Barbara Theisen

Barbara Theisen is a fulltime editor, writer and photographer with over 20 years of freelance experience and with writing credits in such top national publications as Reader's Digest, Family Fun and Family Circle. She's been published in nearly every national sailing magazine including Cruising World, Sail, Latitudes & Attitudes, Good Old Boat and Mad Mariner. She also enjoyed many years as a columnist for Coastal Boating, Coastal Cruising and Home Education Magazine and was the Contributing Live Aboard Editor at Northern Breezes. She's had over 300 articles published and has written and edited press releases, brochures, newsletters, and web copy for a variety of companies and individuals. Barbara's work has been published in over 30 regional and specialty magazines including Sea, Heartland Boating, Boating for Women, Children's Digest and Chickadee, as well as in a variety of newspapers across the country.  The Associated Press has picked up her articles for national distribution and her writing is featured in Disney's Family Fun Crafts Book.

As the editor at Seven Seas Cruising Association, Barbara edits dozens of submissions each month from members cruising the world. These submissions come from both professional and non-professional writers. Her 22 years of live aboard and cruising experience, together with her writing and editing skills, allows her to polish these submissions for publication in the SSCA Commodores' Bulletin without losing the writer's voice. Barbara also compiled, edited, designed and published Seven Seas Potluck Favorites--A Cookbook by Cruisers for Cruisers. 

She is a member of Boating Writer's International and was honored with a John Southam Award, 2006 Certificate of Merit.

Barbara's photography has appeared on the covers of Good Old Boat and Northern Breezes magazines (where she has had the honor of seeing her work on the cover over a dozen times). Her photography has also been published in Cruising World, Latitudes & Attitudes, Coastal Boating, Coastal Cruising, Mad Mariner, Family Fun and more.

Graduated magna cum laude from Mankato State University, Barbara also received a scholarship, based on her writing skills, to attend the University of Wisconsin School of the Arts.
Barbara and her husband, Tom, have been living aboard and cruising for the past 22 years. They raised their two daughters, Kate and Kenna, aboard their sailboat, Out of Bounds. They are currently in the Florida Keys.