Karen Berger

Current

• Eco and Adventure Travel Feature Writer at www.Suite101.com
• Writer and Musician at Karen Berger

Past

• Piano Faculty at Berkshire Music School
• Contributing Editor at Gorp.com
• Senior Editor at Island Press

• Sponsoring Editor at Longman Publishing

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Education

• Northwestern University

Recommended

1 person has recommended Karen

Connections

109 connections

Industry

Writing and Editing

Karen Berger’s Summary

AS A WRITER:

I specialize in travel and the outdoors. I am currently the Volunteer Vacations/Ecotourism/Adventure Travel Feature Writer at www.Suite101.com.

I'm the author of 13 books (www.hikerwriter.com/bio.htm) with more than 500,000 copies in print in 12 languages. I also write about general-interest travel for national magazines and major websites, covering adventure travel, hiking, hotels, culture, music festivals, language, and ecotourism. (clips at www.KarenBerger.com)

AS A MUSICIAN

I'm a classical and jazz pianist. I currently teach in my home studio; perform, gig, and record on the side; and write about piano, music theory, music, and musicians. I am the author of The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Piano Chords. My newest book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Teaching Music, will be released in spring, 2010.

AS AN OUTDOORS EXPERT

I'm widely regarded as an authority on outdoor skills, gear, and recreation destinations. Here's why: I've trekked some 17,000 miles on 6 continents, often on multi-month cross-country expeditions such as America's Continental Divide and France's Pyrenees High Route. I've climbed Kilimanjaro (and other African peaks), dived with sharks in Bora Bora (and Zanzibar, Australia, and Hawaii), galloped on horseback along a South African beach, trekked in Nepal and New Zealand, and gone cross-country ski-camping in the Tetons in January. As an adventure travel expert, I've been interviewed in scores of periodicals, including the Wall Street Journal, Self, Sports Illustrated, and newspapers from San Francisco to Baltimore.

AS A BLOGGER

I'm exploring how independent artists can survive and thrive in the creative economy at www.CreateWorkLive.com.

MY GOALS

To continue exploring new places (as a traveler) and new artistic ideas (as a musician), and to share them with others through my teaching, performances, lectures, magazine articles, Interent work, blog, and books.

Karen Berger’s Specialties:

OUTDOOR EXPERTISE: Hiking, long-distance backpacking, adventure travel, scuba diving.

LUXURY AND CULTURAL TRAVEL: Knowledge about music, arts, languages, and history.

PUBLIC SPEAKING: Smithsonian, Mensa, National Forest Service, conventions geared to the outdoors, trails, and recreation

MUSIC: Jazz and classical piano, music theory and history

PHOTOGRAPHY: Published in magazines, books, calendars

PUBLISHING: Give seminars and college classes about the publishing industry

Karen Berger’s Experience

• Eco and Adventure Travel Feature Writer

  www.Suite101.com

  (Online Media industry)

  January 2009 — Present (11 months)

  Freelance position. Cover ecotourism, adventure travel, volunteer vacations. http://volunteerecotravel.suite101.com/

• Writer and Musician

  Karen Berger

  (Writing and Editing industry)

  1990 — Present (19 years )

  My travel and outdoor books have been published by W.W. Norton, Crown, and DK, among others. My magazine work has appeared in many of the leading national magazines: National Geographic Traveler, Islands, Family Circle, Backpacker, and others.
  
  I teach classical and jazz piano in my home-based studio in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. I also perform, record, and host performances for students and professional musicians. I am the author of the book, "Pocket Idiot's Guide to Piano Chords" and have written magazine and Internet articles on music and musicians.

• Piano Faculty

  Berkshire Music School

  (Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Music industry)

  2004 — 2007 (3 years )

• Contributing Editor

  Gorp.com

  (Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Writing and Editing industry)

  1999 — 2002 (3 years )

  As the "hiking expert" for this large outdoor website, I wrote articles about hiking and outdoor destinations worldwide, as well as a skills column, an "ask the expert" column, and articles about gear and techniques. I also acquired and edited work from other writers.

• Senior Editor

  Island Press

  (Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Publishing industry)

  1987 — 1990 (3 years )

  Acquired and developed books on environmental subjects, mainly working with publishing and communications personnel at the major non-profit environmental organizations such as World Wildlife Fund, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Nature Conservancy, and others.
  
  Developed and implemented multi-day seminars on publishing strategies for non-profit organizations.

• Sponsoring Editor

  Longman Publishing

  (Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Publishing industry)

  1985 — 1987 (2 years )

  Developed books on business topics for a trade, business, professional, and academic audience.

Karen Berger’s Education

• Northwestern University

Additional Information

Karen Berger’s Interests:

travel, hiking, backpacking, music, piano, writing, outdoors

Karen Berger’s Groups:

Society of American Travel Writers, SATW, American Society of Journalists and Authors, ASJA, Authors Guild., Travel Classics

•    LinkEds & writers
•    Travel Editors & Freelance Journalists

Karen Berger’s Honors:

I have received a distinguished Achivement Award from the Society of Educational Publishers, and have been a two-time finalist for my "Outdoor Smarts" column in Scouting magazine. I've also been a finalist in the Banff International Mountain Books Competition for my book, Advanced Backpacking.

Karen Berger’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• consulting offers
• new ventures
• expertise requests
• getting back in touch