Maralyn Dennis Hill, The Epicurean Explorer, is Past President of the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2007. Fromm Dec. 2008 to Dec. 2012, Maralyn served as President. She continues to Co-Chair the Conference and Media Trip Committee with President Michelle Winner.
Credits:Executive Editor, LuxeBeatMag; former Editor-at-Large, CityRoom, Oenologist, Spa Tours Worldwide, Corporate Retreats; Contributor, The Epoch Times; Editor and Columnist, Where & What in the World and Success With Writing; Columnist, Big Blend Magazines—Eat, Drink & Be Merry, Success Express; Vacation Station Magazine & Radio; Contributor, International Business Times; Contributor, Business Insider; Contributor, JustLuxe; Contributor, Global Writes; Contributor, Spa Review Magazine; and author of international and domestic incentive programs and support material.
The majority of Maralyn’s articles are now geared to the luxury market, spas and corporate retreats, as well as culinary tourism from simple to gourmet.
Maralyn prides herself on staying up with current trends and discovering more all the time. She covered Bocuse d’Or with French Master Chef Hervé Laurent and Brenda Hill in January 2009 and 2011. Subsequently, Maralyn covered Taste of the Caribbean in June 2009. In March 2010 with Michelle Winner, she was on a panel of judges at Saborea in Puerto Rico. She was a judge at the Conch Festival in the Turks and Caicos with Brenda, and the Beau Bridge Crawfish Festival with Michelle,
Business Experience: Maralyn is CEO of NoraLyn Ltd. She founded and built a Connecticut-based promotional advertising firm, Brink Associates, Ltd. She developed and wrote travel incentive, sales training, and motivational programs for both management and employees, as well as programs emphasizing safety and quality. She sold the promotional advertising part of the firm in 1990 and renamed the consulting, incentive, and meeting planning components, NoraLyn Ltd.
Maralyn received her Masters Degree in Organizational Development from the University of Massachusetts in 1990. She has presented papers at organizational conferences, and at writers’ conferences, both international and domestic.
To quote the author, “ I’ve written incentive programs, mission statements, and coached individuals on writing and marketing their successful projects. That is why I enjoy serving on the boards of Curran Pendleton Press and Stella Jane Marketing. I also thrive on traveling, exploring and writing with my husband.”
Maralyn conducts workshops alone and with others, including Brenda C. Hill. They were presenters at Rancho LaPuerta in 2010 and 2012.
In 2001, Maralyn added food and travel writing to her specialties. She stopped meeting planning, but continues to write to the business events markets.
She has coauthored three books with Brenda C. Hill (no relation), Our Love Affairs with Food & Travel, Cooking Secrets, The Why and How… (also co-authored with French Master Chef Hervé Laurent), and Success, Your Path to a Successful Book, (2009 INDIE Finalist). She has updated the first two and they will be in their second edition late 2013.
From 2002 to 2006 in Charlotte, NC, she was producer and host of a Time Warner Cable television and web series, Dishing with Carolina Chefs.
Associations: She is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, The Organizational Development Institute, Travel Writers Association, The Association of Psychological Type International, and other professional associations.
Personal: Maralyn resides in Gilbert, Arizona with her husband, Norman. They travel for work and they travel together for pleasure. Since they both write business and travel/lifestyle articles, their efforts complement each other. She also still writes with Brenda C. Hill and Michelle M. Winner.
If you asked her to describe herself, she would say, I was born to travel and tell the tale. I’m energized by different cultures in every aspect of their lives, from food, wine, and destination, to how they conduct business. Food, wine, culture and travel represent a continual geography lesson.
