Contributors
Editorial Team
Brielle Burt
Brielle Burt was born and raised in Northern Michigan where she earned a bachelor’s degree in technical and professional communication from Ferris State University in Big Rapids. Having worked at several newspapers as a reporter, copy editor, and page designer, Brielle’s background is mostly in journalism. She started working for World Trade Press as a freelance writer at the beginning of 2018 before being hired as a full-time writer and editor in July 2018.
Felicia Topp
Felicia Topp is a native of Traverse City, Michigan, and enjoys the relaxed lifestyle and beauty of all four seasons. Her love of writing, reading, and current events led to a BA in journalism from Michigan State University. She’s worked as a communications specialist for nonprofits and marketing firms and done freelance writing for area companies and publications, including work as a restaurant and book reviewer. Her work at World Trade Press satisfies her curious nature and her quest for knowledge.
Contributors
Carly K. Ottenbreit
Carly K. Ottenbreit is a writer and translator specializing in content for academic and trade publications. She studied Spanish, German, and English literatures at the University of Michigan and earned her master's in comparative literature from Cornell University. Her travels have taken her to more than 50 countries and 37 US states. She currently lives in Germany, where she enjoys their seasonal emphasis on cooking and looks forward to her annual visits to her hometown of Detroit for Coney Island hot dogs, square pizza, and Mexican food. She publishes original long-form personal essays on travel at www.travelographie.com.
Holly Riddle
Holly Riddle grew up on a working farm in the southern United States and understands the cultural importance of local food. Balancing her equal loves for food and writing over the years, she’s contributed to a wide array of magazines, newspapers, and websites, with her primary topics being dining and travel. She’s also worked with several sustainable agriculture non-profits to help create content that educates the world on the importance of “real” food. She currently lives with her husband and two dogs in the farmlands of Pennsylvania, where you’ll always find her typing away, with two of her favorite things nearby—stacks and stacks of cookbooks, and a bottle of good whiskey. No matter where she travels around the world, Chicago is her favorite destination, but she’s always up for a new adventure.
Carina Saxon
Carina Mathias Saxon lives in Chicago, Illinois, where she enjoys a diverse range of cuisines. She contributed recipes and food culture articles to the Food America project. She has a BA in English from Knox College and an MA in literature from Indiana University.
Trent Slabaugh
Trent Slabaugh is the creative director of Renegade Films based in Traverse City, Michigan. Trent directs his efforts towards producing digital media and applies his deep passion for cinema to everything he creates. He graduated from Specs Howard School of Media Arts in Southfield, Michigan, and previously worked as a multimedia journalist for 13 On Your Side in Grand Rapids. With Renegade Films, he produces corporate videos such as How Food Is Made, as well as wedding films and documentary projects. When he's not behind the camera, Trent also works as a licensed pharmacy technician. He lives in Traverse City with his wife, Annie, and their two dogs, Molly and Milo. He enjoys travelling, home cooking, hiking, and broadening his musical tastes.
Developers
Darren Wiltse
Darren Wiltse is a back end developer at World Trade Press. His responsibilities include managing the databases, working on the CMS, and handling customer service needs. He enjoys writing code in new and challenging ways. Prior to joining the WTP team, Darren obtained a BS in computer science from Michigan Technological University.