Home > About Us

The ETBD Team

How do we help people have better trips? By practicing what we preach! Rick will be in Europe for 145 days this year, and the rest of our staff is crazy about travel as well. No matter where we go, we're always trying to get current, hands-on travel experience. Here's what we do at ETBD, our favorite gelato flavors (of course!), and where we like to travel.

ETBD Staff Group Photo

Aaron Harting: Travel Advisor/Assistant Video Editor/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: caffe. Favorite travel destinations: the Berner Oberland in Switzerland; Chamonix, France; Istanbul, Turkey; and Tokyo.
Abe Bringolf: Travel Advisor/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: chocolate and orange. Favorite travel destination: California.
Amy Castanette Robertson: Tour Operations. Favorite gelato: nocciola. Favorite travel destinations: China, France, and Vietnam.
Andrew Wakeling: Webmaster. Favorite gelato: canella. Favorite travel destinations: Amsterdam, Berlin, and France.
Angie Kirkwood Cino: Special Account Coordinator for PBS/Public Relations Assistant/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: jasmine (Sicily). Favorite travel destinations: Italy and Whistler, BC.
Ann Neel: Travel Advisor/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: lemon. Favorite travel destinations: Ireland, Italy, Nepal, and Tanzania.
Anne Kirchner: General Manager. Favorite gelato: fig and caramel. Favorite travel destinations: Hawaii, Paris, and Cape May, NJ.
Ashley Sytsma: Public Relations Specialist. Favorite gelato: stracciatella. Favorite travel destinations: Argentina, Ecuador, and Portugal.
Barb Brannman: Accounts Receivable . Favorite gelato: chocolate hazelnut. Favorite travel destinations: Austria and Switzerland.
Barb Geisler: Media Production Manager. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destination: Czech Republic.
Beth Sneeringer: Controller. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destinations: Italy and Whidbey Island.
Brooke Burdick: Director of Business Development. Favorite gelato: haggis. Favorite travel destination: Northern Scotland.
Brooke Nolan: Tour Diva/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: mint chocolate chip. Favorite travel destinations: Greece and Maui.
Cameron Hewitt: Writer/Lead Editor/Guidebook Co-Author. Favorite gelato: liquirizia. Favorite travel destination: Budapest.
Cathy Lu: Editor. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destination: New Zealand.
Cheryl Antieau: Core Operations. Favorite gelato: pistachio/nocciola. Favorite travel destinations: France, Italy, and Port Townsend, WA.
Chloe Wicks (not pictured): Tour Diva. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destinations: Aberystwyth, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and London.
Chris Luczyk: Systems Administrator. Favorite gelato: maple. Favorite travel destinations: Himalayas and UK.
Cliff Cameron: Shipping. Favorite gelato: yanik dondurma. Favorite travel destinations: Italy, Lopez Island and Turkey.
Cory Mead: IT Manager. Favorite gelato: lemon. Favorite travel destinations: Cancun and Maui.
Cynthia Ballard: Tour Diva/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destination: Greece and Sun Peaks, Canada.
Dave Hoerlein: Map Designer. Favorite gelato: baci. Favorite travel destinations: Denmark, Italy, Pullman.
Deanna Woodruff: Tour Department Manager. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destinations: Britain, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and Hawaii.
Debi Jo Michael: Tour Operations Assistant Manager. Favorite gelato: melone. Favorite travel destinations: England and Greece.
Erin Hanson (not pictured): Shipping. Favorite gelato: café. Favorite travel destinations: Sicily, Spain and Turkey.
Gene Openshaw: Guidebook Co-Author. Favorite gelato: vanilla. Favorite travel destination: Athens.
Gretchen Strauch: Editor/Researcher/Provocateur. Favorite gelato: walnuss. Favorite travel destinations: Amsterdam, Paris, Scotland and Swiss Alps.
Heather Locke: Travel Advisor/Rail Advisor/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: bacio. Favorite travel destinations: England, Italy and Indianapolis.
Heidi Van Sewell: Tour Diva. Favorite gelato: gianduia. Favorite travel destinations: France and Italy.
Janine Fouts Goodrich: Tour Staff Accountant/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destinations: Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Spain.
Jennifer Davis: Assistant Managing Editor. Favorite gelato: chocolate. Favorite travel destinations: Greece and Tuscany.
Jennifer Schutte: Travel Center & Consulting Manager/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: schnitzel. Favorite travel destination: anything Celtic.
Joan Robinson: Human Resources. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destination: Italy.
Jon Hart: Senior Software Developer. Favorite gelato: vanilla. Favorite travel destination: Yellowstone.
Jon Johnson: Shipping. Favorite gelato: vanilla. Favorite travel destinations: Italy and Paris.
Jonathan Lee: Systems Administrator. Favorite gelato: white chocolate/bubble gum. Favorite travel destinations: Paris and Rome.
Julie Coen: Special Events Coordinator. Favorite gelato: nocciola with coco (coconut). Favorite travel destinations: Bali, Greece, India, Italy, and Thailand.
Karen Baehm: Receptionist. Favorite gelato: mango. Favorite travel destinations: Croatia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Switzerland.
Karen Scholl: Chief Financial Officer. Favorite gelato: green tea. Favorite travel destinations: Austria and Italy.
Keith Stickelmaier: Tour Divo/Lead Guide/Researcher. Favorite gelato: TheNextOne in a cup. Favorite travel destination: the bike ride to Exit Glacier in Seward, Alaska.

Kevin Williams: Travel Advisor. Favorite gelato: stracciatella. Favorite travel destinations: China, England, Germany, Greece, and Ireland.
Laura Terrenzio: Rail Manager/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destinations: Bulgaria and France.
Laura "JuJu" VanDeventer: Graphic Content Director. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destinations: Berlin, Paris, and Turkey
Lauren Mills: Editor/Researcher. Favorite gelato: cioccolato fondente. Favorite travel destination: Great Britain.
Lisa Friend: Travel Consultant/Tour Diva/Lead Guide. Favorite gelato: cannella. Favorite travel destination: The British Isles.
Lisa Werner: Marketing Manager. Favorite gelato: semi-freddo zabaglione. Favorite travel destination: anywhere in Italy.
Louise Riley: Customer Service/Tour Diva. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite destinations: Africa, Egypt, and Greece.
Mary Ann Cameron: Marketing Coordinator/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: dondurma. Favorite travel destinations: Italy, Lopez Island, and Turkey.
Mary Carlson: Rail Advisor/Lead Guide. Favorite gelato: nocciola. Favorite travel destinations: American Southwest, France, and Italy.
Mary Romano: Human Resources Manager. Favorite gelato: cioccolato. Favorite travel destinations: France, Hawaii, and Italy.
Matt Yglesias: Facilities Manager/Lead Guide. Favorite gelato: noce di cocco. Favorite travel destination: Spain.
Michaelanne Jerome (not pictured): Tour Operations/Lead Guide. Favorite gelato: rose. Favorite travel destination: France.
Michelle Kono (not pictured): Tour Operations Manager. Favorite gelato: Earl Grey hot. Favorite travel destination: Paris.
Pat Luczyk: Staff Accountant/Accounts Payable/Customer Service. Favorite gelato: apple strudel. Favorite travel destination: Maui, Poland, Turkey, and Venice.
Pat O'Connor: Travel Advisor/Guidebook Co-Author/Lead Guide. Favorite gelato: poteen. Favorite travel destination: Ireland.
Patricia Weiss: Core Operations. Favorite gelato: chocolate, pistachio. Favorite travel destinations: France, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain.
Paul Orcutt: Travel Consultant/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: stracciatella. Favorite travel destinations: Provence and Umbria.
Ragen Van Sewell: Tour Operations/Lead Guide. Favorite gelato: stracciatella. Favorite travel destination: Haarlem.
Rhonda Pelikan: Art Director. Favorite gelato: IPA. Favorite travel destinations: Barcelona, Indiana, and Peoria, AZ.
Richard Earl: Rail Advisor/Travel Consultant/Researcher/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: café. Favorite travel destinations: Italy and Norway.
Rich Sorensen (not pictured): Marketing Strategy. Favorite gelato: espresso. Favorite travel destination: Gimmelwald.
Rick Steves: President/CEO/Author/Guide/Researcher/TV & Radio host/Teacher. Favorite gelato: ganja. Favorite travel destination: anywhere in Europe.
Risa Laib: Managing Editor. Favorite gelato: melone. Favorite travel destinations: Narnia and Neverland.
Robyn Cronin: Web Designer/Tour Assistant. Favorite gelato: variegata nutella & frosting. Favorite travel destinations: Bavaria, Cape Town, Paris, Peru and Swiss Alps.
Russ Whealy: Operations Manager. Favorite gelato: amaretto. Favorite travel destination: France and Key West.
Ruth Ann Rouse: Tour Diva. Favorite gelato: limone & frutti di bosco. Favorite travel destinations: Germany, Slovenia, and Turkey.
Sarah McCormic: Assistant Radio Producer. Favorite gelato: nocciola. Favorite travel destinations: England, France, and Italy.
Sheryl Harris: Core Operations Lead. Favorite gelato: pistachio/chocolate. Favorite travel destinations: Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
Simon Griffith: Television Producer. Favorite gelato: paua. Favorite travel destinations: Ngaruawahia, Ruapehu, and Tokomaru Bay.
Steve Cammarano: Television Series Editor. Favorite gelato: tiramisu. Favorite travel destinations: Belize, Eastern Europe, France, Italy, New Zealand, and someday favorite, Croatia.
Steve Smith: Manager of Tour Planning and Guide Services/Guidebook Co-Author. Favorite gelato: champagne. Favorite travel destination: France, France, and more France.
Suzanne Kotz: Editor. Favorite gelato: fragola. Favorite travel destinations: Oxley (Ontario) and France.
Tara Swenson: Tour Department Assistant Manager/Lead Guide. Favorite gelato: Hacker-Pschorr. Favorite travel destination: Bavaria.
Tim Tattan: "Travel with Rick Steves" Radio Producer. Favorite gelato: Mado Turkish apricot goat's milk. Favorite travel destinations: Caledonia, California, Canada, Cappadocia, and Cork.
Tom Canham (not pictured): Software Developer. Favorite gelato: lemon. Favorite travel destination: Italy

Tom Griffin: Editor/Researcher. Favorite gelato: caffe. Favorite travel destinations: Pacific Crest Trail & Paris.
Tom Platt: Shipping Manager. Favorite gelato: nutella. Favorite travel destinations: Ireland, Italy, and Las Vegas.
Twozdai Hulse
(not pictured): Graphic Production Specialist. Favorite gelato: coconut. Favorite travel destinations: Barcelona, San Pancho (Mexico) and Port Townsend, WA.