Jean Brandau A native of Huntsville, AlabamaContributed to TripSavvy for over 13 yearsFormer local theater reviewer and judge on FOX-54's "Alabama Idol" contest Experience Jean Brandau was a former writer with TripSavvy. She was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, having moved back to the area after living in Iowa for 30 years.Jean had deep roots in the community. Her great-great-grandfather, Isaiah Dill, was Chancellor for North Alabama during the Civil War. Her great uncle, Alvin Dreger, was instrumental in starting the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and a cousin served as Horticultural Curator at the Huntsville Botanical Garden. All of these family connections added to Jean's interest and depth of knowledge about the Huntsville area.Jean contributed to TripSavvy for over 13 years, writing numerous articles on the Huntsville area for visitors and locals alike. She served as a judge for two years for FOX-54's "Alabama Idol" contest. She was an avid theatre-goer and reviewed hundreds of local and professional theatre productions. Education Jean graduated from Lee High School in Huntsville and Upper Iowa University. About TripSavvy and Dotdash Meredith TripSavvy, a Dotdash Meredith brand, is a travel site written by real experts, not anonymous reviewers. You’ll find that our 20-year-strong library of more than 30,000 articles will make you a savvy traveler—showing you how to book a hotel the whole family will love, where to find the best bagel in New York City, and how to skip the lines at theme parks. We give you the confidence to spend your vacation actually vacationing, not fumbling with a guidebook or second-guessing yourself. Learn more about us and our editorial guidelines.