Julie Schwietert Collazo is a former psychotherapist and creative arts therapist. She developed the poetry therapy programs at two major New York City social service agencies, and was the assistant director of Goodwill Industries’ Continuing Day Treatment Program before making a complete career change. Julie is currently a bilingual writer and editor whose primary interests involve Latin American culture, especially overlooked people and places. She freelances for a variety of print and online publications, including National Geographic Traveler, the BBC, TIME, Outside, and Delta SKY, among others. During her tenure as managing editor of MatadorNetwork, she led the online travel magazine to become a two-time silver winner The Society of American Travel Writers Award for best online travel magazine.

Julie lives in New York, though she has called San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Mexico City home as well. She earned a BA in English and Women’s Studies from Emory University, a Masters of Social Work degree from New York University, and started (but hasn’t yet finished) a PhD in Spanish at the Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y el Caribe.