Dr. Llewellyn “Lew” Toulmin was born in Mobile, Alabama, the son of Harry and Mary Toulmin of Mobile, and is a direct descendant of Judge Harry Toulmin (1766-1823), one of the founding fathers of Alabama. Lew is a travel columnist, advisor to foreign governments, and adventurer. He is the author of the non-fiction book, The Most Traveled Man on Earth.

Lew Toulmin aloft (left in white hat) in mid-Pacific, aboard the brigantine Soren Larsen

Lew regularly writes travel columns for International Travel News and the Montgomery Sentinel (of Maryland). He has traveled to over 135 countries and 40 other semi-sovereign territories, and has worked in 30 less-developed countries on over 50 projects for the World Bank and US Agency for International Development on projects in telecommunications, disaster relief, public administration and e-government. His most recent professional project was helping the World Bank design an $80 million loan package to Vietnam in the area of e-government and telecommunications reform. His most recent adventures included serving as co-leader of the Search for Steve Fossett Expedition, being a founder of the volunteer Missing Aircraft Search Team (MAST), and assisting in the successful family and MAST search for Cessna N2700Q, missing in Arizona for over two years. Formerly, Lew was the Chairman of the Section on Emergency and Crisis Management of the American Society for Public Administration. Lew holds a Ph.D. in public administration and economics from American University in Washington, DC, an MPA from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, and a BA in sociology and political science from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Based on his re-discovery and documentation of the real “Bali Hai” from South Pacific and on his other work and explorations overseas, Dr. Toulmin was elected to the prestigious Explorers Club (headed until his death in 2008 by Sir Edmund Hillary, the conqueror of Mt. Everest). Lew is a member of the Cosmos Club, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Commerce and Manufactures (the RSA), and a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (the Knights Templar).

Lew Toulmin at the helm of the tall ship Soren Larsen, off the coast of the real “Bali Hai”

Lew is also a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, the Jamestowne Society, and numerous other heritage organizations. He is the Governor General of the Hereditary Order of the Descendants of the Loyalists and Patriots of the American Revolution, Vice President of the Hereditary Order of the Families of the Presidents and First Ladies of America, and is an officer in several other lineage societies.

Lew and his wife Susan Little Toulmin (formerly of the Library of Congress) live in Silver Spring, Maryland and Fairhope, Alabama.