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The Back Door 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.

group photo of the etbd staff

Aaron Harting: Travel Advisor/Assistant Video Editor/Guide. Favorite gelato: caffe. Favorite travel destinations: Chamonix, France; the Berner Oberland in Switzerland; and Salema, Portugal.
Abe Bringolf: Travel Advisor. Favorite gelato: chocolate and orange. Favorite travel destination: Mexico.
Amanda Levesque: Travel Advisor. Favorite gelato: stracciatella y pistachio. Favorite travel destinations: Italy and Mexico
Amy Castanette: Tour Operations/Guide. Tour Operations/Guide. Favorite gelato: noce di cocco. Favorite travel destinations: China, France, and Vietnam.
Andrew Wakeling: Web Administrator/Technical Support Assistant. Favorite gelato: canella. Favorite travel destinations: Amsterdam and anywhere in France.
Angie Kirkwood: Inventory and Special Accounts Coordinator/Guide. Favorite gelato: jasmine in Sicily. Favorite travel destination: Whistler, BC.
Ann Neel: Travel Center Assistant Manager/Guide. Favorite gelato: lemon. Favorite travel destinations: Ireland and Italy.
Anne Kirchner: General Manager. Favorite gelato: crema. Favorite travel destinations: Paris, Tortola, and Hawaii.
Ashley Sytsma: Publicist. Favorite gelato: stracciatella. Favorite travel destinations: Ecuador, Mexico and Portugal.
Barb Brannman: Accounting/Core Operations. Favorite gelato: chocolate hazelnut. Favorite travel destinations: Ellensburg, WA and Vienna, Austria.
Barb Geisler: Media Production Manager. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destination: Czech Republic.
Beth Sneeringer: Controller. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destination: any warm beach.
Bibek Pandey (not pictured): Software Developer. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destinations: Belgium, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Brooke Burdick: Communications Manager. Favorite gelato: haggis. Favorite travel destination: Northern Scotland.
Brooke Nolan (not pictured): Tour Diva. Favorite gelato: mint chocolate chip. Favorite travel destination: Maui.
Cameron Hewitt: Writer/Lead Editor/Guide. Favorite gelato: riso. Favorite travel destination: Budapest.
Cathy Lu: (not pictured): Editor. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destination: New Zealand.
Cathy McDonald: Editor/Researcher/Guide. Favorite gelato: chocolate raspberry. Favorite travel destinations: places with mountains.
Cheryl Antieau: Core Operations. Favorite gelato: pistachio/nocciola. Favorite travel destinations: France, Italy, and Port Townsend, WA.
Cliff Cameron: Shipping/Guide. Favorite gelato: yanik dondurma. Favorite travel destinations: Italy, Lopez Island and Turkey.
Cynthia Ballard: Tour Diva/Rail Advisor/ Guide. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destination: Greece.
Dave Hoerlein: Map Designer. Favorite gelato: baci. Favorite travel destination: Denmark.
Deanna Woodruff: Tour Department Manager. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destinations: France, Greece, Ireland, and Italy.
Debi Jo Michael: Tour Operations Assistant Manager/Guide. Favorite gelato: melone. Favorite travel destinations: England and Greece.
Gene Openshaw: Guidebook Co-Author. Favorite gelato: vanilla. Favorite travel destination: Athens.
Gretchen Strauch: Editor/Researcher/Guide/Provocateur. Favorite gelato: walnuss. Favorite travel destinations: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, and Swiss Alps.
Heidi Van Sewell: Tour Diva/Guide. Favorite gelato: gianduia. Favorite travel destinations: France and Italy.
Janine Fouts Goodrich: Tour Staff Accountant/Guide. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destinations: Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Spain.
Jeanne Flatmo (not pictured): Customer Service. Favorite gelato: malaga. Favorite travel destinations: Alaska, California, Mexico, and Texas.
Jennifer Davis: Senior Guidebook Editor/Researcher. Favorite gelato: chocolate. Favorite travel destinations: Greece, Tuscany, and home.
Jennifer Schutte: Travel Center & Consulting Manager/Guide. Favorite gelato: schnitzel. Favorite travel destination: anything Celtic.
Joan Robinson: Human Resources/Guide. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destination: Italy.
Jon Hart (not pictured): Software Developer. Favorite gelato: vanilla. Favorite travel destination: Yellowstone.
Jon Johnson: Shipping/Guide. Favorite gelato: vanilla. Favorite travel destination: Italy.
Jonathan Lee: Systems Administrator. Favorite gelato: white chocolate/bubble gum. Favorite travel destinations: Paris and Rome.
Julie Coen: Special Events Coordinator/Guide. 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: Salzburg, Austria and Venice.
Keith Stickelmaier: Tour Divo/Guide/Researcher. Favorite gelato: kirsula in a cup. Favorite travel destination: Kenya's Masai Mara Game Preserve.
Kevin Wilmot (not pictured): Web/IT Manager. Favorite gelato: chocolate. Favorite travel destination: France.
Laura Terrenzio: Rail Manager. Favorite gelato: limone. Favorite travel destination: Greece.
Laura "JuJu" VanDeventer: Graphic Content Director. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destination: Turkey.
Lauren Mills: Editor/Researcher. Favorite gelato: cioccolato fondente. Favorite travel destination: Great Britain.
Lisa Friend: Travel Consultant/Tour Diva/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.
Mary Ann Cameron: Marketing Coordinator/Guide. Favorite gelato: dondurma. Favorite travel destinations: Italy, Lopez Island, and Turkey.
Mary Carlson: Rail Advisor/Guide. Favorite gelato: nocciola. Favorite travel destinations: France, Italy, and American Southwest.
Mary Romano: Human Resources Manager. Favorite gelato: amarena. Favorite travel destinations: France, Italy, and Hawaii.
Matt Yglesias: Facilities Manager/Guide. Favorite gelato: noce di cocco. Favorite travel destination: Spain.
Michaelanne Jerome (not pictured): Tour Operations/Guide. Favorite gelato: cioccolato. Favorite travel destination: France.
Michelle Kono: Tour Operations Manager. Favorite gelato: Earl Grey hot. Favorite travel destination: Paris.
Pat Luczyk: Staff Accountant/Accounts Payable/Guide. Favorite gelato: apple strudel. Favorite travel destination: Poland.
Pat O'Connor: Travel Advisor/Guidebook Co-Author/Guide. Favorite gelato: poteen. Favorite travel destination: Dingle, Ireland.
Patricia Weiss: Core Operations. Favorite gelato: chocolate, pistachio. Favorite travel destinations: France, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain.
Paul Orcutt: Travel Consultant. Favorite gelato: stracciatella. Favorite travel destinations: Provence and Umbria.
Ragen Van Sewell: Tour Operations/Guide. Favorite gelato: stracciatella. Favorite travel destination: Las Vegas.
Renee VanDrent:Tour Operations/Guide. Favorite gelato: pistachio. Favorite travel destinations: Croatia and Russia.
Rhonda Pelikan (not pictured): Art Director. Favorite substance: IPA. Favorite travel destinations: Barcelona and Paris.
Richard Earl: Rail Advisor/Travel Consultant/Researcher/Guide. Favorite gelato: café. Favorite travel destinations: Italy and Norway.
Rich Sorensen (not pictured): Marketing Strategy Manager. 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. Favorite gelato: variegata nutella. Favorite travel destinations: Spain, Germany, and Krakow.
Russ Whealy: Product/Purchasing Manager. Favorite gelato: amaretto. Favorite travel destination: France.
Ruth Ann Rouse: Tour Diva/Guide. Favorite gelato: limone & frutti di bosco. Favorite travel destinations: Germany, Slovenia, and Turkey.
Sarah McCormic (not pictured): 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, Germany, and Paris.
Simon Griffith: Television Producer. Favorite gelato: kina. Favorite travel destinations: Greece, Denmark, Iran, and Turkey.
Steve Cammarano (not pictured): Television Series Editor. Favorite gelato: tiramisu. Favorite travel destinations: Eastern Europe, France, Italy, and New Zealand.
Steve Smith: Manager of Tour Planning and Guide Services/Guidebook Co-Author/Guide. Favorite gelato: escargot. Favorite travel destination: France, France, and more France.
Sylvia Strom: Staff Accountant/Accounts Receivable. Favorite gelato: blueberry mint. Favorite travel destination: Ireland.
Tara Swenson (not pictured): Tour Department Assistant Manager/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: Cappadocia, Cork, California, and Canada.
Tom Griffin (not pictured): Editor. Favorite gelato: caffe. Favorite travel destinations: Pacific Crest Trail and Paris.
Tom Platt: Shipping Manager. Favorite gelato: nutella. Favorite travel destinations: Ireland and Italy.