Nicole Ruskell
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Communication
Journalism
Storytelling
Multi-media Production
Luxury Translation

COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST
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Communication is about people. Relating to people, understanding their point of view, their culture, and engaging them with kindness, understanding and respect. Whether writing journalistic pieces, interviewing business owners, or describing the most exclusive luxury item, the human touch unites everyone.
I have over 20 years of experience in communication, an expert in digital media, storytelling, and publishing. I have created magazines, websites, videos, podcasts and more, and despite how much the industry has changed and social media has taken dominance, human connection remains the biggest driving force in successful campaigns.
Originally from California, I have lived in Europe for nearly two decades – calling home in Italy, Norway, the UK, and France. Always fascinated by culture and language, travelling the world has opened my eyes to many cultures, many people, and many ways of relating.
Starting in Academic publishing, I followed my passion for writing and pursued a Master’s degree in journalism. From 2015 – 2024, I worked as a journalist and magazine editor in the French Riviera, creating a vast network within the local tourism industry, municipalities, small businesses and the MICE industry. In 2024, I ventured into corporate communication, joining a small team in a large multi-national group, bringing my human touch to the pages of the company magazine.

JOURNALISM

Reporting from the French & Italian ​Riviera

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As a professional journalist and Ambassador of the Côte d'Azur, I covered news and events across the French Riviera and the Principality of Monaco. From the Cannes Film Festival, to the flower fields of Grasse, I have written about the most popular events in the region. I particularly enjoy interviewing chefs, artisan food producers, innovative educators and local artists -- the people who make the French Riviera the fabulous place that it is. I also enjoy interviewing local businesses for advertorials, telling the story of the person behind the business. 

In 2018, I took over as Editor-in-Chief of Riviera Insider magazine, an incredible position that took me behind the scenes of the most exclusive events in the French Riviera. It was heartbreaking when the company couldn't continue post-Covid and shut down all the magazines. After that, I created Bon Vivant Mag, an online magazine to continue sharing the biggest events, openings and news around the Riviera. 

​My articles can found in Riviera Insider Magazine, Palaces, Dolce Design, Monaco Economie, HelloMonaco, Italy Magazine and Bon Vivant Mag.
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TRANSLATIONS

Luxury Translation

As a native English speaker and trained journalist, my expertise in translation goes beyond the basic word-for-word exchange. Professional and luxury publications need a certain finesse to express the same sentiment in English. Translating from French, in particular, is difficult because the natural poetry of the language doesn't make sense in English. It therefore needs re-writing in a professional context geared towards the discerning readers of your target market.
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I have translated texts for HelloMonaco, Palaces, Michael Zingraff catalogues, Archiman cosmetics and the Hotel Martinez.
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If you need your website, magazine, menu, manuscript or professional material translated to high standard of English, please contact me to discuss. 
To contact me for translations, click here.

FOUNDER
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Bon Vivant Mag

A brand new website for those who live well!
Bon Vivant Mag brings you the best of what's going on in the French Riviera and beyond. From great restaurants & bars, to art exhibitions and interviews with  business owners, find the stories that help make you a 
Bon Vivant! 
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Riviera Insider 

​From 2018 - 2021, I ran the
#1 English-language luxury lifestyle magazine for the French Riviera. It covered everything from art and culture to gourmet and all the events not to miss. Post-Covid, the magazine was discontinued in December of 2021.  
See portfolio for links to online issues


PERSONAL  PROJECTS

Wellness Podcast

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"Nourishing Conversation with Nicole & Christine" was a podcast project in 2022 to build connections within the health & wellness community in the South of France and beyond. Our mission was to bring together like-minded individuals who share our passion for healthy and balanced living, by nourishing the mind, body, soul and the planet.

With a background in holistic nutrition and a certified Culinary Nutrition Expert, I join Christine, a registered nutritional therapist and Pilates and Barre instructor. Christine is also a specialist in natural hormone health. Together, we will discuss important nutrition, ways to stay healthy and balanced (balance includes fun and enjoyment!) while interviewing people who have created businesses in the field.

From organic microgreens to Kombucha and biodynamic wine to healthy desserts, we'll bring you a fascinating group of natural entrepreneurs!
Listen below, or watch our videos on YouTube here.

Listen on Acast below, or on Spotify, Apple and Deezer.


The Nourish Report

The Nourish Report is a new website devoted to traditional, organic and biodynamic food production. We cover news and current events on food policy, EU agricultural legislation, environmental news and updates on organic regulation. In addition, we feature an 'Artisan Spotlight', showcasing traditional artisans producing goods according to ancient traditions. We interview farmers, winemakers, cheese makers, traditional confectioners and more.
​Stay up to date with the Nourish Report Twitter feed: @NourishReport
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Food News

Featuring articles on food policy across the world, focusing on the latest EU legislation. Topics covered will include agricultural policy, recent food and nutrition research, organic farming news, and more.
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Environment

From global warming to the widespread use of pesticides and the record loss of bees, wildlife and flora, this section will cover new developments, scientific findings and those making a difference.

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Artisan Spotlight

Interviews with farmers and artisans producing products according to age-old traditions. Here we honour their work, sacrifice, and dedication to natural practices that honour tradition and the earth. 
 

EDITING

Copy and Developmental Editing

From manuscripts and academic articles, to online features and news reports. I specialise in editing non-native English text, careful to maintain the author's original voice, and can tackle everything from simple copy-editing to intensive, structural and developmental editing. ​Being tri-lingual aids in editing non-native English articles. This gives me a better understanding of sometimes strange grammatical layout or the point lost within a complex sentence structure. I have restructured articles originally written in French, Russian, and Chinese. 

My training in copyright and media law is very useful in editing online news content, to assure stories are free from potential lawsuits over copyright infringement or defamation. 

​​Publications I have edited for include: HelloMonaco, Riviera Insider, Alternative Spirituality & Religion Review, Alternative Spirituality, The Wuhan Journal of Cultic Studies and other academic manuscripts.
To contact me for editing, click here.

MY CREED

Travel, health & wellness, organic food, 
​and the preservation of the planet. 

​These are the topics I feel passionately about. Whether explaining a revolt in Sicily, reporting from the UK's general election, spreading the word about devastating floods in the Cinque Terre, covering charity refugee organisations in the French Riviera, or just sharing Italian recipes, I bring my unique perspective on European current events. 

​I have a Master's degree in journalism, certification in Culinary Nutrition, and numerous interviews with artisan natural food growers, I recently started a health & wellness podcast with a Certified Nutritionist, Pilates and Extend Barre instructor, Christine Kjeldbjerg called, "Nourishing Conversation with Nicole & Christine". 
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CERTIFICATION
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Culinary Nutrition​ Expert

This 13-week program focuses on the nutrition of food, understanding ingredients, creating healthy recipes and provides the tools for getting out in the world to share this great knowledge. Even though I have studied nutrition for most of my life, I found this program educational, rewarding and fun. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves cooking and is interested in living a healthier life. 
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Learn more about the CNE program

ACADEMIC WORK

​International conferences

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2016 Conference on Frontier Topics in Religious Studies, China
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2015 Political Studies Association Conference, UK


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​Working with Academic Publishing has combined my research on Media studies and religious studies to discuss how the media interacts and reports on various New Religious Movements. I presented a paper on media strategies, propaganda, and current challenges for journalists at Wuhan University in China.



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​My interest in democracy and Italian politics led me to present a paper with the Italian Politics Specialist Group at the PSA conference in Brighton, UK. I presented a paper on new media and social media's role in the future of democracy.

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BLOGOSPHERE

Blogging an Italian life

In 2010, I started ​Cultural Comments, a blog devoted to my adventures in culture, food and curiosities I encountered in my daily life in Italy, and throughout Europe. 

In 2011, the village of Vernazza, was devastated by a landslide after a day of intense torrential downpour. Severed from the rest of the world, I realised it was up to me to write about the tragedy. I continued to provide updates on the village's progress as they rebuilt. And thus began my path to journalism...
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FROM THE BLOG
Every adventure is worthwhile. -Amelia Earhart
* All content copyright nicoleruskell.com 2023
Copyright © 2015
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  • Portfolio
    • CV
  • Contact
  • Websites
    • Bon Vivant Mag
    • Academic Publishing
    • Cultural Comments