Lauren Himiak is a freelance writer and editor living in New York City.

As a full-time health editor and freelancer for About.com, Lauren keeps busy. She has worked as a news reporter, radio host, and has been published in various newspapers, magazines, and websites. She also spends time volunteering locally and internationally.

Lauren holds a Bachelor's in Professional Writing & Communications from the State University College of New York in Cortland.

Always eager to visit new places and try new things, I set a personal goal to visit every National Park in the United States. Collecting a patch at each park went from a great excuse to go camping to recognizing the importance of preserving the nation's land. I love the excitement and challenge of learning about a new destination and I hope I will always appreciate just how vast the world is.