Erin Thorburn is an accomplished writer, journalist, photographer and illustrator with more than 20 years of experience covering travel and lifestyle trends and news stories in the Southwest.

She has prolific writing, editing and digital marketing expertise in a range of industries and specialties. Before establishing BOSW, Thorburn was the assistant managing editor at AZ Big Media, writing and editing for all seven of the company’s publications —Az Business, AZRE, Experience AZ, PTK, Az Business Leaders, Play Ball and Ranking Arizona. She also occasionally co-hosts the award-winning “Art Scene Podcast.”

Thorburn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing from Park University.

In addition to authoring and illustrating children’s books, the self-professed Star Wars nerd moonlights as a Sci-Fi novelist. If she’s away from her laptop, she’s spending time with her sweetie, three teenage daughters, two dogs, five birds and a bunny.

Alison Bailin Batz, better known as @ABSeesItAll online, is a veteran public relations executive at the award-winning HMA Public Relations who began freelance writing as a hobby in 2007. One story turned to two, and two to about 2,000. Today, she is a contributor on all things travel, wine, food and spirits for The Best of the Southwest as well as Arrived, City Lifestyle.

A Taste of AZ, Richman Media Group, Times Media Group and many more in addition to serving as director of client service at her firm (and volunteering in the kitten ICU at the Humane Society).

Alison’s aim in life is best summed up by her social handle as “AB” truly does want to “see it all.” Then she wants to share it all with you.

Lynette Carrington is an award-winning writer, award-winning podcast host and media specialist with more than 16,000 articles published locally, nationally and internationally in the past 20 years.

She is currently co-host of “The Arts Scene Podcast,” former co-host of The Scottsdale.com Podcast and a contributing writer for San Joaquin Magazine, Gilbert City Lifestyle and Arizona Health & Living. 
Lynette is a huge fan of movies and was previously a publicist in the entertainment industry.

Carrington is currently the script supervisor and show flow manager for the Big Screen Achievement Awards at CinemaCon, the largest global gathering of theatre owners held by the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), taking place annually at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Ashley Betkouchar is a freelance marketer with experience in social media and content strategy, public relations and experiential marketing. She has collaborated with various prestigious brands and organizations to create impactful marketing material. As a brand ambassador, Betkouchar has contributed to high-profile events in Arizona, including Super Bowl LVII, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship and the WNBA All-Star Game.

Betkouchar holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from Arizona State University (ASU) and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication from ASU. When not working on a creative project, she enjoys trying new foods, traveling, and immersing herself in art, music, and fashion.

Angela Anderson is an Arizona-based storyteller and public relations specialist with a passion for building community, exploring the latest in dining and hospitality and saying yes to something new — if only to see where it leads.

Anderson is a graduate of ASU’s Cronkite School, where she studied Journalism and Mass Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations. With five years of agency experience, she cut her teeth in social media before shifting into a publicist role, where her resume has included representing some of the most dynamic concepts across Arizona’s restaurant and hospitality scene, as well as retail, non-profit, and a handful of music festivals.

Her writing has been featured across multiple Valley publications and has even been quoted in outlets such as “The Huffington Post.” Across both her writing and her client work, Anderson’s goal is to highlight emerging voices and creatives, spotlight niche communities, and be the first to introduce and excite others about their next favorite thing.

Offline, she runs her own vintage boutique, “Angela Off Duty,” and can usually be found between a new restaurant opening, digging through racks at a vintage store, or planning her next trip.

Ali Dugaw, known as @GlutenFreeTravelGirl, is an experienced storyteller with a diverse background in TV, print, and digital media. She was the Emmy Award-winning senior producer at Good Morning Arizona before returning to her roots in print journalism.

She currently focuses on covering exciting openings, family-friendly events, culinary trends, and, of course, gluten-free options. Since a 2011 diagnosis, she’s been on a mission to empower others through her firsthand knowledge and experiences.