Mo Isu is a writer, audio producer and sound artist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He covers character-led stories about climate, mental health, ethics and the human experience. He was a 2023 participant in the École Nationale Supérieure Louis-Lumière Sound Documentary Summer Program. Mo freelances as a contributing audio producer. For Radio Workshop, Mo has worked on two stories, and counting.

Alphonce Shiundu is the pioneer Kenya editor of Africa Check, the continent’s leading independent, non-partisan organisation that corrects false or misleading information and inculcates honesty and accountability in public debate. He previously worked as a journalist at Kenya’s biggest media house The Nation Media Group and as an editor at the oldest media house, The Standard Group Plc. He has expertise in fact-checking research, open-source intelligence, digital multimedia journalism, development communication, political communication and publishing technologies.

Wambui Wamunyu (PhD) is a Kenyan-based university lecturer and researcher who received her doctorate in Media Studies from Daystar University in Nairobi. She has conducted qualitative and mixed methods research studies in areas including disinformation, gender and media, and Internet governance. A former journalist, she also engages in scholarship focused on legacy media’s use of digital technologies in journalism practice.

Jennifer Ochieng is a film/TV publicist and film journalist with 9 years experience in the film and TV industry in Kenya. She has previously worked as a Digital Communication Specialist at MultiChoice for both DStv and GOtv brands, and at Kenya Red Cross as a Digital App Editor. Currently, she is a PR & Publicity Consultant for Showmax. She also does independent film publicity, her biggest one to date being Reuben Odanga’s drama Nafsi which became the first Kenyan film to run for eight consecutive weeks in cinemas when it was released in 2021. She’s also the founder and editor of Sinema Focus, a first-of-its kind film and TV platform in Kenya.

Caroline Kimeu is the Guardian’s East Africa Correspondent. She has covered stories on human rights, development, climate, women and technology across the region. She has reported on the impacts of Kenya’s online misogynistic networks on women, the legacy of British colonialism, climate impacts across the Horn of Africa, the forceful evictions of indigenous communities in Kenya and Tanzania, and the series of content moderator lawsuits against Meta. She holds degrees in law and journalism from Kenyatta University, Harvard and Columbia.

Bilal Randeree is Africa Director of Media Development Investment Fund, a mission-driven investment fund providing debt and equity financing to independent news and information companies. Bilal has more than 10 years’ experience in business, tech and media. He served as CEO of QatarLiving.com, the largest website focused on Qatar, providing news, information, social networking, and classified listings. From 2010, Bilal was Social Media Manager and Online Editor at Al Jazeera, where he led product development of new online tools, and developed and executed a strategy to introduce social media platforms and tools to the newsroom. He has also worked at KPMG as Manager in Transaction Services, making full use of his Chartered Accountant (CPA equivalent) qualification. He holds a post-graduate qualification in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Auditing from University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Oluwamayowa Idowu is a Nigerian journalist, media entrepreneur, and lawyer. He works as the editor-in-chief of Culture Custodian- a popular culture website with varied digital assets that reach a significant audience in the West African youth demographic.  As a writer and content producer, he has documented important cultural stories like the rise of Afro beats and Nollywood, Big Brother’s cultural cache, the Nigerian struggles of South African businesses, and Nigeria’s soft power potential.

Emily Wanja uses storytelling to drive social change. She works in collaboration with organisations, people and communities that imagine a more just world is possible. She is an award-winning Impact producer for the campaign ‘We Can Fight Climate Change’ for the international feature documentary, ‘Thank you for the Rain’. She has previously worked with numerous TV networks as a producer. In conjunction with Docubox, she worked with policymakers across national and county governments, private stakeholders, funders, civil society, and communities, using film as a tool for advocacy. She’s a former member of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund Advisory Council, and is on the Global Impact Producers Alliance Transitional Committee. She is the Climate Story Lab Africa Lead. Emily Wanja works at Doc Society as the director of African Programmes.

Moina Spooner has extensive online media experience as an editor, journalist and researcher. She has a BA in African Government and Politics and an MSc in Development Economics. She has previously worked for Africa Review (The Nation Media Group) and Mail & Guardian Africa based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Toni Kamau is a 2024 Sundance Institute | Amazon MGM Studios Producer Awardee, News Emmy, PGA and Peabody nominated writer, producer and founder of the production company “We are not the machine”, which develops and produces factual and fiction content – features, episodic series and podcasts. Recent feature projects include the Emmy nominated, multiple award winning “Softie”, directed by Sam Soko, which premiered at Sundance 2020 and “I am Samuel”, directed by Pete Murimi, which screened at BFI London Film Festival 2020 and streamed for free across Africa in 2021. Toni is currently working on a feature on climate change, a limited true crime documentary series, as well as a number of feature projects in development. 

​​Abdi Latif Dahir is the East Africa Correspondent for The New York Times. He was previously the regional reporter for Quartz and the United Press International and has covered everything from geopolitics and fashion to literature and technology for publications including Al Jazeera, The Guardian, The Africa Report, Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper and more. He was a 2018 Dag Hammarskjöld fellow at the United Nations. He graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the United States International University-Africa and holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Lebogang Maphada is a Senior Investment Officer at MDIF where she actively manages portfolio projects in the Africa and MENA region. She uses her expertise in investment, consulting and asset management to support the growth of MDIF’s portfolio in the region. She has worked in Investment Banking, Private Equity, Asset Management, and Private Wealth Investment Management, working in both primary and secondary markets across sub-Saharan Africa for more than 14 years. Before joining MDIF in 2022, she worked at Circle Capital Global, IPRO Investments and Dalberg Global Advisors. Her educational background is in Finance and includes a Bachelor of Finance. She/he is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and speaks Shona, Setswana and English.

CEO of Dataphyte is a media innovation and data for development entrepreneur with 15 years of experience working on data and investigative journalism, civic innovation, and media development in Africa. As the founder of Dataphyte, a social impact organization, Joshua leads a team that provides businesses, governments, and development organizations with data access, insight, and hyperlocal research.

Wale Lawal is an LSE, Oxford and Harvard- trained researcher and the founder of The Republic, a digital media startup providing Africa-focused journalism and digital media solutions. He is also the editor-in-chief of The Republic’s award-winning magazine covering news, debates and ideas on politics, culture, science and more from a Nigerian lens. In 2022, The Republic became the first Nigerian magazine to win the Google News Initiative Innovation Challenge. Previously, Wale led research at Harvard Business School’s Africa Research Center, producing research on companies and business environments across sub-Saharan Africa and case studies taught in HBS and at business schools worldwide.

Zenzele Ndebele is a journalist, and entrepreneur, and  is the director and founder of the Center for Innovation and Technology based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. He has over 20 years of working experience in journalism. Last year, CITE started experimenting with AI and developed an AI presenter called Alice. 

Sarah is an ecologist by training but her work has always focused on the intersection of social justice, sustainability and most recently journalism. She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees through Wits University (Johannesburg) where her Masters research examined the roles of local traditional and democratic leaders in regulating firewood harvesting in rural communities in South Africa. After several years in ecology-focused roles, her career went in an unexpected direction when she became the Programme Coordinator in the Policy Unit of Media Monitoring Africa, a media non-profit based in South Africa. After leading MMA’s 2019 Elections project, Sarah started freelancing as a research consultant in the development sector. In October 2020, she took up the role of Project Lead for the Africa Data Hub, a project that is being spearheaded by Open Cities Lab that seeks to lower the barriers that African journalists face in accessing and using data in their stories about health and socio-economic development.

Faith Oneya is a media practitioner, gender activist, creative storyteller, certified career coach, and content strategist. She's one of the curators of the Media, Communications, and PR Jobs online platforms on LinkedIn, Twitter (X), and Spotify.

Felista Wangari is a media practitioner and mentor with expertise in producing data-driven gender, health and science content. She is passionate about empowering media and communications professionals and is one of the curators of the Media,

Eunice Kilonzo is a multi-award-winning Communications and (Social) Media Specialist,  currently a Manager, Media Relations and Strategic Communications at GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance in Geneva. Her previous roles include Content Generation Manager at Safaricom PLC, Comms and advocacy consultant at the World Health Organisation in Geneva and in various writing and comms roles at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) HQ in Nairobi and Geneva.

Esther Kiragu is a dedicated Media and Communications professional with more than a decade of storytelling prowess. She is a trained journalist whose passion for amplifying women's voices shines through as the editor of the international digital award-winning series, #KenyaWomenSeries. Having served as the Associate Editor at Parents magazine, Esther spearheaded the publication’s content development strategy, catering to diverse multi-cultural audiences.

Ngare Kariuki is a Communications Specialist working in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights sector with a bias towards gender justice. He is also a former journalist at the Daily Nation (Nation Media Group) where, beside reporting on general news, spent quite a large chunk of his time penning human-interest feature stories. Ngare is currently the director of Red Planet PR, a communications agency that works across East Africa to help tell stories that seek to improve the human condition by amplifying the rights, dignity, and agency of women and gender minorities.

Allan Cheboi is Code for Africa’s Investigative Manager at the iLAB & ANCIR. He leads a team of forensic data scientists/analysts and technologists spread across ten African countries, proficient in three international languages (Arabic, English, and French). Prior to joining CfA, Allan served as a cybercrime investigator and forensic audit manager at KPMG. At iLAB, Allan heads the network analysis investigations, focusing on disinformation, hate speech, and influence operations, including Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour (CIB) and organised crime networks in Africa. Leveraging Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and media monitoring tools, his team uncovers extremist messaging on social media, identifies hate speech and disinformation targeting African elections, tracks religious extremist content online, examines human trafficking syndicates' use of social media, and investigates digital propaganda across Africa by foreign states.”

Nirali Patel is an Investigative Data Analyst with the iLAB team at Code for Africa. She is currently a candidate for a Masters degree in Data Science from University of Chester (UK) and holds a Bachelor’s degree, with honours, in Applied Computer Technology from United States International University (USIU), Kenya. Nirali had previously worked with the European Union Election Observation Mission to Kenya 2022, as a Social Media Monitor. She currently uses data science and Social Media Intelligence Techniques (SOCMINT) and Open Source Intelligence Techniques (OSINT) to investigate cases of disinformation, information interference and manipulation and hate speech in Africa. 

Angela Ulunma Agoawike is a journalist, diplomat and founder of Omalicha Media Network, owners of the Omalicha 91.1FM in Owerri, Imo State. She is currently a member of the judging panel of the South African-based Sanlam Award for Excellence in Financial Journalism and also coordinates the Abuja-based Journalism and Development Seminars Initiative, (JADESeminars). In the course of her journalism career, Angela garnered extensive experience reporting on human and democratic rights, media rights and media law reform in West Africa including Nigeria, Ghana, and Burkina Faso.

Mustapha Ahmed is the Head of Production at Lavun Community Radio. A fellow at the Center for media and Society. He has been serving his community for the past nine years by providing a voice to the voiceless through consultancy on effective measures for building community-based radio stations. His hobbies include producing movie scripts, participating in track events, and playing volleyball.

Ikechukwu is Co-founder and CEO of Ikeja Record. Ikechukwu a former reporter at The Guardian Newspaper. As a communication expert, his interests cut across non-profit, public, and private enterprises.

Lesedi Mogoatlhe is the Editor and Host of the Radio Workshop podcast. She worked with the organisation for several years training youth in radio production across Africa. She trained Radio Workshop’s first podcast project with LGBTI+ activists and organizations in Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. Today, she continues to design curriculum, train and mentor young journalists in podcasting and storytelling. Lesedi harnessed her storytelling skills in TV and Film, where she worked for over 15 years in the industry. She received her MA in documentary filmmaking from Sussex University in the UK. She also works as a Coach with a qualification in Integral Coaching from UCT Graduate School Of Business.

Eliza Anyangwe is Managing Editor of As Equals, CNN’s multi-award-winning gender inequality reporting team, and co-founder of The Gender Beat, a collaborative project to promote nuanced, impactful gender journalism and build a supportive community for those who produce it, particularly in the Majority World. Before joining CNN in Feb 2021, she was Managing Editor of The Correspondent, a platform for constructive, member-funded, ad-free journalism. Eliza has spoken about gender, journalism or international development on stages from SXSW to TED Global; has written for Open Democracy, Al Jazeera and the FT, and has appeared on Newsnight, BBC World Service, PRI’s The World and Our Body Politic, among others. She is a contributing author to Africa’s Media Image in the 21st Century, published by Routledge.

Dan Aceda is the founder and CEO of SemaBOX Africa’s largest podcast producer and plug and play facility. He is a Kenyan thinker, artiste and creative entrepreneur who has worked in music, film and theatre. His current work centers around building platforms to serve creators. 

Ivor Price is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Food For Mzansi Group in South Africa. He has won multiple awards for his work in journalism. While his heart lies in niche media, he goes beyond reshaping narratives. In 2023, he was among a hand-picked cohort of media executives completing a post-graduate qualification in journalism innovation at the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in this field, his commitment to pushing the boundaries of media is complemented by his global influence as a media trainer and speaker.

Simon Ng'ang'a is the Head of Product Distribution & Accessibility at Senses Hub, an innovation hub dedicated to fostering inclusivity and empowering individuals with disabilities. With a strong background in Architectural Studies, Simon's passion for inclusive design and Assistive Technologies drives his commitment to enhancing the accessibility and affordability of these technologies across Africa. Recognizing the significant gaps in access within the continent, he leads his department in forging strategic partnerships aimed at bridging these divides. Simon's work at Senses Hub is underpinned by his academic pursuits in Architectural Studies and Data Science, where he explores the intersection of data with inclusive design to ensure Assistive Technologies meet the real needs of their users.

Ken Kiunga is a Teaching Fellow at Google News Initiative. He trains journalists and students across Africa on digital tools useful for finding, verifying and telling stories. He has previously worked as a journalist for 12 years in broadcast, print and digital platforms.

Laila Macharia is Co-Founder and Chair of the Africa Digital Media Institute (ADMI).  Headquartered in Nairobi, ADMI is Eastern Africa’s premier learn-and-work creative technology community, which over the last decade, has trained over 5,000 students from some 30 different countries. A serial entrepreneur and investor, Macharia serves on the boards of the Aspen Institute's Africa Initiative, Absa Life Assurance and Centum, the latter listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. Admitted to practise law in Kenya as well as Maryland and New York, Macharia holds a B.A. in Planning & Public Policy from the University of Oregon, a JD and LL.M from Cornell University and a doctorate in law from Stanford University, all in the United States.

Patrick Gathara is the Senior Editor for Inclusive Storytelling at The New Humanitarian where he focuses on decolonising coverage of humanitarian crises and challenging some of the Western-centric narrative habits of traditional journalism. Patrick is known for his commentaries and cartoons published in Al Jazeera, The Star (Kenya), The Washington Post, and The Elephant. He was previously curator-in-chief of The Elephant.

Lydia Namubiru, the Editor-in-Chief of The Continent, is a Ugandan journalist, writer and researcher. She previously worked as Africa editor for UK-based openDemocracy supervising investigations into organised opposition to women's and LGBTIQ people's rights on the continent. Prior to that she reported, produced and wrote for other media outlets including Al Jazeera, the BBC, Reuters and the Mail & Guardian.

Jennifer Kaberi is the founder of Mtoto News,a platform intended to enhance children's lives through technology and media, advocating for Afrocentric solutions to empower children's voices in Africa. She’s a Research Affiliate at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, focuses on making social media safer for children. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Sociology and Communication from the University of Nairobi and an M.A. in Child Development from Daystar University. She's a Harvard Law School Fellow and a YALI Eastern Africa Fellow.

Njeri Wangari is the founder of Afrokidz - a trust that promotes African children’s folklore through the Tusome Hadithi Podcast and The Kids Lit Club initiatives. She is a creative storyteller and communications specialist whose work and interest focus on the intersection between technology, arts, culture, media, and children’s folklore in Africa. Wangari is the founder of WangariPR, a strategic communications consultancy. She has over 15 years of professional experience in the creative writing and communications industries with strong expertise in, spoken word poetry, fiction and non-fiction writing, digital and content marketing as well as strategic communications and PR. Wangari is a seasoned speaker and a contributing writer to Coda Story, Al Jazeera, The Elephant, and Global Voices. She has helped world-class organisations such as Cellulant, GeoPoll, and East African Educational Publishers tell their stories.

Kevin Y. Brown is the Chief Content officer and Head of Strategy at Afripods leading their multi-country strategy and product vision. He is a seasoned multi-media executive who is passionate about Africa’s digital future. As an award winning entrepreneur, podcast producer (over 1,000 episodes across different genres with over 30 million downloads across clients) and tech veteran, Kevin is also the host of the Create Your Life Series podcast and has been featured or spoken in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, Podcast Movement, Podcast Sessions, Ted X, Sirius XM, Inc. magazine and many more.

Gathoni Ngumba is the Community Manager at the heart of Afripods, a pan-African podcast hosting and distribution platform, where she weaves networks for African podcasters, fostering growth within the vibrant ecosystem. Afripods is Africa's premier podcast community builder, with over half a decade of expertise in the continent's podcasting industry. Beyond this role, she shines as a digital content strategist and an educator, empowering voices in podcasting and digital navigation. Away from her professional pursuits, Gathoni captures moments through her camera lens and is one third of Okay Kiasi podcast. Driven by her conviction that Africa's narratives are best told by the people who know her best, Gathoni is on a mission to amplify these stories to the world.

Eric Mugendi is an experienced fact-checker, journalism trainer and program manager. He was the first managing editor of PesaCheck, East Africa's first public finance fact-checking initiative. Eric also worked as program manager at Meedan, a global technology not-for-profit that builds software and programmatic initiatives to strengthen journalism, digital literacy, and accessibility of information online and off. At Meedan, Eric coordinated the organization’s work and partnerships in East Africa, which included supporting organizations that hold governments to account and fight the spread of false information both online and offline. He has also written for and contributed to some of Africa's technology and business news platforms, showcasing the continent's advancements. He is a graduate of the Bloomberg Media Initiative for Africa's Financial Journalism fellowship programme.

Mercy Njoroge is a seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience in editing, gender reporting, mentorship, and training. As an editor, she has worked at Nation Media Group, Kenya’s leading media house, as the pioneer gender sub-editor for the Nation Newspapers, where she was instrumental in setting up the first Gender Desk in East and Central Africa. She was in charge of content production, editing and publishing ‘The Voice’, a monthly pull-out magazine, dedicated to highlighting and telling the stories of women and girls on the continent and beyond. Mercy is a member of the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) Kenya chapter, where she serves as a mentor and trainer for the Young Female Journalists programme supported by the US Embassy, Nairobi.

Hinda Abdi Mohamoud is the Deputy Chief Editor at Bilan Media. She’s  a Somali author, blogger, journalist, communication specialist, and advocate for Somali women’s rights. She is best known as the author of Raad-Soomaali, where she shares the Somali people’s experiences and perspectives on a wide range of topics.

Joyce Odondi is an accomplished Project Manager, Communications Strategist, Writer, and Podcaster hailing from Nairobi, Kenya. With a rich professional background spanning the development sector, media production industry, and consulting for diverse clients across industries, Joyce brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her endeavors.

 In addition to her existing repertoire, Joy currently harbors a keen interest in the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of work. She is particularly intrigued by AI adoption across various industries, with a special focus on its implications for the creative sector and journalism. 

Catherine Gicheru is the founder of the Africa Women Journalism Project (AWJP), an initiative dedicated to amplifying the voices of female journalists and increasing coverage of underreported gender, health, and development issues that affect marginalised groups. Gicheru leads a team of editors, mentors, data specialists and designers who work with women journalists in eight countries currently — Ghana, Kenya,Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and Senegal.  Catherine is an ICFJ Knight Fellow and during her Knight fellowship, Gicheru led WanaData ("daughters of data" in Swahili), a pan-African women’s data journalism network, in collaboration with ICFJ and Code For Africa. The Founding editor of the Star newspaper in Nairobi, Gicheru was also the first female news editor at the Nation Media Group, the largest and most influential media group in East Africa.

John Kyalo serves as an Extended Reality Developer at Fallohide, specializing in creating Augmented Reality filters tailored for multinational companies operating in Africa. His expertise lies in developing immersive filters for campaigns and enhancing customer experiences.

Lilly Bekele-Piper is the Host of Selam & Hello, a globally recognized podcast amplifying stories of joy and justice from Africa and its diaspora. With over 80 episodes featuring guests from fifteen countries, Selam & Hello reaches thousands of listeners weekly and has curated fourteen live shows, including two recorded with UNICEF at Kakuma Refugee Camp. A renowned communicator, podcaster, and activist from Nairobi, Kenya, Lilly also hosts Mastercard Foundation’s ‘EdTech Kenya’ TV show, and her writing and speaking engagements span local and global platforms. She holds a BA in Speech Communications from Wake Forest University and a Masters in Higher Education from Harvard University. Above all, Lilly treasures her role as a mother to four incredible humans. 

Mwalimu John Sibi-Okumu, OGW Teacher, Writer, Actor, Broadcaster

Mwalimu John Sibi-Okumu has had a storied career as a writer, columnist, stage actor-director-playwright, a TV & film actor, a voice-over artist, and as a radio & TV broadcaster. In 2022, he was named in the Order of the Golden Warrior in recognition of his outstanding contributions to arts and culture in Kenya.

Mwalimu JSO has played more than 40 characters on stage, including Romeo, Shylock and King Oedipus, and has acted in global films, including The Constant Gardener, Shake Hands with the Devil and The First Grader. On television, he memorably presented not only prime time news but also The Summit and The Zain Africa Challenge. On the former, he is credited with being the only TV host to have had a one-on-one interview with the late President Daniel arap Moi, complementing the interviews he has had with four other African presidents.

As a theatre director, his interpretation of Kenyan musician Eric Wainaina’s Mo Faya! played to great acclaim at the New York Festival of Musical Theatre in 2009. Mwalimu JSO is the author of six original, published plays and has also written published prose and poetry. For younger readers, he has written 'Tom Mboya: Master of Mass Management' and his short story, 'Belonging', was one of 14 featured in the collection Nairobi Noir and was later highlighted in the Honor Roll within the Best Mystery Stories in the USA, 2021.

Mwalimu JSO was a former member of the Governing Council of the Kenya Cultural Centre and National Theatre and is currently a non-executive board member of the Katiba Institute, dedicated to safeguarding the provisions of Kenya’s Constitution. In 2012, he was given the honorific title of Chevalier (Knight) in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, for services to French culture, as a teacher.

Melissa Mbugua is a multifaceted innovator and entrepreneur who carves a niche for herself. In 2019, she co-founded Africa Podfest, a company based in Kenya that has sparked growth in African podcasting, placing it in the global spotlight. She has earned more than 15 years of experience working in multicultural teams and in diverse cultural environments with some of the most creative organizations in the world. Her experience includes strengthening the African and Asian tech industries and supporting early-stage startups. She has provided research and innovation support to organizations in Kenya's creative industries across entertainment, music, film, public libraries, and fashion. She serves as an advisor to Creatives for Climate and the Impact Council at D&AD.

Rishad Patel is the co-founder of Splice Media. For over twenty years, Rishad has been a product and design professional. He has designed and developed media strategy, products, and branding for audiences and users across multiple platforms and formats for companies and markets in Singapore, India, New Zealand, Europe, and the United States. He has been a design consultant for MIT and ETH, an editorial consultant at news media companies in Singapore, New Zealand, and India, and once co-founded an app startup in San Francisco. Rishad writes Splice Frames, a weekly media product and design newsletter, and mentors people on media entrepreneurship and designing products for revenue.

Patricia Andago is a data journalist at Odipo Dev, overseeing the organization’s partnership with Africa Data Hub. This collaboration unites a network of data organizations across three African countries, all committed to empowering African journalists.With a keen eye for uncovering truths and a commitment to integrity, her work predominantly focuses on exposing corruption, advocating for equality, and delving into economic issues. Patricia’s reporting has earned acclaim and featured in the Daily Nation, Africa Uncensored, and The Elephant.

Megan Clement is a journalist, critic and editor who specialises in gender equality. Megan edits Impact, a French-English bilingual newsletter covering feminist movements and women’s rights worldwide. She also teaches journalism at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University. Her reporting has appeared in The Guardian, CNN, Bloomberg, The Sydney Morning Herald and Al Jazeera, among other publications.

Sebastian Davies Ngida is the Founder & CEO of Creator, launched at the peak of Covid in 2020. Since launch, the platform has hosted thousands of creators, both big and small who use it in varied ways, from accepting tips from their fans to selling merchandise; the latest addition to the stable is the Africa Creator awards, a recognition award happening in April 2024. Ngida is also a director and ESG Lead at KENCTAD, a Trade & Development organisation based in Nairobi Kenya.

Eromosele John Aitokhuehi, a seasoned Civic Technologist and Award-Winning Project Manager, holds a Bachelor's in Pure & Industrial Chemistry and Master's in Industrial Chemistry with certifications as an ISO 9001:2015 QMS Lead Auditor and in Privacy Law and Data Protection from Pennsylvania University. Over the past decade, John has demonstrated technical prowess in managing IT projects for prominent entities such as the Edo State Government, Code for Africa, Utopia Software, Lecturio GmbH, Lagos Business School, and Orodata Science. Beyond his technical acumen, John is a change catalyst, who champions training for journalists, university students, and tech-savvy citizens across Africa, crafting interactive pieces to reshape narratives and create positive social impact.

Brian King is a journalist at Mtoto News. With a dedicated focus on challenging stereotypes and empowering children, he is committed to fostering their participation and amplifying their voices to address the challenges they encounter. As a Child Rights Advocate, Brian has been actively engaged in advocating for the rights and perspectives of children, and in creating awareness among journalists across Africa around child sensitive reporting. Notably, in 2023, he was invited to Addis Ababa Ethiopia by the African Union Ending Harmful Practices unit to engage journalists on sensitive reporting of harmful practices.

Collins Orono is multimedia journalist focusing on digital storytelling and training children on basic storytelling and how children can advocate for themselves using media. Collins has trained over 3000 children on basic journalism and digital literacy skills. He also runs the Mtoto News Students Press Association Network Media lab platform that builds and mentors children in schools through journalism clubs.  Collins Orono is pursuing a masters degree in Digital Journalism at the Aga Khan University.

Mungai Ngige is a deputy insights manager with Code for Africa, working with the CivicSignal team of research analysts to transform data into engaging storytelling and narrative reports. He is an experienced investigative journalist who previously worked at The Standard in Kenya. He is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Digital Journalism at Aga Khan University.