As Sierra magazine's Adventure + Lifestyle Editor, Katie O'Reilly develops, commissions, edits, and writes print and online articles about human-powered outdoor adventure (and the gear that facilitates it), sustainable travel, food + ag, wildlife, eco-centric books and film, and science. Her writing appears in Atlantic Science, Buzzfeed Ideas, Bitch, Narratively, Runner's World, and more. She has an MFA in creative non- fiction from UNC Wilmington, and a journalism bachelor's from Northwestern. When not at the office, or inspiring writers at a Travel Classics Conference, she's typically out exploring the trails of Northern California with her two pit bull mixes.

If you could have a job outside of travel editorial, what would it be? 

Whenever deadlines are swirling, I find myself fantasizing about becoming a park ranger.

What is your favorite book genre?  What are you reading now? 

I love devouring novels, as well as great memoirs and long-form works of narrative journalism. I have an MFA in creative nonfiction, and last year, I started a book club at the Sierra Club. I probably read fiction and creative nonfiction in almost equal measure—I’m at the airport right now (headed off on a reporting trip), and in my bag are Jennifer Egan’s Manhattan Beach, an immersive work of historical fiction, and Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals, a pretty compelling discussion about what it means to eat meat in an industrialized world.

When you travel for a week or more, what is the item you can’t leave without (excluding your passport, of course)? 

My running shoes! Jogging is my favorite way to explore when I’m traveling.

You’re invited to ride the Orient Express.  Which three writers, dead or alive, do you want in your car? 

David Sedaris (for the laughs), John Steinbeck (because he’d have great travel stories and might have a dog with him, somehow),

and Bill Bryson (because he’d keep it real).

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

We have a pretty small team, which can be pretty labor-intensive, but by having to write and edit a pretty huge range of stories on various topics, I learn a ton, so my job is constantly stimulating to the point of being mind-blowing. I also really enjoy partnering with like-minded writers to develop ideas into fantastic stories. It’s so rewarding when they turn out well, and I feel lucky every day to get to work with some extremely passionate, talented, and lovely writers.

What new place would you like to visit? Why? 

Working for an environmentally focused magazine, I’m constantly intrigued by the brilliant climate change mitigation and adaptation tactics employed in Amsterdam and Copenhagen. I spend a lot of time lately fantasizing about biking through those beautiful, model cities (with breaks to nosh on bankets and frequent saunas, of course).

What are the essentials of a memorable travel story?

Something I’d never expect to read about that place. I love a good narrative in which something goes horribly wrong or the narrator has a hilariously bizarre interaction. I also love when a far-flung place inspires a deep personal epiphany or leads to the author gaining better understanding of herself or himself. And of course, we always want to hear about the food! (Same goes for any wildlife interactions!)

What are your goals for Sierra in 2018? 

Environmental news can be pretty depressing, so I’m hoping we can ramp up our adventure coverage, and help anxious readers vicariously escape to stunning and fascinating natural places. I’m also hoping we can cover more non-conventional adventurers (you know, people other than the Patagonia-clad white dude—though I still do want to hear from him!), and publish more positive, uplifting stories about successful climate-change adaptation innovations and endeavors. Oh, and slideshows featuring critters like bears, bats, and baboons. As an animal lover, I can’t get enough of that!