Well hello there

I'm a passionate traveler and a committed problem solver. Which is a helpful combo when taking public transportation in a foreign country.

I lead a virtual team, with all the challenges and opportunities that entails. So I'm great at building connections without face-to-face contact, and *amazing* at the Internet. Need to monitor social media from China, or host a Skype call from the UAE? Been there, done that. I'm a big believer in making technology work for you, not the the other way around.

As part of that, I manage the backends of two businesses, coordinating everything from website functionality to developing advertiser relationships to building a community of clients and readers. Startups are awesome that way -- you get to do everything!

When I'm not traveling, I love playing Iron Chef in my kitchen and throwing the ball for my adorable labrador. Sometimes simultaneously.

My passion is helping people travel better -- whether that's more often, more comfortably, or more economically. If I can't answer a travel-related question, I can probably put you in touch with someone who can!

From my travels

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RSS My latest for One Mile at a Time

  • Chicago Seminars Go Online For 2020
    One of the longest standing annual miles & points “events” is the Chicago Seminars, which has been held at the Holiday Inn in Elk Grove, Illinois (nearish to the Chicago O’Hare Airport) for the past ten years. Ten years. I'm getting old. Ben and I actually met in-person for the first time at a Chicago […]
  • Housekeeping: Estate Planning & Your Miles
    Not to be morbid, but this is a question I get all the time. Miles and points are confusing enough, and when you add in the stress surrounding an unexpected (or even expected) death it can be difficult to understand options and make decisions. I first wrote this post in the weeks after my grandfather […]
  • Paying Taxes By Credit Card: How To Come Out Ahead
    Ah, tax season. As many Americans are starting to procrastinate finalize their tax returns, questions about earning points for making those payments always come up. That's particularly relevant this year, and individuals and businesses may be paying two quarters worth of estimated payments along with their 2019 return. I pay all my estimated quarterly and annual […]
  • 146 Marriott Hotels & Resorts For US Getaways
    While we're writing more about travel lately, we're not necessarily suggesting people do travel (though if you do, please be considerate and smart). But we also recognize that many folks need a break, whether that's because they have been homeschooling for months, or living in a small apartment, or otherwise need a reset. We've been […]
  • When Will You Travel Again?
    One thing we've noticed (and this is not a new phenomenon) is that "travel sentiment surveys" don't really take into account the viewpoints of the most frequent travelers, or the most highly-engaged loyalty program members. Our community may not be statistically significant in terms of determining "most popular vacation destinations" or whatever, but we do […]
  • Amex Credit & Benefit Tracker
    Several American Express cards offer statement credits and rebates as part of the card benefits. These can be very lucrative, and more than offset the annual fees on the cards, provided you can max out (or at least get close) the assorted credits. The challenge, however, is that Amex makes these benefits somewhat tricky to […]
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Travel Consulting

Everyone has airline miles or credit card points. Almost no one knows how to use them.

Along with my fabulous team of colleagues, I help everyday people make the most of their miles and points. Whether you're a road warrior looking to upgrade your general travel experience, or a leisure traveler hoping to save money on a special vacation, PointsPros can provide advice as to the best ways to not only earn miles, but to get the very most from the points you already have.

Check out pointspros.com to learn more!

Recent and upcoming events

While there may be (some, limited) ways to travel responsibly at this time, I don't believe there is an ethical way to promote travel during a pandemic.

As such, all my events and speaking engagements are on pause for the time being. Several contracted engagements have been postponed, and I will update here when they have been rescheduled. In the meantime, please feel free to check out my thoughts from my last trip, including the impacts of colonialism and overtourism in Morocco.

Selected Media & Interviews

Abroaders Podcast // Episode 119 - Interview with Tiffany Funk

Credit Card Forum // 5 Underutilized Rewards-Card Strategies