ABOUT our founder

Travel trends, leisure and lifestyle authority Merilee A. Kern is a good life connoisseur who keeps her finger on the pulse of the travel marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and  exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the  extreme.  She spotlights the best of the best across all  travel  categories–as well as noteworthy marketplace change makers, movers and  shakers. 

An array of other top-tier online and print media outlets also publish Merilee’s feature content and she is also the creator, executive producer and host of the Savvy Living TV show that airs in New York on the CBS-TV owned/operated WLNY, in Los Angeles  on the CBS-TV owned/operated KCAL, in San Francisco on CBS-TV KPIX, in Miami on the CBS owned/operated WBFS and  in San Diego on CBS and FOX. In  addition, she’s a recurring guest with multiple other international,  national and regional TV and radio programs. This includes the  internationally-syndicated “The Jet Set” travel TV program, and  nationally-syndicated shows like Coffee With America, Daily Buzz, Daily  Flash, Daytime, The Tech Show, and more. She is also a frequent  contributor to an array of major market/network regional TV programs  airing in key DMAs like NBC’s Atlanta & Company (#10 DMA), ABC’s The  Morning Blend Tampa/St. Pete (#11 DMA), ABC’s Sonoran Living Phoenix  (#12 DMA) and others around theU.S.

Since 1994, Merilee has worked to bring various multi-industry B2B  and consumer-facing projects to the public consciousness. Over the past  decade, hundreds of her articles, news items and interviews have been  featured by media outlets worldwide and her expert insights have been  featured by top-tier media like Bloomberg and American Express. 

Among  other honors realized throughout her career, Merilee was named a  Finalist in the 3rd annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business – an  international competition recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding  women executives, business owners, and the companies they run, hailed  by the New York Post as “the business world’s own Oscars.”

Merilee holds a Master of Business Administration degree with a  marketing specialty and a Bachelor of Science degree, both earned  from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She also  received “Marketing on the Internet” certification from  the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Merilee is currently a member  in good standing with Luxury Society, the International Food, Wine  & Travel Writers Association, the North American Travel Journalists  Association, the International Travel Writers Alliance, the San Diego  Press Club, and the National Association of Professional and Executive  Women (NAPEW).

Merilee is the very definition of a renaissance woman: a savvy  entrepreneur, media personality, author, journalist, publicist, athlete,  health advocate, and proud mother of 2.