About

Michele Peterson is a Toronto-based writer, social media consultant and fundraiser. With more than a decade of experience writing compelling content for print and web, Michele has proven expertise in bringing stories to life. 

These skills have also been harnessed for social good. In her work as a fundraising professional, she’s raised over $10 million in funding for Canadian and international NGOs for  causes ranging from defending environmental justice to fighting poverty through microcredit, health and education. She began her  career in the world of finance where, as vice-president Investments, she managed a portfolio of $4 billion in assets. Her team achieved a record-breaking $750 million in annual sales.

After a volunteer assignment at a women’s cooperative in Honduras with the Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO), Michele left the corporate world for the non-profit sector, serving as a consultant in Bolivia, Russia, Guatemala and Canada. She also took her first travel writing courses at the University of Toronto, Ryerson University and the Taos Summer Writers Workshop in New Mexico. She loves writing about the unexpected and unusual whether it’s coca leaf readers in Bolivia or snorkeling with beluga whales in Hudson Bay. When she’s not researching a story, she divides her time between Toronto, Puerto Escondido (Mexico) and San Vicente (Guatemala).

She’s a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and North American Travel Journalists Association. 

A passionate foodie and traveller, her writing has appeared in over 100 print and online publications including Fifty-five Plus Magazine, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, The National Post, Dreamscapes, Air Canada OnAir, Westjet Up!, Ottawa Wedding, Eva Air, MSN.ca, About.com, AOL as well as several anthologies.

Awards & News

Winner of North American Travel Journalists Association 2011 Award of Excellence

In January 2012, Michele received  a Bronze Award of Excellence in Travel Writing in the category of Intergenerational and Family Travel for her article “My Nude Christmas with Mom” which ran in the Ottawa Citizen on December 24, 2010.

Selected as one of Tripbase’s 100 Favorite Travel Writers
In 2011, she was selected as one of 100 Favorite Travel Writers by Tripbase, a top travel planning website.

Winner of Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) award
In October 2010, she received the “Best Travel Feature Article Award for a Publication or Television in English” by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) in Montreal, Canada. The article “On the French Caribbean Rum Trail” ran in Air Canada’s onAir publication in January 2009.

Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO)
In February 2008, she worked as a volunteer adviser with the Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO) in the western highlands of Honduras, beyond the Mayan ruins of Copan. This capacity-building project promoted sustainable tourism and hope to improve economic opportunities within the local community. Please contact her if you would like to get involved.

Learn more about CESO at their website: http://www.ceso-saco.com or http://visitlacampa.blogspot.com/.