Joe Chiffriller

Joe is one of the founders of the Chiff.com Directory. If you were wondering where the Chiff in Chiff.com came from - now you know. While he is one of the people that has a say in all company decisions, he still keeps his hand in on the creative side of the business. Refusing a more official title, you'll find that his business cards identify him as the Chiff.com photographer.

Joe started his creative career as a copy writer then took his BFA in illustration and graphic design at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. After working in corporate Web design for nearly a decade, Joe and wife Margaret (see below) decided that the Web was in need of a trusted guide.

In addition to providing most of the photography as well as overseeing the graphics and design teams, Joe regularly meets with the site review teams. You'll also find his work in many of the feature articles in the library credited to the Editorial Team.

Margaret Chiffriller

Margaret is another of the original Chiff.com crew. Along with Joe she is responsible for site management as well as design, photography and editorial content.

When not busy crafting articles and reviewing sites, she can often be found overseeing the ad support and financial teams.

As Editor-in-Chief she works with Joe and Tricia to set the editorial calendar and coordinate the editorial team of writers and freelancers.

Margaret has a BA - Journalism & Education, a Masters - Business Administration... two adult daughters and five grandchildren. She has been working as a freelancer and editor for more than 35 years. Other interests include study and work in alternative education, nursing, financial aid, computer network setup & administration, web design and doctoral level research in cognitive neuropsychology focused on gifted learning.

Patricia Zawel

Tricia has been our 'go to' person since the earliest days of Chiff.com. The team spirit and tenacity that earned her MVP four years in a row in college rugby (yes, we said rugby, she was scrum half) at SUNY Stonybrook keeps projects here on goal.

From ideas on topics to cover and help with coding and computer issues to making sure editorial deadlines are set and met, Tricia's behind the scenes efforts make sure the site runs smoothly. Scouting out and pinning down sources of revenue to make sure that bills are paid seems easy for her... must be that rugby background!

She has a Masters degree in education with a focus on emotional development and gender identity. Her contributions include, but are definitely not limited to: writing articles; reviewing sites; updating code; supervising freelancers and in-house staff - including Joe & Margaret when necessary - and providing inspiration, motivation and organization to Chiff.com. She claims that she is not super woman, but she does all of this while raising two amazing little boys.

The Toy Guru Team:

The Chiff.com Toy Gurus are:

Mary Rose - Chiff.com's chief Toy Guru is a Mommy, a writer and an early childhood educator who believes in learning through play and the value of good toys.

Odette Cabrera, a mother of two with a background in education and child development, brings a Caribbean flair and bilingual skills to our site.

Katrina is a mother of four who also has a background in education and child development.

All share a professional and a very personal interest in toys that are safe, fun, challenging and educational.

Kathleen Bunn

A busy mother of four boys, Kathleen works as a full-time freelance writer from her home in sunny Florida.

Like most of our freelance writers she enjoys a diverse background — before joining the Chiff.com team, she earned an X-ray technician license, a TEFL certificate, and worked as a cab driver for three years. Currently in school to become an elementary English teacher, Kathleen is now pursuing her life's goals, and hopes to one-day work as an English teacher overseas.

A true kid at heart, Kathleen enjoys dancing in the rain, playing with her children's toys, and the simple pleasures that come from loving your life. She brings that energy to her work. In addition to writing for Chiff.com Kathleen contributes to a wide variety of topics for websites, blogs, and magazines. She can be contacted at writersubmissions@hotmail.com.

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James Daniel

James is our youngest writer. He makes time for Chiff.com assignments when he is not in school or busy organizing charity drives to help hurricane victims, spearheading a drive to provide books and stuffed animals to a local children's hospital or practicing the bass.

He lives in New York and contributes to the Weekend Adventures with James & Mom travel section.

Anthony Frank

Anthony, another of Chiff.com's youngest writers, currently attends school in Virginia.

Playing violin and satisfying a deep interest in different cultures and history take up his time when he is not busy writing or attending classes.

He contributes articles on a variety of topics including All About Braille and Summer Safety Tips for Kids. Having just scored his own passport... he plans on adding the teen perspective to the Chiff.com Travel section.

Kathi Merkenich Hart

Another writer with a varied background, Kathi came to Chiff.com after having retired from a career as a teacher and Day Care Director.

Born in Germany, she considered a career as a fashion designer, but decided to focus instead on her second choice... chemistry.

Kathi left Cologne for New York where she put her chemistry degree to work. Marriage and raising six children were a full time job for many years after that... and then she began her teaching career with a degree from Fordham University.

At 83, this great-grandmother is indulging her love of travel, photography and writing. She has a unique perspective on the challenges facing older travelers which she shares with us as the Chiff.com Senior Travel Editor.

Jessica Arriola Marati

Jessica, based in Paris, France, contributes to the travel section with articles on Paris attractions such as the Catacombs, Metro, Batobus and more. She is not limited to covering her home base — see her London Tube and Vatican & Sistine Chapel tourist guides...

Born in San Francisco and raised in the Pacific island of Guam, she caught the travel bug early and has spent most of her life immersing herself in the study of her two heritages, Chamorro and Italian.

Jessica graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in history. As student editor, she overhauled the Student Guide to Princeton and also contributed content to Princeton University official websites. In addition to Chiff.com, she writes regularly for many regional magazines and blogs.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys sampling new cuisine, reading voraciously, scouring budget airline sites for new travel destinations and blogging about her adventures.

She can be reached at jessica.marati@gmail.com.

Patty McEnery

Patty is a retired NYPD sergeant. After attending the Police Academy, she started her career in the Bronx as an officer with the Housing Unit.

After being promoted to sergeant, Patty headed several special teams that brought in a large number of unlicensed guns and other dangerous offenders.

She was injured several times in the line of duty with the final injury forcing her to retire from active duty. Now she shares her years of hands on expertise as a regular contributor to the Chiff.com police & law enforcement section.

Stuart Morris

Stuart is a freelancer who covers both nonfiction and fiction assignments. He is based in Victoria, Canada, where he graduated from the University of Victoria with a BA in Political Science.

His first rate research skills are put to good use crafting much of the content in the Chiff.com Directory Vitamin & Minerals Nutrition Guide — covering Vitamin A through Vitamin K and minerals such as Boron and Molybdenum and other health related articles.

Stuart contributes to several blogs and websites in addition to his work at Chiff.com. When he isn't writing, Stuart experiments in the kitchen, reads wonderful books, and satisfies a deep personal interest in psychology and new media.

Stuart can be reached at stuwashere@gmail.com

Darlene Zagata

Darlene is a freelance writer and editor with a background of training and experience as a medical assistant.

When not writing, Darlene enjoys spending time with her family. She also enjoy relaxing through meditation, watching Sci-fi and spending time outdoors getting in touch with nature.