Sam is an Okanagan local with a deep love for the outdoors and small-town charm. She’s the writer behind Explore the Map, a travel blog that explores hidden gems, scenic adventures, and memorable getaways throughout British Columbia and beyond. Her stories are all about helping others discover places they might have otherwise missed.
Sara is a Winnipeg-based content spinner, brand strategist and philanthropist. Her writing has covered topics ranging from home design and personal finance to community, culture, and adventure travel in Canada's North. She seeks to find and tell stories that enlighten as much as they entertain.
Sarah Doktor brings her experience as a small-town journalist and national online editor to the Canadian Real Estate Association as a Communications Advisor. Sarah helps facilitate conversations between CREA and our members, boards, associations and the public via our online communities. She also helps coordinate the content presented to you here on the CREA Café. In her spare time, Sarah can be found at the gym, running on a trail or watching Netflix with her cat, Libby.
Sarah Houghton is a copywriter based in Ottawa covering topics from home design to community features and has contributed to Canadian home and destination publications. As a city girl relocated to the country, she quickly became familiar with the ins and outs of old farmhouse restoration and is fearless with a drill. With big dreams of owning an old townhome with original hardwood flooring, she’s inspired by the juxtaposition of modern trends with traditional home design.
Scott McGillivray’s passion lies in educating people to make smart investment and renovation decisions and how to succeed in the uber-competitive world of real estate. Scott has been a top-rated HGTV star in the U.S. and Canada since 2008, starring in more than 300 episodes of television, and is best known as the star and award-winning Executive Producer of HGTV hit series’ “Income Property”, “Moving the McGillivrays”, "Buyers Bootcamp" and most recently, “Scott's Vacation House Rules”.
Formerly an operations manager with Kodak, Scott is 15 years into a second career as a freelance content creator – writing, photographing, and recording music for television. Stuck somewhere between minimalist and maximalist tastes, he loves the history of design, even if he can’t quite establish his own.
Sean is the Managing Director of Livabl.com, a digital home buyer hub that helps aspiring purchasers learn about their local real estate markets, from economic trends shaping housing to new condo projects coming to nearby neighbourhoods. Equal parts experienced writer and digital marketing strategist, Sean currently resides in Toronto where he’s involved with a number of real estate industry and city-building initiatives.
WanderingInYYC, created by Shabina and Adi, is Calgary’s go-to guide for discovering the best the city has to offer. From hidden gems to must-try eats and unique experiences, they bring Calgary to life through authentic and engaging content.
Sharmila Perera is an immigration specialist and international recruiter by profession. She has successfully established her own business Ann Arbour Consultants with offices in Canada and internationally in Asia and Dubai. She's passionate about writing, designing living spaces and traveling to exotic destinations.
Shaun Bernstein is the owner and Chief Storyteller of The Write Stuff Agency, based in Oshawa, Ontario. A journalist and lawyer by training, he focuses on helping business and professionals tell their stories better in a way that keeps their clients reading. Shaun's own story includes playing copious amounts of trivia, and a lot of half-finished home improvement projects.