I’m a writer, speaker, visual artist, and traveler currently living in Michigan. I am also the founder of The Represent Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps Malawian students pay for college.
I grew up in a drafty farmhouse at the end of a two-mile dirt road in a town where cows outnumber people 4:1. College was my ticket out. As part of my M.A. research on the culture of long-haul truck drivers, I earned a CDL and drove an 18-wheeler for a summer. The experience taught me more than just how to double-clutch: I needed a life of travel.
Since then, I’ve served in the Peace Corps, thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, operated heavy equipment (and worked as a lunchlady) at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, ridden a bicycle across America and around Ireland, and spent two summers as a vanlifer. I have also ridden a bicycle on seven continents. I share the stories of my experiences in the hopes of inspiring other people, especially young women, to travel.
You can email me at brookepmarshall (at) gmail (dot) com.
Selected Publications
Chatbots Go to College, The Ann Arbor Observer (Aug. 2023)
“I HATE HIKING!” One Story of Hiking With Dad, Long Trail News (June 2023)
I Tried ‘Functional Range Conditioning’ for 3 Weeks, and It Was Like Boot Camp for my Mind-Body Connection, Well+Good (March 2023)
The Ascent of Planet Rock, The Ann Arbor Observer (Feb. 2023)
Into Denali: Not quite following in Chris McCandless’s footsteps, Literary Traveler (Aug. 2022)
Mile 5,000, Adventure Cyclist (Aug. 2022)
For a complete list of of my published freelance work, visit my LinkedIn.
Interviews and Press
Burlington Free Press, “Settle into a summer vibe with one (or more) of these new Vermont books” (2022)
Saint Albans Messenger, “'Look where we went:' Brooke and Jillian Marshall of Fairfield publish books about global travels” (2022)
WDEV, Vermont Viewpoint with Ric Centeri, WDEV (begins at 43:20) (2022)