Alison Bethel McKenzie has over 20 years experience in journalism, as a reporter, bureau chief, editor and trainer. From 1995-2000 she was senior assistant city editor at the Boston Globe, supervising a reporting staff that covered City Hall, urban affairs and transportation. In 2000, she joined the Detroit News as features editor, and then became the paper’s Washington, D.C. bureau chief from 2001 to 2006, overseeing coverage of the White House. She joined the Legal Times in Washington, D.C. in 2006 as executive editor, moving on in 2007 to the Nassau Guardian, in the Bahamas, as managing editor.

Before joining the International Press Institute, she spent a year in Accra, Ghana, for the Washington, D.C.-based International Center for Journalists, as a Knight International Journalism Fellow, helping Ghanaian journalists improve their reporting skills in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election.

Alison oversees the organization’s strategic vision, and manages its business side, including events, membership and sponsorship. She also has input into the areas of communications and press freedom activities.

Alison holds a degree in journalism and theater from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

LANGUAGES: English (native)

Anthony Mills spent almost 10 years in Beirut, Lebanon, as a freelance correspondent for CNN, Deutsche Welle, and other news outlets before joining IPI as Press & Communications Manager. Among the events he covered as a journalist were the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, and the brief takeover by Hezbollah-led gunmen of most of West Beirut in 2008. A political and media specialist on Lebanon, Syria and the broader Middle East, he is in charge of IPI’s communications strategy and press relations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations, with a focus on the Middle East, from Brown University in the United States, and a master’s degree in International Journalism, from City University, London.

LANGUAGES: English (native), German (fluent), French (fluent), Arabic (conversational), Luxembourgish (fluent)  

Barbara Trionfi coordinates all press freedom activities in the Asia-Pacific region and in the Caribbean. Her responsibilities include advising and reporting on press freedom issues, preparing reports, coordinating press freedom missions and campaigns in her regions, as well as acting as a liaison with international organisations. Holder of a master’s degree in oriental studies from Ca’ Foscari University in Venice and a master’s degree in international relations from Webster University in Vienna, she also studied contemporary Chinese politics and literature at the University of Shanghai and Shandong University, and has taught a course on media ethics at Webster University in Vienna.

LANGUAGES: Italian (native), English (fluent), German (fluent), Spanish (fluent), French (basic)

Naomi Hunt organises press freedom activities for the regions of Africa, Middle East and North Africa, as well as contributing to projects, advocacy campaigns, and press freedom missions. Prior to joining IPI, Naomi has worked as a journalist, news presenter, and public relations officer. She holds bachelor’s degrees in international relations and German language and literature from Boston University, as well as a master’s in advanced international studies from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.
    
LANGUAGES: English (native), German (fluent)

Nayana Jayarajan works on communications and media projects. She is the resident creator and archivist of video and multimedia materials, as well as administrator of the IPI website. Nayana has worked in print journalism and in broadcast journalism as an associate producer. She holds a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism from the Asian College of Journalism in India and a master’s degree in Global History from the Universities of Vienna/Leipzig.

LANGUAGES: English (fluent), Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam (fluent), French (reading knowledge), German (basic)

Grace Pardy has over 15 years experience as an international marketing executive with Reebok, Levi Strauss, Coca-Cola and L’Oreal. As the global head of brand marketing for Reebok’s Women’s and Lifestyle Divisions from 2005 until 2009, she led the company to substantial growth. She’s recognized for driving brand repositioning, spearheading the creation of global market strategies and for her strong leadership of marketing teams. She oversees IPI’s marketing strategy and business development with a particular focus on creative brand development and global brand positioning. She earned a degree in International Marketing from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Grace holds the distinction of having qualified, in track and field, for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

LANGUAGES:  German (native), English (fluent), French (fluent)

Michael Kudlak manages IPI Conferences, Publications and Communications. He is responsible for developing, overseeing and managing IPI conferences and events, including the annual World Congress. Michael is the editor and production manager of the “IPI Congress Report” and oversees the Death Watch. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, Quebec, and a master’s degree in international relations from Webster University in Vienna.

LANGUAGES:  English (native), German (fluent), French (reading knowledge)

Christiane Klint is a member of the IPI management team with primary responsibility for overseeing the finance, membership and administration areas. Christiane also provides support and assistance to the deputy director on congresses, conferences and other events. Additionally, she works with the IPI director on marketing, advertising and fund-raising and provides planning advice for IPI’s activities. Christiane studied at York University in Toronto and at the University of Vienna.

LANGUAGES: English (native), Spanish (fluent), German (fluent)

Milica Miletic plans, manages and develops IPI conferences, events and seminars, as well as handling public relations and marketing for the events. Prior to joining IPI, she worked for the Media Centre Belgrade, and the South East Europe Network for Professionalisation of Media. She holds degrees in journalism and media studies from the University of Belgrade and is the author of an article on media self-regulation practices in the countries of South East Europe in “Freedom of Speech in SEE: Media Independence and Self-regulation”, published in 2007 by Media Development Centre, Sofia, Bulgaria.

LANGUAGES: Serbian (native), English (fluent), Bulgarian (basic)

Eva Maria Grabmair is in charge of German and English correspondence, travel arrangements, assisting in organising conferences and coordinating activities between IPI and its affiliate organisation, the South East Europe Media Organisation. Educated in Linz and London, Eva has a diploma in translation (English/German) from the Institute of Linguists, London.

LANGUAGES: German (native), English (fluent)

Marta Srokosz assists the IPI staff with mailings, photocopying, faxing, filing, and other administrative tasks.

LANGUAGES: Polish (native), German (fluent), Russian (fluent)

Oliver Vujovic is responsible for activities of SEEMO, an affiliate of IPI for South East and Central Europe. With more than a decade of journalistic experience, he was a correspondent for the Balkans of the daily newspaper Die Presse in Vienna, as well as freelance correspondent for the Balkans for different media worldwide. In addition, Oliver was a director of the magazine Balkan Dialogue. He holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Belgrade and has authored, co-authored, and published articles in more than 60 books and publications. 

LANGUAGES: German, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Montenegrin (native), English (fluent), Slovenian, Macedonian, Bulgarian (conversational), Italian, Greek, Albanian, Romanian, Russian (basic)

Selma Koric is assisting in implementation of communications projects. Selma is also a managing editor of the media journal deScripto, published by the IPI affiliate South East Europe Media Organisation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s degree in communication management, both from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

LANGUAGES: Serbian (native), English (fluent), German (basic)

Mirjana Milosevic monitors press freedom violations and works on protest letters and press releases for the region covered by SEEMO. She is also responsible for marketing activities, coordination of conferences, meetings and other projects, as well as providing administrative support for the SEEMO Secretary General.  Additionally, she contributes to writing and editing SEEMO Media Handbook and other publications. Mirjana holds a diploma in international business and management with the specialisation in international marketing from the HES Amsterdam School of Business.

LANGUAGES: Dutch (native), Serbian, English, German (fluent), French (conversational)

Krasimira Plachetzky manages membership and administration of SEEMO projects. She also monitors and reports on press freedom violations in ten countries of South East Europe, as well as contributes to writing and editing SEEMO Media Handbook. Krasimira is an experienced language translator for Bulgarian and German, and holds bachelor’s degrees in public relations from the Sofia University and German language from the New Bulgarian University.

LANGUAGES: Bulgarian (native), German, English (fluent), Russian, Macedonian, Spanish (basic)