Liza McQuade was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin – a “Leave It to Beaver” type city along the shores of Lake Michigan. 

Communication of all forms is her passion. McQuade worked in the radio, TV, and film industries for over 30 years, as a news anchor, reporter, producer, writer, public affairs/service director, senior project manager, and location scout. She received numerous awards, including the California Governor’s Commendation for a documentary on illiteracy, and won an Associated Press award for breaking the “Women in the Box” story. She is a trained mediator and led the Oregon Mediation Association as the Executive Director. She loves to share the benefits of talking it out versus duking it out. 

McQuade has always been a spontaneous, free-spirit adventurer. Instead of getting a real job out of college, she backpacked the Appalachian Trail with minimal experience as a hiker. She completed the Portland marathon at age 50 (a bucket list item). She didn’t win, but finished in relatively good shape, except for a monster blister.

She’s travelled extensively: including Argentina, Belize, China, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, all over Europe, Canada, and every corner of the United States. 

She makes it a point to stay in local hotels or with families to make the experience richer. She spent a month living with two different families in Russia, shot a five-part television series in New Zealand, and, while in Guatemala, accepted a 50-mile car ride from some locals – joining six other people, two dogs, and three chickens. Out of college, she spent three winters as a ski host in Jackson Hole, Wyoming - moving there on the spur of the moment – without knowing anyone, having a job or a place to live. She contends these last-minute adventures have been some of the best in her life. 

As a kid, she lived in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England, outside of London, for a summer. She stayed with relatives, played with the neighbor kids, and experienced the sting of nettles for the first time. This did not dissuade her from further travel. 

McQuade loves people from all walks of life. She’s been compared to a black lab, who runs around with a ball meeting new people and seeing who wants to play. At the time of publishing, she has two stepchildren and three grandkids. 

McQuade and her late husband, Clark Campbell, trained for their cross-country bike ride by eating in dozens of restaurants, pairing the meals with amazing wine, and discussing how they were going to get in shape … tomorrow! She’s currently learning to cook and has finally managed to make a few edible dishes. She resides in Portland, Oregon.