About Melissa
Based in Phoenix, Arizona, I joined Lonely Planet as senior news editor in 2021. I came to Lonely Planet after serving as the consumer travel reporter for the Arizona Republic.
A recipient of the Robert Bosch fellowship, I spent a year in Germany learning about transatlantic relations between Germany, Europe and the United States. During that time, I used nearly every weekend and holiday to explore the corners of Europe. I feel a sense of “Heimat” for Berlin and is often nostalgic for Spargelzeit, lazy summer afternoons in a Biergarten and winter evenings at the Christmas markets.
An avid hiker, I'm often on the trails in Arizona with her dog Schatzi. I'm currently dreaming of walking the Camino de Santiago.
I hold a bachelor’s in Broadcast News from the University of Kansas and a master’s in International Media from American University in Washington, D.C.
