Meet the Staff
Jaimee Callaway
VP, Publisher
Jaimee Callaway is VP, Publisher of Avalon Travel working on Rick Steves guidebooks, Moon Travel Guides, and select trade travel titles. A lifelong booklover and avid traveler, Jaimee was thrilled to combine these passions when she joined Avalon as Marketing Director in 2016. She believes in the power of travel to broaden horizons and is proud to publish books that inspire and guide travelers to unforgettable experiences.
Prior to joining Avalon, Jaimee oversaw testing and implementation of digital marketing initiatives as Director of Digital Strategy and Marketing at Perseus Books Group where she played an integral role in many innovative and award-winning projects. Jaimee got her start in publishing in the Sales Department at Perseus.
When she’s not in the Oakland, CA office, Jaimee is often on the road, exploring new cities, lacing up her hiking boots, or relaxing with a good book.
Jane Musser
VP, Publishing Operations and Design
As Vice President of Publishing Operations and Design at Avalon Travel, I am responsible for the look and feel of our Moon and Rick Steves titles – design, production, printing. I joined Avalon in 2001, transitioning from newspaper production to books, both print and digital.
My love for travel began on family road trips when I was a kid. Our routes took us from our home in Southern California across the country to New York or Florida, sometimes into Canada or Mexico. From the back seat of our Ford station wagon, I soaked up breathtaking scenery, fascinating history, and a certain amount of tedium. My parents planned our trips using big paper maps and AAA Tourbooks, thick books printed on newsprint, small type, black and white, no photos. But they guided us to the campgrounds that had showers and the motels that had pools.
The goal of Avalon Travel’s books is really the same as those old AAA Tourbooks, though with significant aesthetic and editorial improvements: to help people have great trips, whether that’s a trip of a lifetime to a faraway destination, a road trip around their state, or a weekend hike in a nearby park. It is a joy to produce beautiful books that give people what they need to dream, plan and go.
Lindsay Fradkoff
Marketing Director
Lindsay Fradkoff joined Avalon Travel in 2024. Prior to that, she was Marketing Director at PublicAffairs and Bold Type Books, where she created marketing campaigns for bestselling books such as Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning and Mike Duncan’s Hero of Two Worlds.
Pivoting into travel guidebook publishing was a natural progression: she has a love of travel, instilled by her mother, a travel agent. Her favorite destination is Buenos Aires, and her bucket-list destination is Vietnam.
Kat Bennett
Cartography Director
I grew up using maps on family vacations. My mother would toss them into the back seat where my brother and I would possibly be bickering as she drove us north for a camping trip. I’m sure it was totally for educational reasons.
I started a love affair of reading with employment at B. Dalton then Barnes and Noble. I graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Geography, where cartography scratched the artistic itch I have in creating maps. My wanderlust has taken me across continents. I have had some amazing experiences with locals and a few missed connections that have me fully appreciating a useful, strategic guidebook. I believe the best maps, like baking recipes, require precision, patience, and just the right amount of creative interpretation. Both pursuits have taught me having an adventure occasionally is just part of finding your way. And travel really matters!
Vy Tran
Senior Acquisitions Editor
Vy Tran (she/her) joined Avalon Travel in 2022 and has acquired Moon guidebooks to South Korea, Thailand, Ireland, Australia, and Machu Picchu, along with trade travel titles. She works on a range of categories, though her favorites are related to urban adventures, photography, sports, and pop culture. Across the board, she’s passionate about working with authors from diverse backgrounds, with unique perspectives and great stories to tell.
Prior to joining Avalon, Vy was a Senior Editor at BenBella Books specializing in creative nonfiction, literary journalism, and investigative deep dives.
Her favorite destinations to explore are Kyoto, Saigon, Lisbon, Rome, Mexico City, and her native San Francisco Bay Area. She loves discovering street food and used bookstores and finding the best places to catch a sunrise or sunset.
She can be reached at vy.tran@hbgusa.com.
Rachael Sablik
Acquisitions Editor
Rachael Sablik (she/her) has been with Avalon Travel since she started as an intern in 2016. After a brief sojourn to get her master’s degree in literature at King’s College London, she is now an Acquisitions Editor with Moon Travel Guides. She has acquired titles that cover California state parks, the Pacific Northwest, and a variety of European getaways.
She’s on the quest to find new titles that highlight the wonders of travel, especially those that celebrate food, culture, and history. She loves working with authors who are fiercely passionate and excited to share their knowledge with anyone who wants to learn.
Some of her favorite trips include road tripping along the California coast, cruising in the Caribbean, camping in Olympic National Park, and wine tasting in the Loire Valley.
She can be reached at rachael.sablik@hbgusa.com.
Devon Lee
Acquisitions Editor
Devon Lee (she/her) is an Acquisitions Editor at Moon Travel Guides. She has worked on Moon guidebooks to Latin America, Europe, Japan, and the US national parks. She’s looking to acquire titles related to hiking and trekking, nature tourism, and train travel. She’s always looking for authors who will go the extra mile in search of the best local eateries or the most breathtaking views.
Prior to joining Moon, Devon was an instructional designer in the world of higher education. With a Masters in Information Science, she is a big fan of maps, heading organization, and infographics.
Her favorite trip to date was a winter visit to northern Norway. Tahiti, Patagonia, and Thailand are at the top of her bucket list.
She can be reached at devon.lee@hbgusa.com