Trend-spotting reporting.

Trend-defying strategy.

Trend-spotting reporting.

Trend-defying strategy.

Trend-spotting reporting.

Trend-defying strategy.

Trend-spotting reporting.

Trend-defying strategy.

Editorial director and strategist JD Shadel leans against a wall and looks off into the distance. They have shaggy blonde hair and wear a vintage leather jacket over a roll neck sweater.
Editorial director and strategist JD Shadel leans against a wall and looks off into the distance. They have shaggy blonde hair and wear a vintage leather jacket over a roll neck sweater.
Editorial director and strategist JD Shadel leans against a wall and looks off into the distance. They have shaggy blonde hair and wear a vintage leather jacket over a roll neck sweater.
Editorial director and strategist JD Shadel leans against a wall and looks off into the distance. They have shaggy blonde hair and wear a vintage leather jacket over a roll neck sweater.

Hey, I'm JD, award-winning editorial director ✌︎, UX content strategist ✹ and writerin London with a finger on the pulse of tech and travel.

Hey, I'm JD, award-winning editorial director ✌︎, UX content strategist ✹ and writerin London with a finger on the pulse of tech and travel.

Hey, I'm JD, award-winning editorial director ✌︎, UX content strategist ✹ and writerin London with a finger on the pulse of tech and travel.

✉️ Get behind-the-scenes updates; my latest writing; witticism that wasn't fit to print; maybe a few words in Polari, the lost queer language.

✉️ Get behind-the-scenes updates; my latest writing; witticism that wasn't fit to print; maybe a few words in Polari, the lost queer language.

✉️ Get behind-the-scenes updates; my latest writing; witticism that wasn't fit to print; maybe a few words in Polari, the lost queer language.

✉️ Get behind-the-scenes updates; my latest writing; witticism that wasn't fit to print; maybe a few words in Polari, the lost queer language.

Hey, I'm JD, award-winning editorial director ✌︎, UX content strategist ✹ and writerin London with a finger on the pulse of tech and travel.

future of travel

future of travel

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

“Writing about the future often fails to ask questions like, whose future are we really talking about?”

In early 2023, I began writing the Future of Travel column for Condé Nast Traveler, aiming to go beyond the hype and behind the scenes of trends re-shaping the world around us.

no code movement

no code movement

BBC WORKLIFE

“Just like Twitter but worse … a lot worse.”

Opening with the story of a non-developer who created a Twitter knockoff without writing code, this future of work feature charts the rise of "no code" platforms, profiling founders in the growing sector.

tech for good

tech for good

GOOD ON YOU x FARFETCH

UX writing for an app helping fashion brands be more transparent

Brand ratings platform Good On You teamed up with FARFETCH to launch a first-of-its-kind SAAS tool, Good Measures, to help fashion brands improve their sustainability. I consulted on UX copy and communications.

future of travel

future of travel

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

“Writing about the future often fails to ask questions like, whose future are we really talking about?”

In early 2023, I began writing the Future of Travel column for Condé Nast Traveler, aiming to go beyond the hype and behind the scenes of trends re-shaping the world around us.

no code movement

no code movement

BBC WORKLIFE

“Just like Twitter but worse … a lot worse.”

Opening with the story of a non-developer who created a Twitter knockoff without writing code, this future of work feature charts the rise of "no code" platforms, profiling founders in the growing sector.

tech for good

tech for good

GOOD ON YOU x FARFETCH

UX writing for an app helping fashion brands be more transparent

Brand ratings platform Good On You teamed up with FARFETCH to launch a first-of-its-kind SAAS tool, Good Measures, to help fashion brands improve their sustainability. I consulted on UX copy and communications.

future of travel

future of travel

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

“Writing about the future often fails to ask questions like, whose future are we really talking about?”

“Writing about the future often fails to ask questions like, whose future are we really talking about?”

In early 2023, I began writing the Future of Travel column for Condé Nast Traveler, aiming to go beyond the hype and behind the scenes of trends re-shaping the world around us.

no code movement

no code movement

BBC WORKLIFE

BBC WORKLIFE

“Just like Twitter but worse … a lot worse.”

“Just like Twitter but worse … a lot worse.”

Opening with the story of a non-developer who created a Twitter knockoff without writing code, this future of work feature charts the rise of "no code" platforms, profiling founders in the growing sector.

tech for good


tech for good

GOOD ON YOU x FARFETCH

GOOD ON YOU x FARFETCH

UX writing for an app helping fashion brands be more transparent

UX writing for an app helping fashion brands be more transparent

Brand ratings platform Good On You teamed up with FARFETCH to launch a first-of-its-kind SAAS tool, Good Measures, to help fashion brands improve their sustainability. I consulted on UX copy and communications.

Experience

Experience

Experience

Experience

I'm a correspondent and consultant exploring ideas shaping our futures online and off — and the cool places worth being present for.

I'm a correspondent and consultant exploring ideas shaping our futures online and off — and the cool places worth being present for.

I'm a correspondent and consultant exploring ideas shaping our futures online and off — and the cool places worth being present for.

I'm a correspondent and consultant exploring ideas shaping our futures online and off — and the cool places worth being present for.

🏴‍☠️ Sole trader, collaborative spirit
☁️ London, UK based; PNWer for life
🏁 10+ years of award-winning experience

American abroad, working globally

🔈 Say it like shady Chanel = Shadel


🏴‍☠️ Sole trader, collaborative spirit
☁️ London, UK based; PNWer for life
🏁 10+ years of award-winning experience

American abroad, working globally

🔈 Say it like shady Chanel = Shadel

🏴‍☠️ Sole trader, collaborative spirit
☁️ London, UK based; PNWer for life
🏁 10+ years of award-winning experience

American abroad, working globally

🔈 Say it like shady Chanel = Shadel

🏴‍☠️ Sole trader, collaborative spirit
☁️ London, UK based; PNWer for life
🏁 10+ years of award-winning experience

American abroad, working globally

🔈 Say it like shady Chanel = Shadel


Present tense

Present tense

Bringing a decade of award-winning editorial and digital expertise, I dive into tech and travel trends for major and niche media outlets. And I consult with clients around the world on stand-out content strategies and UX writing.

Bringing a decade of award-winning editorial and digital expertise, I dive into tech and travel trends for major and niche media outlets. And I consult with clients around the world on stand-out content strategies and UX writing.

I write Condé Nast Traveler's Future of Travel column and am editor-at-large at Good On You.

I write Condé Nast Traveler's Future of Travel column and am editor-at-large at Good On You.

Projects I've worked on have been honored by the Webby Awards, US Travel Association, AIGA, NATJA, AMA PDX and more.

Projects I've worked on have been honored by the Webby Awards, US Travel Association, AIGA, NATJA, AMA PDX and more.

Holding my master's degree with distinction in international relations from the University of Exeter, and former Human Rights Commissioner at the City of Portland, I go beyond the hype to make sense of meaningful trends shaping the world around us.

Holding my master's degree with distinction in international relations from the University of Exeter, and former Human Rights Commissioner at the City of Portland, I go beyond the hype to make sense of meaningful trends shaping the world around us.

Past tense

Past tense

Previously based in the Pacific Northwest, I was the Portland travel writer for The Washington Post, covering its distinct neighborhoods and culture. I was also a contributor to VICE's LGBTQ+ section, where my long-form reporting was named Best of 2017. My VICE coverage of queer dating app discrimination was influential in leading to key UX reforms.

Previously based in the Pacific Northwest, I was the Portland travel writer for The Washington Post, covering its distinct neighborhoods and culture. I was also a contributor to VICE's LGBTQ+ section, where my long-form reporting was named Best of 2017. My VICE coverage of queer dating app discrimination was influential in leading to key UX reforms.

A seasoned creative leader, I was previously head editor at one of the Pacific Northwest’s top media companies; project lead at SPJ award-winning Oregon Business; co-founder of a now-defunct underground culture platform; and contributor and consultant on launch teams for a range of new verticals at international publications.

A seasoned creative leader, I was previously head editor at one of the Pacific Northwest’s top media companies; project lead at SPJ award-winning Oregon Business; co-founder of a now-defunct underground culture platform; and contributor and consultant on launch teams for a range of new verticals at international publications.

And long before all that, I was a queer nonbinary kid wandering around the Appalachian Mountains, from where I come — making music with mandolins and synthesizers, writing poems and stories, and trying to find some truth.

And long before all that, I was a queer nonbinary kid wandering around the Appalachian Mountains, from where I come — making music with mandolins and synthesizers, writing poems and stories, and trying to find some truth.

Future tense

Future tense

Perhaps I’ll team up with you? Maybe you’ll drop me a line?

Perhaps I’ll team up with you? Maybe you’ll drop me a line?

Present tense

Bringing a decade of award-winning editorial and digital expertise, I dive into tech and travel trends for major and niche media outlets. And I consult with clients around the world on stand-out content strategies and UX writing.

I write Condé Nast Traveler's Future of Travel column and am editor-at-large at Good On You.

Projects I've worked on have been honored by the Webby Awards, US Travel Association, AIGA, NATJA, AMA PDX and more.

Holding my master's degree with distinction in international relations from the University of Exeter, and former Human Rights Commissioner at the City of Portland, I go beyond the hype to make sense of meaningful trends shaping the world around us.

Past tense

Previously based in the Pacific Northwest, I was the Portland travel writer for The Washington Post, covering its distinct neighborhoods and culture. I was also a contributor to VICE's LGBTQ+ section, where my long-form reporting was named Best of 2017. My VICE coverage of queer dating app discrimination was influential in leading to key UX reforms.

A seasoned creative leader, I was previously head editor at one of the Pacific Northwest’s top media companies; project lead at SPJ award-winning Oregon Business; co-founder of a now-defunct underground culture platform; and contributor and consultant on launch teams for a range of new verticals at international publications.

And long before all that, I was a queer nonbinary kid wandering around the Appalachian Mountains, from where I come — making music with mandolins and synthesizers, writing poems and stories, and trying to find some truth.

Future tense

Perhaps I’ll team up with you? Maybe you’ll drop me a line?

Perhaps I’ll team up with you? Maybe you’ll drop me a line?

Collaborators

Collaborators

Collaborators

Collaborators

Editorial

Editorial

Editorial

Editorial

The Washington Post

The Washington Post

The Washington Post

The Washington Post

Condé Nast Traveler

Condé Nast Traveler

Condé Nast Traveler

Condé Nast Traveler

Them

Them

Them

Them

BBC Worklife

BBC Worklife

BBC Worklife

BBC Worklife

VICE

VICE

VICE

VICE

Bloomberg CityLab

Bloomberg CityLab

Bloomberg CityLab

Bloomberg CityLab

Fodor's Travel

Fodor's Travel

Fodor's Travel

Fodor's Travel

+ more

+ more

+ more

+ more

Consulting

Consulting

Consulting

Consulting

Airbnb

Airbnb

Airbnb

Airbnb

Travel Oregon

Travel Oregon

Travel Oregon

Travel Oregon

PDX

PDX

PDX

PDX

Good On You x FARFETCH

Good On You x FARFETCH

Good On You x FARFETCH

Good On You x FARFETCH

Adidas

Adidas

Adidas

Adidas

Crowd DNA

Crowd DNA

Crowd DNA

Crowd DNA

Destination DC

Destination DC

Destination DC

Destination DC

+ more

+ more

+ more

+ more

KIND WORDS

KIND WORDS

KIND WORDS

KIND WORDS

“JD has an eye for spotting rising trends in travel and breaking them down in a way that really speaks to a young, diverse audience.”
—Amanda Finnegan, The Washington Post

“JD has an eye for spotting rising trends in travel and breaking them down in a way that really speaks to a young, diverse audience.”
—Amanda Finnegan,
The Washington Post

“JD has an eye for spotting rising trends in travel and breaking them down in a way that really speaks to a young, diverse audience.”
—Amanda Finnegan, The Washington Post

“JD is not only a delight to work with, but they are always at the ready with razor sharp ideas and squeaky clean copy, whether I'm looking for reporting on innovation in the travel industry, or service-y yet voice-y destination guides that are a cut above the rest.”
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler

“JD is not only a delight to work with, but they are always at the ready with razor sharp ideas and squeaky clean copy, whether I'm looking for reporting on innovation in the travel industry, or service-y yet voice-y destination guides that are a cut above the rest.”
—Megan Spurrell,
Condé Nast Traveler

“JD is not only a delight to work with, but they are always at the ready with razor sharp ideas and squeaky clean copy, whether I'm looking for reporting on innovation in the travel industry, or service-y yet voice-y destination guides that are a cut above the rest.”
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler

“JD has transformed our audience engagement with creative strategic guidance and UX writing — helping us make more elevated editorial content and successful digital products.”
—Sandra Capponi, Good On You

“JD has transformed our audience engagement with creative strategic guidance and UX writing — helping us make more elevated editorial content and successful digital products.”
—Sandra Capponi,
Good On You

“JD has transformed our audience engagement with creative strategic guidance and UX writing — helping us make more elevated editorial content and successful digital products.”
—Sandra Capponi, Good On You

Work examples

Work examples

Work examples

Work examples

contributor

contributor

THE WASHINGTON POST

Trending reporting for the reimagined travel section

I contribute trending reporting to The Washington Post's travel section including features on # Traveling While Trans and the rise of 3-D gallery tours. And from 2019 to 2021, I was the Portland, Oregon city reporter for By The Way.

future of travel

future of travel

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

“Flygskam,

smygflyga,

tagskryt”

The Swedes are inventing a lot of words about flying's climate impacts. My first installment in the Future of Travel column, this feature probes whether sustainable aviation innovations could change things.

UX writing

UX writing

AIRBNB

SEO copywriting for major destination landing pages

Both a destination research and extensive UX writing project, I worked with Airbnb to create compelling and SEO-optimized descriptions and guides to dozens of destination landing pages — including national and major city destinations in North America and Europe.

public interest tech

public interest tech

THEM

“We need a new digital public square.”

During the first two weeks of Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, I interviewed social media academics, tech critics and civil rights leaders for this deep-dive feature about what Musk got so wrong with Twitter — and why democracy needs better public digital infrastructure.

generative AI

generative AI

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

Microsoft granted me early access to the new Bing in early 2023 to see what it could do for trip planning. It raised some big societal questions.

digital nomads

digital nomads

THE WASHINGTON POST

“‘Overnomadism’ is an apt way of describing what happened when these young jet-setters descended.”

Featured as a top LinkedIn News story, this feature probes a new wave of digital nomads, as the remote work revolution kicked into higher gear throughout the pandemic. Oh, and apparently I coined a new word.

contributor

contributor

VICE

“Best Writing of 2017”

From 2016 to 2018, I contributed conversation-sparking feature stories to VICE's LGBTQ+ vertical. My coverage of discrimination on queer dating apps has been influential in UX design, and my reporting on radical activism was named Best of 2017.

aviation

aviation

THE WASHINGTON POST

Spending a few dollars to offset the footprint of your flight may sound too good to be true because it is, climate experts say. And some warn it's making the climate crisis even worse.

contributor

contributor

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

I was one of the reporters spotlighting key ideas and actions — with a DEA&I focus — for the NATJA award-winning Bright Ideas in Travel list.

digital strategy

digital strategy

TRAVEL OREGON

Award-winning digital strategy and editorial for TravelOregon.com

I directed a US Travel Association award-winning editorial program and consulted with Travel Oregon on cross-channel digital strategies, including working on seasonal campaigns with Wieden+Kennedy — such as the GPS-enabled app the Oregon Weather Compass, which was a 2017 Webby Award Honoree.

long form

long form

THEM

What happens when the world's most powerful search engine suggests transphobic results for nearly every major transgender celebrity? That's the scoop in this long-read feature, based on months of original reporting.

destination guide

destination guide

CONDE NAST TRAVELER

“The lake can appear so overwhelmingly azure, so cobalt, so cerulean, so sapphire that, well, you might run out of ways to describe its many shades of blue.”

Destination guides that reflect local expertise and the spirit of the place are my forte. I profiled America's deepest and bluest lake in this guide to Crater Lake National Park.

placemaking

placemaking

BLOOMBERG CITYLAB

“He calls himself the leader of a river-lution.”

Long associated with sewage, Portland's Willamette River has finally been declared safe for recreation. This feature profiles an urban swimming activist who wants residents to test the waters.

contributor

contributor

contributor

THE WASHINGTON POST

THE WASHINGTON POST

Trending reporting for the reimagined travel section

Trending reporting for the reimagined travel section

I contribute trending reporting to The Washington Post's travel section including features on # Traveling While Trans and the rise of 3-D gallery tours. And from 2019 to 2021, I was the Portland, Oregon city reporter for By The Way.

PUBLIC INTEREST tech

public interest tech

public interest tech

THEM

THEM

“We need a new digital public square.”

“We need a new digital public square.”

“We need a new digital public square.”

During the first two weeks of Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, I interviewed social media academics, tech critics and civil rights leaders for this deep-dive feature about what Musk got so wrong with Twitter — and why democracy needs better public digital infrastructure.

digital nomads


digital nomads

digital nomads

THE WASHINGTON POST

THE WASHINGTON POST

“‘Overnomadism’ is an apt way of describing what happened when these young jet-setters descended.”

“‘Overnomadism’ is an apt way of describing what happened when these young jet-setters descended.”

“‘Overnomadism’ is an apt way of describing what happened when these young jet-setters descended.”

Featured as a top LinkedIn News story, this feature probes a new wave of digital nomads, as the remote work revolution kicked into higher gear throughout the pandemic. Oh, and apparently I coined a new word.

digital strategy

digital strategy

digital strategy

TRAVEL OREGON

TRAVEL OREGON

Award-winning digital strategy and editorial for TravelOregon.com

Award-winning digital strategy and editorial for TravelOregon.com

I directed a US Travel Association award-winning editorial program and consulted with Travel Oregon on cross-channel digital strategies, including working on seasonal campaigns with Wieden+Kennedy — such as the GPS-enabled app the Oregon Weather Compass, which was a 2017 Webby Award Honoree.

future of travel

future of travel

future of travel

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

“Flygskam,

smygflyga,

tagskryt”

“Flygskam,

smygflyga,

tagskryt”

“Flygskam,

smygflyga,

tagskryt”

The Swedes are inventing a lot of words about flying's climate impacts. My first installment in the Future of Travel column, this feature probes whether sustainable aviation innovations could change things.

AVIATION

aviation

aviation

THE WASHINGTON POST

THE WASHINGTON POST

Spending a few dollars to offset the footprint of your flight may sound too good to be true because it is, climate experts say. And some warn it's making the climate crisis even worse.

contributor

contributor

contributor

VICE

VICE

“Best Writing of 2017”

“Best Writing of 2017”

“Best Writing of 2017”

From 2016 to 2018, I contributed conversation-sparking feature stories to VICE's LGBTQ+ vertical. My coverage of discrimination on queer dating apps has been influential in UX design, and my reporting on radical activism was named Best of 2017.

contributor

contributor

contributor

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

I was one of the reporters spotlighting key ideas and actions — with a DEA&I focus — for the NATJA award-winning Bright Ideas in Travel list.

generative AI

generative AI

generative AI

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

Microsoft granted me early access to the new Bing in early 2023 to see what it could do for trip planning. It raised some big societal questions.

UX writing

UX writing

UX writing

AIRBNB

AIRBNB

SEO copywriting for major destination landing pages

SEO copywriting for destination landing pages

SEO copywriting for major destination landing pages

Both a destination research and extensive UX writing project, I worked with Airbnb to create compelling and SEO-optimized descriptions and guides to dozens of destination landing pages — including national and major city destinations in North America and Europe.

long form

long form

long form

THEM

THEM

What happens when the world's most powerful search engine suggests transphobic results for nearly every major transgender celebrity? That's the scoop in this long-read feature, based on months of original reporting.

DESTINATION GUIDE

destination guide

destination guide

CONDE NAST TRAVELER

CONDE NAST TRAVELER

“The lake can appear so overwhelmingly azure, so cobalt, so cerulean, so sapphire that, well, you might run out of ways to describe its many shades of blue.”

“The lake can appear so overwhelmingly azure, so cobalt, so cerulean, so sapphire that, well, you might run out of ways to describe its many shades

of blue.”

Destination guides that reflect local expertise and the spirit of the place are my forte. I profiled America's deepest and bluest lake in this guide to Crater Lake National Park.

placemaking

placemaking

placemaking

BLOOMBERG CITYLAB

BLOOMBERG CITYLAB

“He calls himself the leader of a river-lution.”

“He calls himself the leader of a river-lution.”

Long associated with sewage, Portland's Willamette River has finally been declared safe for recreation. This feature profiles an urban swimming activist who wants residents to test the waters.

Ethical notes

Ethical notes

Ethical notes

Ethical notes

“Public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice”

“Public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice”

“Public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice”

I occasionally lecture on or am interviewed about elements of media ethics and fair work — that’s shown me how these conversations often raise a lot of questions. The lofty quote above comes from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, which guides and motivates my work. But to help you understand how I approach such ethics in practice, here are a few specific themes that are especially key to what I do.

I occasionally lecture on or am interviewed about elements of media ethics and fair work — that’s shown me how these conversations often raise a lot of questions. The lofty quote above comes from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, which guides and motivates my work. But to help you understand how I approach such ethics in practice, here are a few specific themes that are especially key to what I do.

I occasionally lecture on or am interviewed about elements of media ethics and fair work — that’s shown me how these conversations often raise a lot of questions. The lofty quote above comes from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, which guides and motivates my work. But to help you understand how I approach such ethics in practice, here are a few specific themes that are especially key to what I do.

I occasionally lecture on or am interviewed about elements of media ethics and fair work — that’s shown me how these conversations often raise a lot of questions. The lofty quote above comes from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, which guides and motivates my work. But to help you understand how I approach such ethics in practice, here are a few specific themes that are especially key to what I do.

In everything, minimize harm

No freebies, no discounts

Advocate for fair work in media

Consulting and volunteering

Fact check diligently

Always open to civic dialogue

In everything, minimize harm

No freebies, no discounts

Advocate for fair work in media

Consulting and volunteering

Fact check diligently

Always open to civic dialogue

What I do

What I do

What I do

What I do

Travel + sense of place

Travel reporting

Trend consulting

Copywriting

Destination research

LGBTQ+ travel

Editorial + copy direction

Feature reporting

Editorial strategy

Content planning

Editorial newsletters

Editorial positioning

Digital copywriting

Content strategy + UX

Content strategy

UX writing

Messaging

Content architecture

Verbal branding

Travel + sense of place

Travel reporting

Trend consulting

Copywriting

Destination research

LGBTQ+ travel

Editorial + copy direction

Feature reporting

Editorial strategy

Content planning

Editorial newsletters

Editorial positioning

Digital copywriting

Content strategy + UX

Content strategy

UX writing

Messaging

Content architecture

Verbal branding

Travel + sense of place

Travel + sense of place

Travel reporting

Travel reporting

Trend consulting

Trend consulting

Copywriting

Copywriting

Destination research

Destination research

LGBTQ+ travel

LGBTQ+ travel

Editorial + copy direction

Editorial + copy direction

Feature reporting

Feature reporting

Editorial strategy

Editorial strategy

Content planning

Content planning

Editorial newsletters

Editorial newsletters

Editorial positioning

Editorial positioning

Digital copywriting

Digital copywriting

Content strategy + UX

Content strategy + UX

Content strategy

Content strategy

UX writing

UX writing

Content architecture

Content architecture

Messaging

Messaging

Verbal branding

Verbal branding

Contact me

Contact me

Contact me

Contact me

Let's talk future plans.

Let's talk future plans.

© JD Shadel 2023