Meet the team
Meet the team behind Travel Writers Radio
Graeme Kemlo
Host & Producer
Host GRAEME KEMLO is an award-winning Melbourne journalist, federal political reporter, columnist, photo editor, technology editor and photographer.
Over five decades, his career has taken him around the world the equivalent of 35 times. For the past 25 years, Graeme has covered leisure travel and business events, and established Travel Writers Radio in 2014.
As host and Executive Producer, he has built a team of professional travel writers based in Australia and abroad, who have broadcast more than 2500 stories on food, wine, lifestyle and travel.
Helen Hayes
HELEN HAYES has three decades of travel writing and storytelling experience and is a highly experienced editor and sub-editor.
Helen has worked in various editor roles and currently is the editor of Concierge Magazine, by Travel Associates, and Ski and Snowboard Magazine, and writes for many publications, including Vacations & Travel, Explore, Escape, Australian Geographic and Nautilus Marine magazine.
Helen loves meeting people in the Aussie outback to the ski slopes of the world and everywhere in between.
Carolyne Jasinski
CAROLYNE JASINSKI is an Adelaide-based freelance travel journalist, photographer and editor with work published across the globe in print, online and broadcast.
A wise woman (her mum) once told her: “The world is at your feet.” Carolyne took her literally and has followed those feet all around the world.
She has captured those destinations in words and images, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps … or warning them to tread carefully.
When she’s not writing, Carolyne is on the road, in a plane, behind the microphone, on the job researching the next story or guest speaking on a cruise ship.
Fiona Harper
FIONA HARPER is a Australian travel writer and photographer specialising in cruise, rail, boating and outdoor lifestyles. She is the author of three boating guide books, is a qualified yacht skipper and has sailed countless miles across Asia-Pacific.
Fiona likes to get offshore, offroad and off-grid. When not writing about travel she's probably running a marathon, hiking a mountain or sailing into a tropical sunset blissfully disconnected from deadlines.
Fiona shares travel stories at Travel Boating Lifestyle, displays photographs at Fiona Harper Photography and sells her images as wall art at MiTribe.shop
Kristin Henning
After a 30-year career in print publishing, Minnesota-based KRISTIN HENNING and her husband Tom Bartel shed their business, their house and most of their possessions to set out on a journey to see the world.
That was in 2010. Now, after visiting more than 75 countries and establishing the award-winning blog, Travel Past 50, Kristin continues to share her travel stories, combining her love of culture with her enthusiasm for the outdoors.
Henning and Bartel continue to travel, lead small group tours and encourage travel by providing practical tips for active travellers over the age of 50.
Keeley Warren-Langford
TWR's sustainability reporter, KEELEY WARREN-LANGFORD is the founder and director of Mankind Digital, an award-winning tourism marketing organisation promoting responsible and sustainable tourism. She is also the founder and editor of Wanderlust with a Purpose, an educational platform promoting conscious tourism.
Keeley offers training, courses and workshops in responsible tourism, communications and digital marketing. With 15 years' marketing experience internationally, including many years at Time Out and iProspect, Keeley has worked with numerous destination marketing organisations, travel brands and public sector entities to support their digital marketing, content and communication efforts.
Bridgett Leslie
With a career spanning over 15 years at the intersection of banking and journalism, BRIDGETT LESLIE is an award-winning storyteller known for passionately excavating and engineering stories out of people and organizations.
Bridgett's career includes a strong foundation in print and radio journalism and a wealth of expertise in global markets and banking.
This unique journey has garnered her acclaim across the Caribbean, Australia, and the United States. For teams seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking addition, Bridgett's sharp news judgment, combined with extensive knowledge of data analytics and artificial intelligence tools, are valuable assets.
Karin Avila
KARIN AVILA was born in the United States and spent her teenage years in the Middle East and Europe. She has not quite shaken the desire for travel or exploration.
In 2021, she transitioned from a career in clinical research from USA to Spain, with a renewed passion for global exploration. Her experience spans pivotal roles at leading cancer centers, through trial coordination to finance leadership.
Since relocating to Spain she has immersed herself in travel and writing, documenting adventures from Morocco, the Isle of Man, Bulgaria, and beyond. These journeys sparked a deeper love for storytelling and communication, leading to roles as a correspondent for Travel Writers Radio and freelance copywriting.
Carmen Jenner
Based in Perth Western Australia, CARMEN JENNER is a freelance travel writer, copywriter and author who has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, books and blogs around the globe.
She is the author/co-author/ghostwriter/editor of nine books, including Australia’s Extra.Ordinary West, a coffee-table book showcasing Western Australia, which won a Gold IPPY Award at the International Book Publishers Awards in New York City in 2019.
Carmen also runs the Fluffy Towel Travel blog, for travellers who love fluffy towels as much as their discoveries.
Mike Smith
Having spent more than 20 years as travel editor of the top circulating newspapers the Daily Mirror, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, MIKE SMITH joins our team as a freelance writer and travel correspondent based in Sydney.
His experience in travel writing is far reaching – covering far too many destinations around the world to remember.
Prior to his travel writing days, Mike began his working career as a cadet journalist at News Ltd and advanced to general news reporting before moving into the world of public relations.
Mike returned to journalism as features writer to chief of staff and news editor of the now defunct Daily Mirror before moving to travel writing.