The SATW Bill Muster Photo Awards recognizes excellence in photography and is ‎named for ‎renowned photographer Bill Muster, who generously established a foundation to support this annual ‎travel photography award. Since 1981 SATW has presented ‎the Muster Awards and...
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🏆 SATW Western Chapter 2025 Award Winners
The SATW Western Chapter is thrilled to announce the winners of its 2025 Chapter Awards! These honors recognize excellence in travel media, spanning powerful storytelling, service journalism, photography, and beyond.
This year’s winners impressed judges with their originality, clarity, immersive narratives, and ability to transport readers and viewers across the globe—from glacier-filled bays in Alaska to the coral-rich waters of Bora Bora, and from quiet Kansas summits to bustling Cambodian tuk tuk competitions.
Below is the full list of winners across all categories:
🌎 US and North American Travel
Gold: Kari Bodnarchuk, “Bright Spots Abound on the Sunshine Coast Trail,” Boston Globe
Vivid, immersive and engaging storytelling about an epic hut-to-hut hiking adventure. Beautifully descriptive and deeply informative, capturing a rarely covered North American trail.
Silver: Lisa Maloney, “Snow's Bones: Glacier Bay National Park,” Porthole Cruise & Travel Magazine
Poetic, reflective travel piece centered on a whale skeleton and the meaning of loss in the Alaskan wilderness. Highly original and emotionally resonant. Extraordinarily memorable and evocative.
Bronze: Crai S. Bower, Temagami Canoe Expedition, Explore
Immersive account of a remote canoe expedition through Canada’s Temagami wilderness. Beautiful blending of nostalgia, wilderness adventure, and vivid sensory detail. Stunning field reporting and reflection.
🌍 International Travel
Gold: Debra Bokur, “Moments in Time,” Adventure.com
A lyrical and cinematic piece connecting diverse cultures and places. Emotionally powerful and technically flawless.
Silver: David DeVoss, “To Lhasa and Beyond on the Road to Shangri-La,” East-West News Service
A gripping, sensory and deeply immersive journey across Tibet into mystical landscapes. Rich cultural depth with adventurous spirit.
Bronze: Zanny Merullo Steffgen, “Siem Reap's Tuk Tuk Drivers' Community Competition,” Adventure.com
A fresh, inspiring take on Cambodian tuk tuk culture. Strong grassroots narrative with a vibrant, human-centered focus.
đź’ˇ Travel Tips
Gold: Melanie Haiken, “First-Time Cruise Tips,” AAA Via Magazine
Clear, well-organized tips perfect for cruising newbies. Highly actionable.
Silver: Lisa Maloney, “Alaska by Ferry: See Incredible Places for Less,” Frommer’s
Inspiring and cost-saving travel advice with vivid writing and practical clarity.
Bronze: Ruksana Hussain, “10 Expert Tips for Visiting Global Sites of Remembrance,” Fodor’s
Elegant, respectful guidance for visiting solemn historical sites. Unique and deeply relevant.
✍️ Short Feature
Gold: Sherry Spitsnaugle, “Climbing Mount Sunflower,” Saturday Evening Post
A surprisingly rich story about Kansas’s highest point—told with wit, history, and heart.
Silver: Teresa Bergen, “Solar Carousel,” Bluedot Living
A 100-year-old carousel horse’s journey to a solar-powered carousel in Buffalo
Bronze: Lisa Maloney, “One House Alaska Town,” National Geographic
Informative piece on the overlooked town of Whittier, Alaska. Packed with insider knowledge and charm.
🗞️ Column
Gold: Teresa Bergen, The Sober Curator
Thoughtful and inclusive writing for travelers seeking sober-friendly, vegan, and welcoming spaces.
Silver: Diane Covington-Carter, Southern Hemisphere
Personal reflections on ancestry, home, and family ties spanning Ireland, Australia, and France.
Bronze: John Poimiroo, East-West News Service
Richly detailed biking exploration of California’s mission trail with practical local insights.
🏢 Travel Trade
Gold: Debra Bokur, “Business in the Bay of Smoke,” Global Traveler
Masterful blend of Nordic culture and business travel insight in ReykjavĂk. A standout in niche destination storytelling.
Silver: David Swanson, “Capturing the Spirit of Sailing on Sea Cloud Cruise,” Travel Weekly
Poetic and immersive account of tall-ship cruising, filled with nostalgia and elegance.
Bronze: Teresa Bergen, “Teetotal Travel – Hospitality Responds to the Growing Sober Movement,” East-West News Service
A timely look at sober travel and how the hospitality industry is adapting to changing values.
🍽️ Food
Gold: Brad A. Johnson, “Season to Taste,” OLTRE Magazine
Lyrical, emotional writing that blends food, travel, and memory. A culinary standout.
Silver: Zanny Steffgen, “Pride and Pisco,” Club Oenologique
Immersive, terroir-rich writing on Peru’s Majes Valley with elegant wine storytelling.
Bronze: Margot Black, “Global Flavors in Los Angeles,” Discover
Engaging neighborhood guide to LA’s multicultural food scene. Clear, joyful, and reader-friendly.
🧠Adventure
Gold: Sherry Spitsnaugle, “Grafting Coral in Bora Bora Paradise,” Luxe Beat Magazine
Vivid, humorous account of an eco-adventure in Bora Bora. Rich in detail and humility.
Silver: Crai S. Bower, “Temagami Canoe Expedition,” Explore
Vivid descriptions and lyrical writing bring Ontario’s wilderness to life. Informative and intimate.
Bronze: Jill K. Robinson, “After an Injury, I Embraced Soft Adventures,” Shondaland
A deeply personal twist on adventure, exploring resilience and adaptation with poetic prose.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family
Gold: Kari Bodnarchuk, “Family Greenland Adventure,” Boston Globe
Immersive storytelling of a parent-child Arctic expedition. Deeply emotional and evocative.
Silver: Mimi Slawoff, “Scenic River Cruising: A Family-Friendly Adventure in France,” LA Parent
Reimagines river cruising through a family lens with elegance and cultural depth.
Bronze: Mindy Stern, “Train Travel in the U.S., U.K., and Germany,” Mercer Island Reporter
Entertaining and insightful multigenerational travel piece with warm cross-cultural anecdotes.
🎠Nontraditional
Gold: David Swanson, “Sustainable Cruising,” Westways
Striking visual storytelling through art and narrative. Informative and innovative.
Silver: Teresa Bergen, “Coffee and Cuddles,” USA TODAY 10Best
Light, fun, and photo-rich reporting from a cat café. Traditional storytelling meets quirky subject.
Bronze: Tamara MC, “Albert the Alligator,” Texas Monthly
A heartfelt, creative piece told through an alligator protagonist. Charming and unexpected.
📸 Photography
Gold: Brad A. Johnson, Grand Velas Boutique Hotel, Los Cabos, OLTRE
Stunning still life photography that transforms ambiance and architecture into visual art.
Silver: Kari Bodnarchuk, Hiking with Kids, Boston Globe
Scenic, joyful family travel photography filled with practical inspiration and emotional resonance.
Bronze: Carol Waller, “Jackson Hole,” Girl Camper
Gorgeous Western landscapes meet charming street scenes. A well-rounded visual journey.
Congratulations to all our winners! Your work exemplifies the excellence and creativity that define SATW's community of travel communicators. 🥂
Not yet a member?
SATW members don’t just celebrate storytelling excellence—they earn national recognition, network with industry leaders, and gain access to exclusive opportunities like these annual chapter awards.
👉 Apply to join SATW today and take the next step in advancing your travel media career.