Meet Our Team
Jason Wilson
Owner & Managing Editor
Jason is a husband and father who has enjoyed travel around the United States and overseas in his spare time. He has been to 32 of 50 states in the USA during the last 30 years. He’s also spent time in several countries overseas. He has traveled to several countries overseas including Ireland, England, and Denmark.
Alicia Broggi, PhD
Travel Enthusiast & Professional Writer
Before she could walk, Alicia was traveling internationally, exploring the US, Canada, Mexico, Africa, Asia, the UK, and continental Europe. Alicia also holds a doctorate in English literature from the University of Oxford.
Emma Braby
Travel Enthusiast & Professional Writer
Emma Braby is a UK-based freelance writer and has worked in media since 2017, focusing on content creation and writing. Emma has visited dozens of countries, spending months at some of her favorite places.
Sarah McDonagh
Travel Enthusiast & Professional Writer
Sarah is a travel blogger and filmmaker currently living in Santa Monica, California. She has been to almost every state in the United States, and many European countries, including Croatia, Russia, Finland and Estonia.
Brianna Carter
Travel Enthusiast & Professional Writer
After two decades in travel & hospitality, Brianna returned to her first passion: writing. She has successfully self-published a book and hosts a podcast. Brianna holds a BS in Journalism from Towson University.
Drew Lessard
Entrepreneur, Travel Enthusiast & Writer
Drew is a US military veteran and entrepreneur who has lived on four continents. With nearly 100 countries under his belt, he’s an expert at redeeming points and miles for remarkable travel experiences.
Jason Wilson
Owner & Managing Editor
Jason is a husband and father who has enjoyed travel around the United States and overseas in his spare time. He has been to 32 of 50 states in the USA during the last 30 years. He’s also spent time in several countries overseas. He has traveled to several countries overseas including Ireland, England, and Denmark.
While he enjoys traveling as time and budget allow with his family, he plans on traveling more extensively in a few years when his kids have finished school and he can focus on spending time abroad.
Alicia Broggi, PhD
Travel Enthusiast & Professional Writer
Before she could walk, Alicia was traveling internationally. And she just kept going! She has explored the US, Canada, Mexico, Africa, Asia, the UK, and continental Europe. A deep-seated love of travel also brought her to the team at Places to Travel.
Her writings, like her travels, are motivated by curiosity, especially about people and cultures. That curiosity even drove her to earn a doctorate in English literature from the University of Oxford.
As a mother, Alicia is keen to scope out family-friendly excursions. Since she gets recharged through natural beauty, adventures, running, and a good meal, those themes get a lot of attention in her articles!
Lastly, she is very fond of her gray tabby cat, Anatoly the Brave, who accompanied her from Germany to California, where she now lives. Anatoly’s main contribution here, though, is a stray paw on the keyboard. Alicia also hosts a writing podcast, called literatepodcast.com where you can follow her writing adventures.
Emma Braby
Travel Enthusiast & Professional Writer
Emma Braby is a UK-based freelance writer specializing in travel, dogs, health and wellbeing, and food. Emma has worked in media since 2017, focusing on content creation and ghostwriting. Before that, she was a Police Officer in the UK, which included investigating and writing complex crime reports. So, nothing gets past her!
Emma spent several years traveling around Europe in her campervan with her rescue dog, Bonkers, and her husband, Matt, who tagged along for the ride. She has now settled in an English coastal town but continues to travel regularly.
Emma has visited dozens of countries, spending months at some of her favorite places. A few of her all-time favorite destinations she has visited include Paris (obviously!) Annecy, Barcelona, Venice, too many Greek Islands to count, and the Cayman Islands.
She also spent a few months managing a farm in rural Germany, literally getting stuck in with the locals. When she is not writing or walking her dogs along the beach, she is planning her next family vacation and creating the perfect itinerary.
Sarah McDonagh
Travel Enthusiast & Professional Writer
Hi! My name is Sarah and I’m a travel blogger and filmmaker currently living in Santa Monica, California. Originally from a small town off the North Shore of Massachusetts, I’ve always been drawn to the ocean and grew up sailing, camping and exploring the incredible New England coastline. I got my adventurous bones from my parents, who were always seeking out trips that were off the beaten path. We were never the type of family to just hunker down and watch a snowstorm from inside, but rather chased the snow and I learned from a young age to embrace the cold New England winters as a wonderland for adventure.Â
I got my first taste of just how big the world was when my father brought us all over to Ireland to see the farm his grandparents grew up on. Spending a week with our cousins who had grown up so differently than us, yet had so much in common, made me want to spend the rest of my life uncovering every inch of our magnificent world and ways of life.Â
I consider myself a storyteller first, and have spent the last ten years as a filmmaker and TV producer trying to share the incredible narratives of the people and places that I have grown to love. While I have gotten the chance to travel to some amazing destinations, many of my favorite and most memorable travels have been right here in Southern California. The thrill-seeking attitude that my parents instilled in me from a young age has undoubtedly stayed with me through adulthood, but I also like to trade in a cold ski day for a self-care weekend from time to time making Los Angeles the perfect launching point for all my travels.Â
Getting to know different cultures and explore new landscapes fuels my work and my own passions, and I hope sharing some of my travels will inspire others to pursue their own adventures – whether it’s across the world or in your own backyard!
Brianna Carter
Travel Enthusiast & Professional Writer
After two decades in hospitality, Brianna returned to her first passion: writing. Inspired by her son, she started scribbling away; the process reignited her creativity and became an outlet. She has successfully self-published a book: Positively Penelope: A Day at the Races, blogs, and hosts a podcast called Mama Knows Nada.
Brianna spends her time with her husband, son and pets on the sunny shores of St. Augustine. When she’s not writing, Brianna is on a plane (usually with the kiddo) on a new adventure or smashing volleys on tennis courts across the globe. You can follow her #momlife on Instagram @mama.knows.nada.
Drew Lessard
Entrepreneur, Travel Enthusiast & Writer
Drew is a US military veteran and former management consultant who has lived and worked on four continents. With nearly 100 countries under his belt, he’s an expert at redeeming points and miles for remarkable travel experiences that would otherwise cost a fortune. Drew loves crafting unique itineraries to surprise his wife, focused on discovering the best local cuisine at every stop. Currently residing in Rio de Janeiro, he spends his free time practicing Portuguese and playing beach tennis.