Meet the team
A lot of work happens behind the scenes to create our print magazines and digital platforms. Meet the faces that make up the Signature Media team.
Cathy Wagstaff
Founder & Group Editor
Founder and Group Editor, Cathy Wagstaff, is the entrepreneur behind all Signature Media titles. Her 35-year career in publishing included roles at ACP, Federal Publishing and Text Media before she started Signature Media in 1996. In 2019, the flagship Holidays with Kids magazine celebrated its 20th anniversary, while the inspirational Signature marked 10 years.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
A slow and sustainable sabbatical in the Greek Islands spending weeks at a time returning to my favourite islands. Eating locally sourced fresh seafood and Mediterranean delights, soaking up the sunshine and spending as much time as possible on or in the water.
Tina-Louise Jackson
General Manager
Tina has been appointed Signature Media’s general manager after spending over three years as our partnerships manager. Her title sees her working across print, digital, advertising and business growth strategies. Tina is integral in managing the overall team.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
There are few mountains you can summit at 5,895 metres without ropes. There are fewer still with the fascinating history, daredevil allure and incredible views of Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro – the world’s tallest free-standing mountain. I’d love to make it to the top.
Lisa Wagstaff
head of operations, digital manager & contributing editor
With a focus on managing the digital team, Lisa is integral to driving the company’s online strategies while providing essential support across all departments. Lisa has a love of the outdoors, and can often be found exploring a hiking trail, 4WDing, or engrossed in a great book, preferably with a fab view.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
As an avid snowboarder, the deep snow, legendary terrain and mountain scenery of Telluride, Colorado, is calling me.
Christian barker
editorial director
Christian is our editorial director, overseeing Signature’s portfolio of print magazines, and editor-in-chief of Signature Luxury Travel & Style. The former editor of luxury website Billionaire (bllnr.com) and men’s style bible, The Rake magazine, he has written for publications including Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Robb Report, the Financial Times, Esquire and GQ, among others.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
Love Italy and Japan. But after many years travelling all over Europe and Asia, I’m eager to see more of my homeland. Tasmania is high on my priorities, as is Central Australia. This is an incredible country and I think too often we forget what treasures exist in our backyard.
Aleney de Winter
editor of Holidays with Kids, CARAVAN & CAMPING WITH KIDS
Aleney is an internationally acclaimed freelance editor, writer and photographer, with more than 30 years’ experience in print and online publishing. The recipient of the 2018 PATA Gold Award for Travel Journalism and 2017 ASTW Awards for Excellence Best Family Travel Story, and mother to two frequent flying kids, Aleney is one of Australia’s most experienced and prolific family travel writers.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
The Southern Hemisphere’s highest and most isolated nation, Bolivia has been at the top of my bucket list for many years. Home to some of the oldest, warmest, windiest and steamiest spots in the world, I hope to get there soon.
Andrew Conway
Editor-at-large of Signature Luxury Travel & Style
Andrew is an award-winning journalist with a career spanning 40 years in Australia, the US and England. He was honoured in 2019 with the prestigious Cruise Lines International Association – Australasia Media Award. Working remotely from his new home on the NSW Mid-Coast, Andrew writes regular features and advises on editorial content.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
A luxury tour of India, with a company like Abercrombie & Kent, would be an incomparable experience. India’s architecture, wildlife, rich history and culture create a place like nowhere else on Earth.
Cara Wagstaff
Associate Publisher, Assistant Editor of Holidays with Kids
Cara looks after the marketing and publishing for all of Signature Media’s brands. In her new role as a mum to Poppy and Lena, Cara has enjoyed writing and creating engaging social media content to help other parents. In 2024 she joined the editorial team as the assistant editor of Holidays with Kids magazine.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
Introducing the girls to my love for the snow and ski destinations. The thrill of your first time on skis and the snow town culture, wherever it is in the world. Japan and North America are at the top of our list. For a solo sojourn, I’m dreaming of a guided horse riding adventure, cantering on beaches and meandering through tropical rainforests.
Samantha Rowntree
art director
Samantha recently celebrated her 11-year work anniversary, starting as a production coordinator before moving into a digital manager position. Samantha’s next move was into print and digital design, and built this website in fact! Samantha is responsible for putting out 12 quarterly print issues, 2 annuals, and countless custom digital titles, as well as creating the enticing marketing collateral for all of these.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
To me, the Northern Lights have always sounded like the most spectacular show on Earth. A mysterious, multi-coloured phenomenon where the night sky lights up like a heavenly lava lamp – what could be cooler?
Colleen Hinch
Advertising Consultant
While Colleen’s job title is advertising consultant, she prefers to view her role as a customer development manager, as she finds and maintains business for Signature Media, with our readers’ wants and needs in mind.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
Cuba for its culture, colours and living museum of classic cars. At the moment it’s all change in Cuba, and I desperately want to make it there before tourism makes too large of an impact.
LAURA BARRY
Digital Editor
As a digital editor, Laura focuses on creating analytics-based SEO and social media strategies to grow our audiences across our suite of titles. Originally from Tasmania, Laura lives in Sydney with her husband and two Scottish Folds, Vesper and Binx.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
I'm a big Outlander fan with a love for historic buildings, castles, cobblestone roads and highland cows. Naturally, a sojourn in Scotland is at the top of my travel wish list right now, with Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glen Coe and the Glenfinnan Viaduct topping my to-do list!
Lisa o’brien
production MaNAGER
Lisa joins the Signature Media team, bringing with her a wealth of industry experience. Lisa has worked as a travel agent for MTA (Mobile Travel Agents) and Travel Counsellors, and prior to this owned a business in the hospitality industry. Lisa loves her three pugs – Frankie, Rubbles and Squizzy – and often has extra furry friends staying over, too.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
Life gets terribly busy these days, so I dream of soaking up local culture and the sun as much as I can. Give me the stunning clear waters and beautiful people of the Cook Islands, my family and a delicious cocktail, and I’ll be in heaven.
Helen Hayes
Editor of Ski & Snowboard with Kids, editor-at-large of Vacations & Travel
Helen has been in the media for more years than she cares to remember. A love of travel has seen her experience many wonderful places, meet incredible people and try her hand at new things, but snow continues to be a favourite playground for Helen.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
Seeing more of Australia is part of my plan, with Western Australia and Tasmania top of the list, and to explore the world’s wild places, from forests and mountains to plains, national parks and oceans.
Eleanor Edstrom
Staff writer
Eleanor develops engaging editorial content for Signature Media’s titles, writing everything from snappy news pieces to in-depth travelogues and interview features. Having lived on three continents, she brings a global perspective and genuine curiosity for new cultures. One day, she would like to learn the art of packing light.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
Snow-dusted peaks and glacial lakes have a special hold on me, so hiking Chile’s Torres del Paine region is up there. I’m also a big marine life enthusiast and could definitely die happy after swimming with humpback whales in French Polynesia.
Virginia Shirley
Advertising Consultant
In her role as advertising consultant for Signature Media, Virginia coordinates clients’ advertising needs across print, editorial, social and editorial platforms.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
I would love to go to Kenya to visit Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, located near Nairobi. The perfect day would be a night at Giraffe Manor, where you eat breakfast with the resident giraffes, and then a safari to spot as many other African animals as possible.
Chantal Shirley
Business Development Manager
Chantal has followed in her mum Virginia’s footsteps by joining our sales team and continuing our Mother-Daughter team tradition. Chantal loves to travel, especially seeing the world through the ears of a horse. As a mother she understands the nuances of holidays with kids and loves helping businesses promote what they have to offer to our large national family audience.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
To swap horse ears for reindeer antlers and take my son to the Santa Claus Village in Lapland, Finland. Magical reindeer and sled dog rides through the powdery snow will be a family memory we’ll treasure forever.
Guy Dundas
Editor of LATTE
Guy is tasked with heading editorial and social media content as the managing editor of Signature Media’s industry newsletters, LATTE and LATTE Cruise. Guy has more than 13 years of experience in travel trade media, and was previously the editor of Travel Daily. His travel industry career also includes a decade working for inbound, wholesale and touring companies.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
As an avid cyclist, the Pyrenees scenery on the border of France and Spain has long beckoned. The 17-kilometre Col du Tourmalet is the highest paved mountain pass in the region, frequently visited during the Tour de France. I will have to start training ASAP.
Anne Majumdar
SENIOR EDITOR, LATTE
Anne works alongside LATTE Managing Editor, Guy Dundas, building the travel trade publication’s depth of luxury-specific industry news content, while expanding the title’s reach and frequency.
Rafferty Laight
Kid Editor of Holidays with Kids
The youngest member of the Holidays with Kids team, Rafferty offers a unique voice for kids in the travel space. Rafferty is an accomplished storyteller, interviewer, an experienced international travel television host and a highly regarded public speaker.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
Top of my bucket list? Hmmm, does everywhere, ever count? Choosing just one place is so hard that I’m going to cheat and say Africa, because it is a whole continent. I became a raving fan when I visited South Africa last year. I loved the people, the culture, and the wildlife, so now I’m desperate for more.
Apollo the Burmese
Apollo lives with Lisa and his office duties include boosting morale with regular desk visits in search of pats and his loud meows for food before hunkering down to sleep the day away. Of all of our employees, he is perhaps the most dedicated to his daily tasks.
What’s next on Apollo’s travel wish list?
Next on Apollo's travel list is an escape mission from the office to hunt the far juicier mice of Macquarie Park to his hometown of North Narrabeen.
FRANK THE WHIPPET
Frank belongs to Cara and loves to disrupt everyone’s work day by tearing around the office doing ‘zoomies’. He always makes sure to greet every member of the team in the morning, enjoys a competitive game of tug-of-war and will often be found sitting patiently next to the kitchen at breakfast time, hoping for a crust of toast.
What’s next on Frank’s travel wish list?
At the top of Frank’s bucket list is the next Sydney whippet event, where he can meet his brothers and sisters – and try and outrun them all!