Portfolio / Testimonials

“Jill – Your story is terrific – exactly what I was looking for – and the photos turned out great as well. Thanks for everything.”
–Matt Kelsey, GateHouse Magazine

Travel writer: Although Jill has worked as a freelance writer and magazine editor for more than 20 years, seven years ago she began traveling the North America by train (and plane) writing feature articles and guidebooks. While traveling Jill seeks out what foods are indigenous to an area, the local food scene, outdoor activities, wine & spirits, and wellness modalities. In addition, Jill’s goal while traveling is to tell at least one person’s story to reveal the culture and establish a sense of place. She is a Kansas City expert as well as train travel expert. Readers of her stories have come to expect an intimate look at authentic travel experiences.

Local Foods

Everything You Want to Know About Pecans
USA Today

Plus:

Chi Em Eats — Emporia Living Magazine
Quick Bites Along KC Streetcar — Matador Network
Get Pickled in Ann Arbor — Evolving Magazine
Boozy Ice Cream Flights at Steamboat Bay — Chilled Magazine

Travel Awaits:

Train Expert

8 Great Stops To Make While Riding Amtrak’s Southwest Chief
Travel Awaits

Plus:

Outdoors

Lessons I Learned From My First Fly Fishing Experience

Travel Awaits

Interview with Roland Welker, Winner of ALONE Season 7

Field & Stream

Plus:

2021 Best Year to Book Fishing Trip — Field & Stream
The Top 12 Things to Do in La Paz, Mexico — TripSavvy
The 8 Best Things to Do in Kansas City — AFAR Travel Guide

Travel Awaits:

Bass Angler Magazine (print edition):

Wine/Spirits/Liquor Trends

The Craft Distilleries and Breweries at the Heart of Reno’s Revitalization
Wine Enthusiast

Contributor Pages:

Plus:

Crafting Cocktails from the Well — Chilled Magazine (print)
On Location: Arctic Bar, Ketchikan, Alaska — Chilled Magazine (digital)
Brews for All — Shawnee Magazine
Best Wine Podcasts of 2021 — Liquor.com
The Natural Wine Movement — Old Liquors Magazine
Liquor Trends: Interview with a Liquor Broker — Old Liquors Magazine
10 Unique Bars in Phoenix — Travel Awaits
Best Whiskey Subscriptions — Liquor.com
The 7 Best Craft Beer Clubs — Liquor.com
9 Things To Know About The North Lake Tahoe Ale Trail —Travel Awaits
Crafting Cocktails: Drastic Measures in Shawnee, Kansas—Shawnee Magazine (print)
Booze And Brothels: 9 Things You Didn’t Know About Ketchikan, Alaska — Travel Awaits
Best Asheville Breweries — Travel Awaits
Wine and Cheese Pairings | Interview with Jaclyn Stuart — Chilled Magazine (digital)
Damiana Liqueur: Herbal Aphrodisiac or Urban Legend? — Chilled Magazine (digital)
The Best Online Sommelier Classes of 2020 — The Spruce Eats
The Best Online Spirits Classes of 2020 — The Spruce Eats
The Best Tequila Subscriptions of 2020 — The Spruce Eats
The Best Champagne Delivery Service of 2020 — The Spruce Eats
The Speakeasy Makes a Comeback — Old Liquors Magazine
Go Back in Time for the Drinking Hour — Old Liquors Magazine
From Grains to Glass — Old Liquors Magazine
Get Your History on Tap — Old Liquors Magazine

“Having outsourced numerous projects, Jill is one of the most professional and enthusiastic writers and editors I have ever worked with. I am very impressed with her prompt response, active engagement to come up with creative solutions and ability to manage projects without supervision. She has effective communication skills and always seeks to clarify instructions. Jill even volunteered to work over the weekend in order to meet my launch date. I am looking forward to working with Jill on future projects and recommend her whole-heartedly.”
__Lei Wang, Pay No Advertising Campaign

Interviews/News/Essays

Emporia Living Magazine: Sign of the Times
The Checkup (reported essay): Controlling the Uncontrollable: OCD during a pandemic
Shawnee Magazine: Shawnee and Her Sister Cities
Pitch Weekly: Debora Green Back in Court
Branded Content: Tips and Tricks for Grilling Sausages
Evolving Magazine: Calm During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Shawnee Magazine: Crafting Cocktails
Business Insider: Unemployed States of America
Business Insider: Unemployment Diary
Travel Awaits: Traveling Solo Over 50
Huffpost Personal (essay) Grandma at 35
Travel Awaits (essay): A Lesson Learned on the Southwest Chief Train
Shawnee Magazine: A Journey Toward Excellence

Freelance writer: More than 20 years of experience writing for magazines and agencies creating content for print and online. Regular Contributor to Kansas City Star “Simplify Your Life” department for two years. Heavy focus on interviews/profiles, news, wellness, liquor trends, travel, and food writing.
Content creation includes venues for a travel app, feature articles, interviews, and blog posts for several agencies. Worked with Morning Star Communications, WDS Marketing, and most recently, BigWing, Matcha, and Porter & Sail.
Jill’s writing has appeared most recently in AFAR, Business Insider, Wine Enthusiast, USA Today, Business Jet Traveler, Chilled Magazine, Shawnee Magazine, Old Liquors Magazine, Evolving Magazine, Bass Angler Magazine, and at HuffPost Personal, Matador Network, Travel Awaits, TripSavvy, Outbound Collective, Real Food Traveler, and Women Who Explore. Previous credits include Kansas City Star, Kansas City Business Journal, Osawatomie Graphic, GateHouse Magazine, and numerous others. Jill is currently writing the first of 12 train travel guides: “Ride the Southwest Chief.”
News experience includes reporting for Business Insider, Kansas City Star, Shawnee Magazine, Disaster News Network, Dos Mundos, and Osawatomie Graphic, Pitch Weekly, Kansas City Business Journal, and sports writing for The Gardner News and Kansas City Sports Calendar.

“Jill is meticulous at meeting deadlines and producing jaw-dropping results. She has an amazing integrity that is reflected in her manner, her work, and her communication with others. Although I have worked with Jill on multiple projects, her multi-talented nature comes through in all capacities. She can as easily apply creative reasoning as she can detailed follow-through. I recommend her highly. Always.”
–Trace Shapiro, Thriving in the Heartland

Additional Travel Stories

“Jill contributed several stories to GateHouse magazine as a freelancer and served as an expert for topics in both Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties. She is capable, dedicated and timely, and she produces clean, engaging copy that adds to the overall editorial voice of a publication. I plan to work with her more, and would certainly recommend her for a variety of freelance projects.”
–Katy Schamberger, editor