Nina Ruggiero, Patch Staff

<b>Email </b>nina.ruggiero&#64;patch.com

<b>Phone </b>516-462-3407

<b>Welcome video </b>http://patch.com/A-CCZ 

<b>Hometown </b>Mineola, N.Y.

<b>Birthday </b>Nov. 7

<b>Bio </b>

Nina graduated in May 2010 from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Honors in News-Journalism. During her time in Miami she was Assistant News Editor of the Miami Hurricane Newspaper, worked as an art reporter for the Miami Herald International Edition and started a brand new newspaper for the Coconut Grove Village West neighborhood.   

Nina entered Long Island journalism in 2008 as an intern at Long Island Pulse Magazine and continued on to work for Newsday&#39;s Explore-LI web team, specializing in the coverage of beaches all over the island.

An alumna of the Wheatley School in Old Westbury, Nina grew up and currently resides in Mineola, less than 10 miles from Levittown. Her favorite activities (other than providing Levittown residents with the best news coverage around) are traveling, painting, writing, exercising and rooting for the Yankees.

<b>Your Beliefs</b><br> At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.<br> <br> <b>Politics </b><br> How would you describe your political beliefs?<br> Are you registered with a certain party?

I am a registered Republican, but I consider myself moderate and open-minded.<br> <br> <b>Religion</b><br> How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)

I am Roman Catholic.

<b>Local Hot-Button Issues</b><br> What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?

There are many issues that Levittown faces every day, all of which are important. Being extremely family-oriented and home to both the Levittown and Island Trees School Districts, keeping education up to the highest standards is something that is constantly being worked on as a top priority.

Where do you stand on each of these issues?

I think that with two dedicated school boards and very involved parents and teachers, all of Levittown&#39;s schools are on the right track. I hope that with proper coverage of the issues by Levittown Patch, even more residents will get involved with improving our school programs and our community as a whole.