Ellen Girardeau Kempler

Cultural Travel and Destination Marketing

Ellen Girardeau Kempler is the founder and Chief Navigator of Gold Boat Journeys, a company specializing in creative cultural travel tours.3 She established Gold Boat Journeys to assist travelers in refreshing, rewiring, rebooting, and rediscovering the joy of living and creating in the world.3

Professional Background

Ellen is based in Laguna Beach, California.6 Her career took an interesting turn when a layoff inspired her to enroll in a poetry workshop in Ireland, which eventually led to the launch of Gold Boat Journeys.5 This experience seems to have shaped her approach to travel and creativity.

Gold Boat Journeys

Gold Boat Journeys focuses on providing inspiration, navigation, and creative cultural travel experiences.2 The company caters to budget-minded writers and creative seekers of all ages, nationalities, and professions.2 One of their unique offerings is the "Mind Trips" program, which invites participants to write about places that move them.1

Writing and Social Media Presence

In addition to her role at Gold Boat Journeys, Ellen is also a poet based in Laguna Beach.5 She maintains an active presence on social media platforms such as Twitter, where she shares updates about her travel tours and creative endeavors.4

Ellen's work extends to travel writing as well. She has documented her journeys, including a flight over Greenland en route from Seattle to Reykjavik7, showcasing her passion for exploring and sharing unique travel experiences.

Through Gold Boat Journeys and her various creative pursuits, Ellen Girardeau Kempler combines her love for travel, writing, and cultural exploration to offer unique experiences for those seeking to engage with the world in a more creative and meaningful way.

Experience

Chief Navigator & Founder at Gold Boat Journeys: Creative Cultural Travel Tours (March 2012 - Present)

Part-Time Editor and Writer at UC Irvine (March 2014 - August 2014), Chief Message Engineer at E-Communications (October 2010 - March 2012), Communications Director at Laguna Canyon Foundation (2002 - 2010), President at News Muse Communications (1996 - 2002), Director of Communications at Laguna Art Museum (1997 - 1999), Public Relations and Marketing Manager at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (1994 - 1995), Public Relations Director at Natural History Museum of L.A. County (1987 - 1994)

Education

MA in Mass Communications from California State University-Northridge (1990 - 1995), BA in Literature, College of Creative Studies from University of California, Santa Barbara (1977 - 1981), Certification as Writing Group Leader, Teaching creative writing from Amherst Writers & Artists (2012)