Leif Pettersen is a Minneapolis-based travel marketing and PR professional, author, and humorist with years of experience under his belt. With a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota, Leif has worked at several notable organizations such as Mall of America, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and as a freelance travel writer for various clients including MSN, Delta, Verizon, CNN Travel, and more. He is a juggling master and a fan of chocolate. He has authored two books, BACKPACKING WITH DRACULA and THROWING UP: NOTES FROM 35 YEARS OF JUGGLING.

Leif's travel writing work has taken him through 57 countries, and he's lived in Spain, Romania, and Italy. He's known for his engaging and humorous writing style, which has earned him a following in the travel writer community. He's a regular contributor for Lonely Planet and LonelyPlanet.com, AOL's Gadling.com, and the Perceptive Travel online magazine, among other publications. He's a sought-after speaker and has presented at the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) conferences in Toronto, Dublin, Bangkok, Fort Lauderdale, and Jerusalem.