Let’s Travel!

Founded in 2007, Let's Travel! is a live, global radio talk show in which Host Susan Raphael and Producer Michael Zufolo invite listeners to explore the world of travel and culture.

The program consists of four 11-minute segments. These segments may highlight information about Niche Museums in various cities, travel tips, Streetsmart advice or films that give viewers a "taste" of other countries.

Past guests have included: Dottore Francesco Talo Italian Consul General to the U.S. on unmasking the secrets of Carnival in Venice; Lolla Meyer, Backpacking South Africa National Coordinator, on ecotourism in that country; Mark Miceli, Ambassador of Malta to the US, on his country’s unique geographical and historical perspective, including new discoveries in Maltese food and wine: Richard Pena, program director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center along with various directors and actors on films presented at the New York Film Festival; and Minister Shamsa S. Mwangunga of Tanzania, on the conservation of land and wildlife in that country and the World Heritage site. The Serengeti.

Susan Raphael, Traveler Extraordinaire

Susan's passion for travel, radio…and talking has all come together at "Let's Travel". Previous to being Host and Executive Producer of "Let's Travel", she was director of public relations / advertising / marketing in the non-profit sector, for the American Cancer Society and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), as well as working at various PR firms including Ruder & Finn.

While at the Society she won an Emmy for "Sophisticated Lady", an anti-smoking public service announcement; created and produced the "American Cancer Society Radio News Service", a weekly "cancer minute" of interviews with leading cancer researchers and clinicians; was associate producer on various video projects, and directed the Society's Public Awareness Council of Celebrities.

At AFB she won a Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America for a cause-related series of workshop between AFB, the Lipton Company and Helena Rubenstein which we taught blind women to cook and apply make-up. The Gallery section of this Web site contains some of her photographs which she has exhibited at various venues in New York City.

Michael Zufolo, Show Producer & Editor

Michael has been an active player in Media Relations for the past 30 years as Director Advertising, Sales & Marketing, Special Events, Public Relations and Corporate Communications, Trade Shows, Conferences and Conventions with The New York Times, Forbes, WOR Radio, TV Channel 11, Attenzione Magazine, et.al.

He's also a board director for The Caribbean Tourism Organization and The International Immigrant Foundation, and is affiliated with the Municipal Arts Society, Americas Society and the Pacific Travel Association. In all these areas Michael has been able to promote cultural diversity and tourism to the general public. Libra/America, his travel signature, provides travel opportunities to "VIP" travelers and groups worldwide. Let's Travel Radio is an extension of his experiences from all of the above.

Catherine Perebinossoff, Senior Producer

Catherine was born to travel...first traveling when she was barely six weeks old, then traveling to France at the age of three. Since then, she has continued to travel here and abroad, e.g., living and studying in France. Having worked in the financial world, e.g., Citibank and I.D.E.A., marketing FX products, including currency derivatives, she has a keen interest and love of the world, now named the Global Economy, The Global Village.

Her love of the arts reinforces her international and multi-national views. Short of traveling is there a better, a more complete way to experience other cultures than by its arts, especially seeing the interrelationships between the arts, cultures, and countries? Impressionism would not have been Impressionism without photography or Japanese woodcuts, thus East Does Meet West. Presently with "Let's Travel", an Internet Radio Show, thus defying time and distance, and her tailor-made tour and event concern, New York City Tours, she continues to travel far and wide.

Nan Lyons, Lets Travel/ Associate Editor/Travel and Tourism

Nan has been a food and travel writer for over twenty years, contributing to Bon Appétit, Travel + Leisure, More, Hamptons, L'official New York Newsday, as well as creating the Fielding's Agenda series and the Access Walking guides.
In collaboration with her husband Ivan, she wrote the first novel with a food background, "Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe" which was then made into a major motion picture. They went on to write four other novels as well as scores of articles on food and travel.

She has just finished her newest book, "Around the World in 80 Meals" (Red Rock Press) which will be published in late 2010. Nan has most recently been made Associate Editor for "Let's Travel" a new website which features interviews as well as podcasts and articles on every aspect of travel. Her particular expertise is focused on restaurants, shopping and luxury hotels.

Ian Robinson, Web Designer

Graduated from the Advertising and Graphic Design program at FIT and possesses over a decade of print design from conception to production in various collateral ranging from simple mailers to full-size magazine publications also about 7 years experience designing and building HTML/CSS and Flash websites both with various firms as well as freelance. Currently residing in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and working full-time freelance. You can see some of his work at www.ILRobinson.com.

Linda Harris, Director, Sales and Marketing

Let Talk Radio's Marketing/Sales Director and the lead researcher for our new Jewish Tour to Sicily, Linda Harris, has held various positions in her professional career. A former art historian who lived in Florence, Italy, Linda, a life-long Italophile, traveled in Italy extensively and speaks fluent Italian.

Her previous responsibilities included: senior trade analyst with the Italian Trade Commission, in New York, marketing coordinator for Alitalia Airlines, and communications consultant/publicist for the The Center for Jewish History and Eredi Pisano' menswear, amongst others. Linda continues to pursue her love of Italian cuisine, travel, and the latest innovations using social media like Twitter.

Louise Weiss

Louise fell into the world of writing and publishing as a researcher at Popular Science Magazine. She  went on to be a publicist for Random House Juvenile Books and Thomas Y. Crowell Adult Trade Books and  publicity director for Abelard-Schuman Publishing Company. She was assistant travel editor of Esquire Magazine before leaving to write a book and  embark on a free-lance career. Her book, ACCESS TO THE WORLD: A TRAVEL  GUIDE FOR THE HANDICAPPED, was the first of its kind. She received the Thomas Cook (England)  Travel Book Award, a Citation from the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, and a Lowell Thomas Award from the Society of American Travel Writers. She was co-author of HELENA RUBENSTEIN'S BOOK OF THE SUN, published by New York Times Books, and a  contributor to TRAVELLERS'  [stet sp] HEALTH, published by Oxford University Press.

In a diverse career,  she has ventured as far afield as writing cabaret shows, editing white papers for an international conglomerate of tarnished reputation, contributing articles to newsletters and travel trade publications,  and tutoring executives in business English.

Tom Parsons, Let's Travel's Travel Deals Guru

By Tom Parsons' own admission, he is nothing more than a regular traveler who wants to save money and help others save. And that he does. Other people collect stamps or precious objects. Parsons collects cheap airfares and discount travel rates, and then he tells everyone about them.

Parsons got his start as a discount travel hound in the late 1970s when he was a traveling corporate executive. He noticed the wide variance in travel fares, even on the same airline flight. Using his natural analytical abilities and some good old sleuthing, Parsons unearthed some breakthrough methods to save dramatically on airfares. Then (of course) he began to tell his co-workers about it. In just fourteen months, Parsons single-handedly reduced the corporation's total travel budge from $2.5 million to $800,000. He was honored with a plaque at the annual meeting and given the title, "The Man Least Likely to Give Up a Travel Buck." Even Herb Kelleher, Former CEO and Founder of Southwest Airlines, called Tom "the best low fare policeman on the beat." That moniker is even more accurate today.

Parsons now appears on over 100 radio and television talk shows each month, dispensing his knowledge of hidden travel deals and fare secrets to audiences of shows ranging from NBC's The Today Show, ABC's Good Morning America and The Oprah Winfrey Show to nationally syndicated radio such as Bloomberg Business Radio and the AP Radio Network. While his days are packed, Parsons is still likely to be found chatting with the receptionists and cameramen along the way, giving them advice on an upcoming trip. His interviews have the same popular appeal, lighting up phone lines with every visit. Since 1983, Parsons has become the Ralph Nader of the air. He has established a reputation as the traveler's friend and confidant, someone the average consumer can trust to be fair and honest and always on the consumer's side. His goal is to inform the general public about the truth in the travel industry. And as always, his mission is about saving money.

Gina Ciliberto, Intern/Travel Tattler Editor

Language, music, food, dance- so many great things come together in the world of travel! An English/Music major at Fordham University, Gina loves learning about all of these and then passing on her findings to the fans and promoters of Let’s Travel! When she’s not connecting travel enthusiasts to the show and website, Gina enjoys writing, singing, reading, cooking, teaching, and photography. She is desperately in love with New York City- especially the Belmont section of the Bronx where she resides.

Currently, Gina participates in the Rose Hill Society, St. Martin of Tours Catechetical program and youth group, Kappa International at Roosevelt High School, Residential Housing Association and an American-Catholic studies program. However, she most enjoys being a member of the Anne Devenney house, which allows her to experience the Bronx and all it has to offer, from rich Latino culture to the heart of Little Italy on Arthur Ave!