitness and playing with her rescued dog Sunny. You can follow Anietra online at ThreeWordPress.com and Facebook/ThreeWordPress.
Michael Evans is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in Public Affairs Journalism and currently works for The Ohio Department of Transportation as a Legislative Liaison. Michael is additionally the creator of OHventures, an Ohio tourism blog that focuses on outdoor adventure and active lifestyle. He has many hobbies, including writing, hiking, biking, rock climbing, canoeing, running, lifting weights, traveling and photography. You can write to Michael at ohventuresblog@gmail.com.
Vincent Guerrieri has been a writer for all of his professional life. He graduated from Bowling Green State University in Ohio with a bachelor's degree. His works include writing for newspapers in major cities, online news sources, regional publications, public relations/speech writing, and as a contributor to the DiscoveringOhio.com travel blog.
Hannah Henthorne is currently a first year student at The Ohio State University. She is studying English with a minor in Photography. Although she has grown up in the central Ohio area, she is proud to call the entire state home. Hannah is an avid reader, writer, photographer, dog lover, and traveler. She also enjoys staying in shape by cycling around the central Ohio bike paths. You can reach Hannah at hhenthorne@gmail.com.
Holly Hammersmith is an Ohio native and Cleveland-based writer. She is a graduate of Bowling Green State University, with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, and previously spent time as a news reporter for the Sandusky Register and The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette. In her spare time, Holly can be found running or practicing yoga. She enjoys visiting local coffee shops, day-tripping and has a passion for Lake Erie. Holly lives with her husband and half-dozen houseplants. Find Holly at http://hollyhammersmith.com.
