WORDSWORTH
PURVEYORS OF FINE PHRASES
Meet Genine Babakian,
Wordsworth founder
Many years ago, when I was working as a reporter in Moscow, I had the pleasure of writing a weekly newspaper column on language, called Wordsworth. The title stuck with me, as did the delight of turning a phrase. You might say that Wordsworth, Purveyors of Fine Phrases, is the result of a twenty-year journey in which the written word – whether in the form of a speech at the UN or an ode delivered at a retirement party – has been front and center.
I’ve written across formats – features, news stories and columns for daily papers; blog posts ranging from healthcare to young child development; speeches and reports for UN agencies and NGOs; advocacy and marketing materials. Jumping from one topic to the next is part of the territory, and I enjoy delving in to new subject areas.
What clients say about Genine Babakian
“Genine cares about language and it shows in her work. An excellent wordsmith.” Jehane Sedky, Senior Adviser, Office of Paul Farmer, Office of the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser On Community Based Medicine and Lessons from Haiti
“Genine has revived reports we thought would never see the light of day, turning out a fantastic product. She is the person you want in the room when a project has hit a snag. Genine takes real pride in her work and she is a pleasure to work with.” Liza Barrie, Chief of Civil Society Partnerships, UNICEF.
“Genine's support drafting a series of think pieces to strengthen the position of children without parental care within the post-2015 development agenda process was invaluable. Her ability to manage input from multiple team members and keep the group focused and goal oriented helped deliver a finished product that exceeded expectations.” Barbara Ammirati, SOS Children’s Villages International.
“Genine has helped me edit academic texts for journals as well as conference presentations. I have relied on her expertise for many years. Her ability to navigate academic texts and terminology, to translate complicated language into clear prose, is remarkable.” Tatiana Intigrinova, Social and Environmental Anthropologist, FSU Research and Policy Development Coordinator at Oxfam, Moscow.
“An excellent professional. She is a very good negotiator and a calm and responsible manager. She handles pressure well and always delivers within the established deadline. Among her greatest strengths is her ability to draft interesting, accessible and accurate material about technical and complex issues.” Chris de Bono, Regional Chief of Communication, UNICEF Bangkok.