Brandy Jo Hastings

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Location
Longwood, Florida
School
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Expertise
Outdoor Adventures, Sustainable Travel, Off the Beaten Path Destinations
  • Brandy is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA).
  • She was recognized as one of Tallahassee Woman Magazine's Women to Watch, was a recipient of the Florida Alliance for Vacation Rentals 40 Over and Under Award, and once won 1st place in a Mardi Gras mask-making contest at Wekiva Island.
  • After completing the Florida State Forest's Trailwalker Program, she created her own Lake Martin Hiking Challenge as a way to motivate others to experience nature.

Experience

Brandy's many years in broadcasting gave her the opportunity to work in various departments in radio and television before making the transition to destination marketing. She worked with Visit Florida for several years before making the move to Alabama to help start a new destination marketing organization for a growing lake community. Her keen marketing and storytelling efforts won the organization awards for Tourism Office of the Year from both the Southeast Tourism Society and the Alabama Tourism Department. Once she came back home to Florida, she continued to tell inspiring travel stories as a freelance travel writer. Her stories have been featured in Men's Journal, Matador, and more.

Education

Brandy graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary studies. She also obtained a Professional in Destination Management certificate from Destinations International and professional certificates in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Florida Atlantic University, Post-Crisis Hospitality Management from the University of South Florida, and Creativity for Teams and Organizations from Stetson University.

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Stories By Brandy Jo Hastings