About Us
Meet the Team
The Agency
Since 2011, The Culture-ist has been a trusted creative partner for brands in travel, wellness, food, and social impact. We craft powerful narratives through evocative storytelling, striking visuals, and strategic marketing campaigns—recognized by Forbes as a “Must-Follow Marketing Mind."
Our services span high-impact content creation and marketing collateral, including editorial copywriting, blog development, photography, film production, social media strategy, and full website and brand design. We also guide clients through brand strategy and development, helping them define their voice, sharpen their positioning, and build cohesive identities that stand out in a crowded market.
Rooted in the principles of brand journalism, we uncover and shape the stories that reveal a brand’s soul—transforming mission and values into narratives that captivate and inspire. We specialize in lifestyle campaigns that resonate with audiences in ways that are authentic, innovative, and deeply engaging.
At The Culture-ist, our mission is to cultivate enduring partnerships and deliver creative work that sparks connection and drives positive change.
The Magazine
The Culture-ist is a digital magazine dedicated to sustainable travel, social good, environmental awareness, and holistic wellness. We inspire readers to explore the world, give back, and live well. Our work has been featured and syndicated by leading outlets, including Architectural Digest, National Geographic, VOGUE, Forbes, Inc., Eater, BBC America, Business Insider, and The Huffington Post, reaching a global audience of more than 100 million.
Please send pitches to [email protected]
Maria Russo
Co-founder, Editor, Photographer
Maria Russo is a photographer, writer, and editor whose work has appeared in Architectural Digest, People Magazine, Forbes, National Geographic, Inc., BBC America, The Huffington Post, LensCulture, Sony Alpha, and VII Photo Agency, among others. She is a regular contributor to National Geographic Your Shot and was a finalist in the 2022 Nature Conservancy Photo Contest.
Driven by a passion for exploring humanity’s relationship with the natural world, Russo has traveled extensively to document the intersection of culture, environment, and human impact. These experiences inspired her to collaborate with global brands on strategic storytelling projects that showcase corporate social responsibility, sustainable travel, food and design, holistic wellness, climate resilience, and gender-responsive economic initiatives. Previously, as a columnist for Inc., Russo profiled influential female leaders driving social change. Her journalism career includes interviews with icons such as Janet Jackson, Walter Cronkite, Sally Field, Martin Sheen, and Glenn Close for People Magazine, as well as early roles in television, print, and broadcast media with Harper’s Bazaar and MTV Networks.
In 2014, Russo began documenting the lives of women farmers in Rwanda, examining how poverty and food insecurity intertwine with the climate and health crises. Over the next seven years, she focused on women-led tree-based agriculture and permagardening initiatives, working in Consultative Status with the United Nations through her organization Humanity Unified International. Her work continues to illuminate why women are disproportionately affected by climate change.
Russo also developed a graduate-level course with Susanne Althoff, former editor-in-chief of The Boston Globe Magazine, for Emerson College: “Topics in Writing and Publishing: Writing and Editing for TheCultureist.com.”
Check out Maria's imagery on Maria Russo Photography and on Instagram: @MariaaAugust @humanityunified
Anthony Russo
Co-founder
Anthony is a documentary + lifestyle photographer, videographer, web designer, + humanitarian. His work with The Culture-ist has been featured by Architectural Digest, Forbes, National Geographic, BBC America, The Huffington Post, Out of the Sandbox, and a long list of luxury hotel and lifestyle brands.
You can find his imagery on The Culture-ist, Life Dezigned and on Instagram:@lifedezigned @thecultureist
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