Leadership

Say the word “trip” and Jamie Rhein is packed. Rhein has traveled to 36 countries and lived in five of them- Denmark, The Gambia, Singapore, Taiwan and India. Currently living in Columbus, Ohio, she has been to every state but Alaska. Rhein has written numerous travel articles for print and online publications on everything from white water rafting to the best hot dogs worth driving to plus those quirky must-see attractions. Uncovering what makes a place unique is one of life's biggest pleasures. Publications include Hotel Scoop, Ohio Cooperative Living, Ohio Magazine and visitors guides for Great Lakes Publishing including Hocking Hills, Destination Mansfield and Toledo. Rhein was a blogger for AOL's former travel blog Gadling when blogging was just getting started.

Wendy Pramik is a freelance writer and photographer based in Columbus, Ohio. She has been a member of the Midwest Travel Journalists Association since 2010 and is currently serving her second term as Active Vice President. She also serves as editor of the association’s monthly newsletter. Previously, she held the offices of Treasurer and Active Director.

Wendy is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and is a regular contributor to Food & Wine. Her travel articles and photography have appeared in a variety of newspapers and magazines. She also created Columbus Family Adventures, an award-winning blog focused on family-friendly activities, which she published for more than a decade.

Ritz Chatterjee Dasgupta is a former TV journalist and seasoned marketing professional who now leads public relations and social media marketing at Visit KCK. With more than two decades of experience across media and marketing, she brings a strategic storytelling approach to connecting audiences with places, people and ideas.

Jenn Gjerde is the current marketing manager for the Nebraska Tourism Commission. A former TV news reporter, Gjerde worked all across the state of Nebraska covering record flooding, elections and more before being hired by the commission in 2015. Gjerde lives in Lincoln with her family.

Journalist, author, traveler, cat mom. I’m a Chicago-based travel writer with a passport and makeup bag ready to roam. My favorite travel experiences (so far) have been swimming with whale sharks in Cancun, fishing for piranha in the Amazon River, and viewing the annual sandhill crane migration in Nebraska. Plus, eating dark chocolate.

Randy Mink, senior editor of Leisure Group Travel Magazine and other travel trade magazines published by Premier Travel Media of Willowbrook, Illinois, has been part of the company’s editorial team since 2008. A professional travel writer for more than 50 years, he has written for travel guidebooks, newspaper travel sections and national magazines. Since 2022, he has been a regular contributor to Canadian World Traveler Magazine. In the Mark Twain Awards contest, Randy was named MTJA's 2025 Travel Journalist of the Year. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Randy is a native of Elgin, Illinois, and has lived in the Chicago area all his life.

Gabby Blauert has been the Communications Manager at Hamilton County Tourism since September 2022. She’s passionate about helping people tell their stories through a variety of mediums – from national news publications to local television and everything in between. When she isn’t capturing content or meeting with local business owners, you can find Gabby at a coffee shop or going on adventures with her family. Gabby joined MTJA as an associate member in 2023.