Meet the Monday Night Travel Team

Our Monday Night Travel team are teachers of travel and students of the world. Between them, the team has studied in Poland, Spain, Russia, and England; led tours in Germany, France, and Italy; and explored regions from the Faroe Islands to Australia to Brazil. The MNT team loves drawing on this wealth of experiences to share skills and insights with thousands of curious travelers every Monday night. The only thing they enjoy more is interviewing expert guests about places they haven't been so they can plot their next adventures.

Learn more about the team members below, and don't forget to register for our upcoming Monday Night Travel events.

Ben Green

Filled with a fascination for central and eastern Europe since childhood, Ben first traveled overseas for a six-month study abroad program in charming Kraków. In 2021, he took a sabbatical to complete a master's degree in Russian studies in St. Petersburg (Russia, not Florida). Since then, Ben spends several weeks each year in Europe visiting friends and new destinations, provides sage travel advice at the Rick Steves' Europe Travel Center, climbs as many mountains as he can, and produces information-packed travel shows for Monday Night Travel.

Favorite travel destinations: Poland, Croatia, and anywhere east of the Rhine

Emily Burks

For as long as she can remember, Emily has held a curiosity for new places and ideas. In 2017, that curiosity inspired a summer studying abroad in Barcelona, where she was dazzled by Gaudí's whimsy, the resilient Catalan spirit, and leisurely lunches of fresh seafood, grilled meats, and cava. Since then, she has backpacked in Japan, traveled solo in Australia, and danced the night away in Rio de Janeiro. Today, Emily loves sharing her lessons from the road on Monday Night Travel and connecting with our tour members and guidebook readers in her customer-service role.

Favorite travel destinations: Italy, Catalonia, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro

Gabe Gunnink

Gabe first adventured overseas for a semester abroad in York, England, where he cultivated a love of losing himself in niggling alleys, comparing notes across cultures, and luxuriating over a British cream tea. Since then, he's honed his Spanish skills in mountainous northern Spain, gardened in balmy southwestern France, bonded with fourth cousins in the Netherlands, run the entire length of Liechtenstein, and devoured pastries from Swedish prinsesstårta to Czech honey cake. Gabe now works as a brand specialist, connecting great travelers with great Rick Steves' Europe resources.

Favorite travel destinations: York, Stockholm, Bern, Faroe Islands

Lisa Friend

Lisa took her first solo flight at the age of 10 from Oregon to Washington D.C., where her love for art and history bloomed in the Smithsonian Museums and the seeds of a travel professional were sown. During homestays and visits to "back door" German towns on her first trip to Europe in 1993, Lisa fell in love with European life: outdoor markets, sidewalk cafés, and festivals. Twenty-four years and 47 trips later, she still enjoys guiding tours in Europe and traveling solo or with her family. When she's not on the road, Lisa can be found dispensing packing advice on YouTube or helping people plan their trips in the Rick Steves' Europe Travel Center.

Favorite travel destinations: Puglia, London, Amsterdam, Provence