Last updated on April 26th, 2022
extending the legacy of journeywoman
We Take the First Step
the journeywoman team
We are passionate about empowering women
We are a small team, bound together by the desire to strike our own path and create positive change
Carolyn Ray
CEO + Editor
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire” – Unknown
Bio: Carolyn grew up in Florida surrounded by sea and surf. She started her career in publishing and held leadership positions in brand consulting and PR firms, most recently as the CEO of Interbrand Canada. In 2012 she was ranked among the top 100 Female Entrepreneurs in Canada; she’s also a Co-Active Life Coach and single mom. Carolyn sits on the board of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada. Read more on our Media page here.
Passions: My daughter Alyx, history, anything literary/books, margaritas, beaches, latin music, writing, empowering women
Places I want to return to: Spain, Colombia, Brazil, Nicaragua, Key West, Morocco, New York, Mexico and Kenya
More on LinkedIn
Stephanie Cerratti
Webmistress, JourneyWoman.com
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us” – J.R.R. Tolkien
Bio: After graduating with a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Western University, Stephanie took a year abroad in Australia. Wanting to continue a life of work and travel, she went back to school to learn to code and build websites. Now she travels the world and maintains websites along the way.
Passions: Traveling, electronic music, festivals, her dog, Italian food, and warm weather
Places I want to return to: Italy, Berlin, Thailand, Australia, Bali
More on Linked In
Melissa Fox
Webmistress, Women's Travel Directory
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost
Bio: Melissa has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Ryerson and has been JourneyWoman’s webmistress for over 9 years. She manages our Women’s Travel Directory and works closely with our advertisers.
Passions: My kids, fiber art, the kitchen, sharing stories, working with amazing teams
Places I want to return to: Bermuda, Alberta, England, France
More on LinkedIn
Tom Zara
Strategic Partnerships
“A rolling stone gathers no moss.”
Bio: Tom has a B.A. from Brown University, has spent over 30 years in consulting; is a published author, keynote speaker and revered mentor to many a fertile mind, still finding time to travel to over 70 countries. Tom handles advertising inquiries and works with our partners and hosts our monthly call with tour and retreat operators. Learn more on our Advertising page here.
Passions: hugs from my grandchildren, Carolyn, warmth of the sun, spicy food, museums, 7-minute planks!
Places I want to return to: Barcelona, Agra, Horseshoe Bay, Bali, Manhattan, Patagonia
More on LinkedIn
Contributors
Diana Eden
Travel Over 80
Las Vegas, Nevada
“Life doesn’t end at 80, neither should travel.”
Bio: Diana started her career as a dancer and actress, transitioning into costume design for TV and film. After retiring she wrote a memoir about her experiences called “Stars in Their Underwear” and continues to write, travel, and teach costume design at UNLV.
Passions: Travel, dance, sewing, swimming in turquoise water, warm weather, writing, dining out with friends
Places I want to return to: Tahiti, Spain, France, Greek Islands
More on her website
Rosemary Neave
Travel Over 70
Christchurch, New Zealand
“Travel lightly on the planet.”
Bio: Passionate networker in the area of women and travel, developed womentravel.info as a comprehensive listing of over 600 tours for women around the world. Married to Cynthia who also pioneered with women’s travel business Bushwise Women. Also writes at womentravelblog.com and womentavelnz.com.
Passions: New Zealand /Cycling in New Zealand, East coast of Australia, LGBTQ+ travel
Places I want to return to: New Zealand and Australia!
Sue Janzen
Women Over 50
Toronto, Ontario
“Notice what lights you up and allow it to lead the way” – Mara Glatzel
Bio: Sue lives in downtown Toronto and works in government communications. Her first solo trip was a week in Paris in 2011. It was uncomfortable and disorienting but ignited a passion for travel. She is drawn to slow travel, loves planning almost as much as taking the trip itself, and looks forward to many years of wandering after she retires.
Passions: Slow travel, researching travel, writing, photography, live music, creating community
Places I want to return to: The Canadian Arctic, Paris, SW France, Barcelona, Portugal, Africa
More on LinkedIn
Amanda Burgess
Feature Articles
Toronto, Ontario
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you.” – Anthony Bourdain
Bio: Armed with a journalism degree from Ryerson University, Amanda honed her editing and writing skills as a trade journalist in the entertainment industry before pivoting to PR, brand consulting and advertising. She’s a certified Cancer Journey Coach and single mom.
Passions: My daughters, live music (DJs, festivals), travel, writing, books, fitness, oceans, mountains
Places I want to return to: France, Greece, Germany, The Netherlands, Africa, Lebanon, Turkey, Indonesia, New Zealand, Canada
More on Linked In
We believe in Authentic Travel
From childhood and throughout our adult lives, the allure of travel for self-discovery, for adventure, for work and for pleasure grants us the privileged opportunity to expand our understanding of the world we share.
Travel feeds our imagination, enriches our vocabulary, validates our values and enlists our contribution to protect the physical and emotional benefits that discovery yields.
The mosaic of humanity is the nourishment of our souls. Multiculturalism fosters tolerance, poverty teaches compassion, innocence incites joy, art expresses history and curiosity emboldens confidence. Any assault on the virtues of travel are incomprehensible to a JourneyWoman. We believe that we have an obligation and responsibility to define and defend our perspective on travel, not as a right but as a solemn privilege.
We embrace three guiding principles:
We seek
We seek real life, not perfection. Significance, not simplicity. We pursue the wisdom of history, the beauty of culture, and the wonder in our world, found in moments both expansively big and surprisingly small. We are aware and accountable for the impact of our decisions on the earth.
We learn
We get off the bus. We walk. We talk. We ask questions. It’s not about counting countries or marks on a map. We’re not tourists—we bring our whole, authentic selves to every encounter. We are teachers, role models and mentors, and we share our stories with intention, seeking to influence positive change.
We teach
We leave the world better than we found it. We learn from and teach one another, respecting the diversity of our human experience. We actively empower women, girls, and support local communities through our actions and volunteerism. We accept our responsibility as JourneyWomen to create a better world.