Meet our Board
Our Board of Directors brings global expertise in media investment, media management and investigative journalism. It holds the highest authority and is responsible for overseeing and making strategic decisions regarding MDIF’s work.
Dao Nguyen
Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Advertising Products, The New York Times
Dao is Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Advertising Products at The New York Times. Prior to The Times, Dao served as CPTO / Publisher of BuzzFeed, a reinvention of the traditional title in which she led the company’s product, tech and data teams. During her 11-year stint at BuzzFeed, she also spent time running the growth, editorial, video, food, social, branded content, ad product and distribution, and news teams. She previously served as Chief Executive Officer of LeMonde.fr in Paris, and also worked at Dow Jones Ventures, Concrete Media, and Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). Dao holds an Applied Math / Computer Science undergraduate degree from Harvard University.
Marc Da Costa
Co-Founder and Chairman, Enigma
Marc Da Costa is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Enigma, a data technology company helping to expand access to credit for small businesses. He holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the University of California and his writing about technology and culture has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian and elsewhere. Marc is also a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has held fellowships at the National Science Foundation, Intel Labs, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Columbia Journalism School.
Sheila Coronel (Chair)
Director, Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, Professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Sheila Coronel is a Professor at the Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University,Toni Stabile Professor of Professional Practice in Investigative Journalism, and Director of the Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism. She began her reporting career at the Philippine Panorama, reporting on human rights and politics, before joining the staff of the Manila Times as a political reporter. In 1989, Sheila co-founded the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, which trains journalists in investigative skills and has provided an environment for in-depth, groundbreaking reporting on issues such as the military, poverty and corruption. Sheila has also reported on Philippine politics for The New York Times and The Guardian, and has authored more than a dozen books. She has received numerous awards, including the 2003 Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and the Creative Communication Arts.
Michael Del Nin
Head of Media Partnerships and Investments, Soros Fund Management
Michael Del Nin is Head of Media Partnerships and Investments at Soros Fund Management (SFM) in New York. Prior to joining SFM, Michael spent more than two decades in the media industry, including as Co-Chief Executive Officer of Central European Media Enterprises, one of Europe’s leading television broadcasters. Prior to that, Michael was the Senior Vice President of International and Corporate Strategy at Time Warner Inc., where he helped drive the company’s global strategy and business development initiatives. Michael’s prior experience includes roles at New Line Cinema, as Senior Vice President, Business Development, and as an investment banker at Salomon Smith Barney focused on the media industry. Michael holds an undergraduate business degree from Bocconi University and a law degree from the University of New South Wales. He serves on the Board of Crooked Media.
Harlan Mandel
Chief Executive Officer, MDIF
Harlan Mandel has been Chief Executive Officer since 2011. Having joined MDIF in 1998 as Deputy Managing Director, Harlan has dedicated most of his professional life to helping independent news companies develop and thrive in countries where a free press is under threat. He has extensive experience working in emerging and frontier markets as an impact investment manager and attorney. At MDIF, he has managed debt and equity investments in more than 50 news outlets on five continents and designed and raised a variety of debt and equity impact investment funds. Before joining MDIF, Harlan served from 1996 to 1998 as Deputy General Counsel of the Open Society Institute/Soros Foundations Network. Prior to that, he practiced law in the New York and Los Angeles offices of Morrison & Foerster, specializing in international litigation, intellectual property and new media law. He received his JD from Columbia University School of Law in 1989 and holds a BA in International Relations and Asian Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Harlan is based in New York.
Harlan is a frequent speaker at impact investing and media development events, and has been interviewed by numerous media outlets. Watch a video of Harlan discussing with the Center for International Media Assistance how, with media in a state of flux, building relationships with audiences lies at the heart of sustainability, and a discussion with ImpactAlpha about managing political risk when investing in Ukraine and other conflict zones (at 15m30s). Listen to a podcast of Harlan in conversation with VideoWeek discussing MDIF’s mission and global media freedom. Read an interview with the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association on generating and measuring impact, a Q&A with the Global Forum for Media Development on MDIF’s funding strategies, and an interview with CIMA on Matching the Market and the Model: The Business of Independent News Media.
Catherine Gicheru
Founder and Director, Africa Women Journalism Project
Catherine Gicheru is the founder and director of the Africa Women Journalism Project (AWJP) and an International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Knight Fellow. The AWJP drives coverage of underreported gender, health and development issues affecting marginalised groups and works to strengthen the voices of women journalists by helping them to become innovators in their newsrooms. Catherine leads a team of journalists, mentors and data analysts in five African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda) who are producing smart, data-based storytelling with a special focus on COVID-19.
Catherine was the first woman bureau chief and first female news editor of the Nation Media Group and was the founding editor of The Star daily. She co-founded East Africa’s first budget and public finance fact-checking and verification initiative, PesaCheck. She is an advisory board member of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Oxford, the Aga Khan University’s Graduate School of Media and Communications and the British Council’s First News Worldwide program. She is also a member of the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) Online Harassment Advisory Board. Catherine advised on the Open Society Foundations’ Fiscal Governance Program and the ICFJ’s State of Technology in Global Newsrooms survey. She is a jury member for the WAN-IFRA Africa Digital Media Awards and European Journalism Centre’s MoneyTrail, among others.
Catherine is a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, a Reuters Institute Journalism Fellow at Oxford University and a 1992 IWMF Courage in Journalism award winner.
Kerstin Mogull
Board Director and Angel Investor, Retired Media and Arts Executive (BBC / Tate)
Kerstin Mogull is a former Managing Director of Tate (encompassing Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St. Ives). For six years, she was responsible for running the overall business, managing more than 1,000 staff and leading a range of capital projects, including the award-winning £260m extension to Tate Modern. From 2000 to 2012, she held senior roles at the BBC across policy, strategy, digital and operations, including Chief Operating Officer of BBC Future Media & Technology. Earlier, as BBC Director of Strategy, Kerstin led the planning for iPlayer, the BBC’s ground-breaking on-demand streaming service. Earlier in her career, Kerstin worked in strategy and digital in the airline industry.
Kerstin is currently a board member of ColArt Ltd (Lindengruppen) and a Council Member of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce. She recently stepped down from the Board of Swedish media group Bonnier AB.
Kerstin holds degrees from the Stockholm School of Economics, L’Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (Paris) and Kellogg, Northwestern University (Chicago), where she was a Fulbright scholar.
Kerstin competes for Team GB in triathlon and is a European and World medalist in her age group.
Photo credit: Tate Photography – Tate Galleries, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65407803
Adriaan Stoop (Vice-Chair)
Attorney, Bergh, Stoop & Sanders
Adriaan Stoop is a Bergh, Stoop & Sanders attorney based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In addition to his work as an attorney, Adriaan worked in the field of democratisation for various international organizations, including the OSCE and the EU. He was the chair of the electoral court in Kosovo in 2001 for the first parliamentary elections after the war, and from then on worked in several countries in Eastern Europe and Africa. Adriaan holds several board positions; he is, amongst others, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of NRC Media and Board Member of the European Press Prize.
Meet our team
For 30 years, MDIF’s mission has been driven by the dedication and professionalism of our exceptional team. We are a values-driven organization, diverse in backgrounds and expertise. We blend global know-how and local insights to support independent media around the world. In addition to our New York and Prague offices, MDIF has regional representation across countries including Colombia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Poland, Serbia and South Africa.
60
staff members
22
locations
20
nationalities
53%
identify as women
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Dara Ajala
Program Manager, NAMIP
Oluwadara Ajala is responsible for understanding the needs of participants in MDIF’s Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP) and co-designing and implementing capacity-building interventions to meet those needs. She uses her expertise in program management, strategic business development and audience research to help independent media organizations in the NAMIP cohort identify and experiment with innovative growth strategies. She has worked in development across public health, communications, advocacy and media for close to a decade. Before joining MDIF in 2022, she worked at Nigeria Health Watch. Her educational background is in health sciences and includes a degree in microbiology. She is based in Abuja, Nigeria and speaks English and Yoruba.
Deji Adekunle
Program Director, NAMIP
Deji is responsible for executing the Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP). He uses his expertise in journalism, media development, media innovation and program/project management to provide support for the beneficiaries of the program. He has worked in media development, tech, non-profit and public administration for more than 10 years. Before joining MDIF in 2022, he worked at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID). His educational background is in Computer Science and Mathematics and includes a double honors degree in both fields. He is based in Abuja, Nigeria and speaks English and Yoruba.
Temitayo Akinyemi (fka Muhammed Akinyemi)
Media Advisor, NAMIP
Temitayo Akinyemi is responsible for providing technical support to participants in the Nigeria Media Innovation Program. He uses his expertise in newsroom innovation and management to aid newsrooms in designing and implementing new sustainable solutions for storytelling. He has worked in media for more than five years. Before joining MDIF in 2024, he worked at Zikoko Citizen as Editor-in-Chief and HumAngle as Interactive Editor. His educational background is in law. Temitayo is based in Lagos and speaks English and Yoruba fluently, while learning Finnish as a third language.
Luciana Cardoso
Media Business Advisor
Luciana began her career at IBM, where she held a Project Management role for Latin America. She subsequently served as CPO at Estadão Newspaper in Brazil, leading the company’s digital transformation. Following that she joined Quartz as a Senior Product Manager, achieving significant results such as increasing readership and successfully launching a new podcast. Later, she held the position of Director of Product and Data at Grupo Bandeirantes in Brazil. Luciana’s career also includes her role as Vice President of the Executive Board at the News Product Alliance.
Pragya Chamria
Investment Officer
Pragya has more than 12 years’ experience in venture capital, start-up investments, financial strategy and portfolio optimisation. At MDIF, Pragya is responsible for managing South Asia’s investment portfolio. Her core expertise includes managing the full investment cycle from initial evaluation, comprehensive due diligence, building complex business models and intricate deal negotiations to executing investment decisions while focusing on strategic, operational and business aspects. Before joining MDIF, she was part of India’s top tech venture fund investment team and also served as a valuation lead for Lightbox Ventures with a fund size of $400 million, focussing on investment in retail, healthcare, EdTech and new-age consumer brands. She has invested in early-stage consumer tech-enabled businesses in India such as Embibe, Furlenco, Melorra, etc. with an average ticket range of USD 5 to USD 20 million. Before Lightbox Ventures, she worked with Fulcrum Ventures focused on opportunities in India’s pharmaceutical, healthcare and consumer sectors in India. Pragya completed her executive management at Columbia Business School. Based in India, she is fluent in English and Hindi.
Erjon Ciku
Program Officer, MDIF Western Balkans Fund
Muhammed Dalhatu
Program Assistant, NAMIP
Muhammad Dalhatu is Program Assistant at MDIF’s Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP). He uses his expertise in project management and public relations to support NAMIP’s work to transform the independent media space in Nigeria. He has worked in the NGO and non-profit sector for more than five years. Before joining MDIF in 2023, he worked at World Youth Group as the Communications Lead. He earned his Master of Arts in International Relations at the CUNY Graduate Center.
Kristina Drača
External Legal Counsel
Kristina Drača is responsible for handling legal matters of MDIF. She uses her legal expertise to ensure the smooth execution of financial transactions and legal compliance. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, Kristina has worked in reputable law firms in Serbia, such as Karanović and Partners and Moravčević, Vojnović and Partners, where she offered comprehensive legal assistance to corporate clients. Her areas of expertise include project finance, crowd lending, restructuring, capital market operations, payment services and other corporate and finance matters. Her educational background is in law and includes an LLM degree from New York University School of Law. She is based in Belgrade, Serbia and speaks Serbian and English.
Marcin Gadzinski
Program Director for Europe
After 10 years of working in editorial, including Washington Correspondent and Editor for Poland’s iconic daily Gazeta Wyborcza and Editor-in-Chief of Sport.pl, Marcin became Digital Media Manager and Head of Business at the Sport.pl Group. As Managing Director for Gazeta.pl, one of the leading websites in Poland, he oversaw most of Agora’s digital brands, editorial, product, marketing and business teams. Marcin also has experience as a business consultant on leadership, digital transformation and high-performing teams.
Mayura Gangan
Senior Investment Officer
Mayura is responsible for South-East Asia investments. She comes from an investment banking and advisory background with more than 13 years of experience. Before joining MDIF, she worked in boutique investment banking firms, where she was responsible for end-to-end execution of transactions across various products, such as capital markets, private equity, structured debt and M&A. She holds a Bachelors of Engineering degree from India, and an MBA degree in Finance from Boston College, USA. She is based in Singapore.
Jana Havrdova
Operations Assistant
Diego Jaime
Principal Investment Officer
Diego is responsible for managing portfolio projects and evaluating and closing new transactions in Latin America. He has more than 12 years of experience structuring, managing and promoting investments and projects in Latin America. Before joining MDIF, Diego led the creation and operation of the Armilla Capital Fund in Colombia. He played an important role in developing America Centro de Negocios, one of Bogota’s most prominent real estate projects. Recently, Diego has been active in various investments in sectors including real estate, hospitality, mining, entertainment and logistics. His educational background is in finance and he is a candidate for the Master of Public Administration at the London School of Economics.
Diego is based in Bogota, Colombia and speaks Spanish and English.
Evgenia Konovalova
Program Manager, Amplify Europe
Evgenia Konovalova is program manager for Amplify Europe, MDIF’s special program to support the business sustainability of the most promising independent digital media companies in Europe. Evgenia is responsible for the effective implementation of Amplify Europe initiatives, including all the program’s media development activities, managing the selection process of media outlets and leading the strategic design. She uses her experience of working in global media organisations and expertise in communications, media relations and program management to provide support to media partners, helping them to achieve their goals in capacity building and business sustainability. Before joining MDIF in 2022, she spent seven years at RFE/RL, where she was responsible for planning and implementing media programs, outreach projects and public affairs initiatives for 23 countries. Evgenia holds a double International MA in Economy, State and Society from UCL (UK) and Charles University (Czech Republic). She is based in Prague, Czech Republic and speaks English, Russian and Czech.
Grzegorz Kossakowski
Investment Director for Europe
Grzegorz is responsible for supervising investment portfolios in Europe and leading the MDIF European Investment Team. He uses his expertise in corporate finance and media management to effectively manage the European portfolio and support media partners in their further development. He started his career as an M&A and strategic consultant advising TMT companies in the CEE region, before serving as a C-level executive in several media outlets in Poland for more than 20 years. Before joining MDIF in 2023, he worked as CEO at Eurozet and previously as a member of the management board in Agora. His educational background is in finance and media management and includes an MBA at Manchester University, as well as media management programs at Kellog School of Management (Northwestern University). He is based in Warsaw, Poland and speaks Polish, English and basic German and Russian.
Valér Kot
Senior Media Advisor
Valér Kot is responsible for digital strategy development and data-driven insights. With over 15 years’ experience in the publishing, tech and digital media industries, he brings expertise in evaluating digital publishing tech stacks, monetisation models and techniques, audience and competitive analysis, data and performance tracking, and UX/UI optimisation. Staying abreast of emerging trends in news publishing is a vital part of his role. Prior to joining MDIF in 2013, he worked at media companies Piano and Petit Press. He holds a Master of Arts degree in musicology and humanities. Based in Prague, the Czech Republic, he is fluent in Slovak and English, with a good understanding of most Slavic languages and a basic knowledge of French and German.
Koreel Lahiri
Investment Director for Asia
Koreel is responsible for MDIF’s investment strategy and portfolio in Asia. He brings more than two decades of experience across media, financial markets and strategic investments to lead MDIF’s investment activities in the region. Before joining MDIF in 2017, he was a founding team member at the investment arm (Springboard) of India’s largest media company – The Times Group – focusing on B2C investments. He has executed over $200 million in deals across Media/Media-tech, Voice-tech, EdTech, Social Media, Social Commerce, Healthcare and Consumer Goods. He also set up and ran India’s first fund for media and led the financial markets coverage and equity research functions at CNBC and Bloomberg in India. Koreel holds an MBA in Finance & Strategy from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. He is based in Mumbai, India and speaks English, Hindi, Bengali and moderate Marathi.
Michael Lee
Controller
Michael Lee is responsible for overseeing day-to-day financial activities, preparing financial statements in a timely manner and managing audits and taxes. He has extensive expertise in accounting, finance, auditing and tax. He has worked in retail, construction, information services and nonprofits for more than 30 years. Prior to joining MDIF in 2003, he worked as a Controller at The Kosciuszko Foundation. His educational background is in accounting and he holds a Bachelor in Business Administration from Baruch College. He is based in New York City and speaks English and Chinese (Cantonese).
Kristyna Machova
Operations and Programs Manager
Lorena Macura
Senior Investment Officer
Harlan Mandel
Chief Executive Officer, MDIF
Harlan Mandel has been Chief Executive Officer since 2011. Having joined MDIF in 1998 as Deputy Managing Director, Harlan has dedicated most of his professional life to helping independent news companies develop and thrive in countries where a free press is under threat. He has extensive experience working in emerging and frontier markets as an impact investment manager and attorney. At MDIF, he has managed debt and equity investments in more than 50 news outlets on five continents and designed and raised a variety of debt and equity impact investment funds. Before joining MDIF, Harlan served from 1996 to 1998 as Deputy General Counsel of the Open Society Institute/Soros Foundations Network. Prior to that, he practiced law in the New York and Los Angeles offices of Morrison & Foerster, specializing in international litigation, intellectual property and new media law. He received his JD from Columbia University School of Law in 1989 and holds a BA in International Relations and Asian Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Harlan is based in New York.
Harlan is a frequent speaker at impact investing and media development events, and has been interviewed by numerous media outlets. Watch a video of Harlan discussing with the Center for International Media Assistance how, with media in a state of flux, building relationships with audiences lies at the heart of sustainability, and a discussion with ImpactAlpha about managing political risk when investing in Ukraine and other conflict zones (at 15m30s). Listen to a podcast of Harlan in conversation with VideoWeek discussing MDIF’s mission and global media freedom. Read an interview with the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association on generating and measuring impact, a Q&A with the Global Forum for Media Development on MDIF’s funding strategies, and an interview with CIMA on Matching the Market and the Model: The Business of Independent News Media.
Lebogang Maphada
Senior Investment Officer
Lebogang is responsible for actively managing MDIF’s debt and equity portfolio projects in Africa. 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 15 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 is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and speaks Shona, Setswana and English.
Dan Margoshes
Chief Financial Officer
Dan has extensive US and international experience in both the not-for-profit and commercial media sectors, where he managed strategic finance and operations including complex accounting, planning, tax and compliance. His previous not-for-profit experience includes CFO and senior leadership positions at an international membership organization, a social service agency and at Geller Advisors LLC, where he acted as a fractional CFO and Board-level advisor to a portfolio of private foundations, policy advocacy organizations and cultural institutions.
Before entering not-for-profit, Dan had a long career in the commercial media sector. He held several financial positions with the National Football League including Vice President, International Finance and CFO of NFL Europe in London, as well as previous positions with EMI Music and the Los Angeles Times.
Dan holds an MBA in Finance and Operations Management from Columbia Business School and a BS in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.
Zoe McDonagh
Program Officer for Funding and Investor Relations
Zoe is part of the team managing funding and investor relations at MDIF. Previously, she was based at a philanthropic institution in Italy, where she worked mainly on international projects in the fields of impact entrepreneurship, data science and AI, and business acceleration. She also has experience in the teaching profession, both in the UK and Italy, as well as training programs for social entrepreneurs with the UN.
Zoe graduated in French and Italian Language and Literature from the University of Kent and holds a PGCE professional teaching qualification from the University of Portsmouth. She is based in Turin, Italy and speaks English, Italian and French.
Mayuri Mei Lin
Senior Program Officer for Asia
Mayuri is responsible for implementing the Amplify Asia program. She uses her expertise in journalism as well as in audience and revenue strategy to coordinate with media partners in South and South-East Asia in Amplify Asia, as well as coaches and experts who help newsrooms build their business capacity. She has worked in journalism for 10 years, both on the editorial side as a journalist and editor, as well as on the business side, building visual journalism products and conducting audience research. Before joining MDIF in 2022, she worked at the City University of New York (CUNY) coordinating professional development programs, at the BBC as editorial lead for the East Asia Visual Journalism team, as well as in various newsrooms in South-East Asia. Her educational background is in journalism and digital products, and includes a master’s degree from New York University (NYU) in digital innovation. She is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and speaks English and Malay.
Jelena Milosevic
Director, Western Balkans Fund
Jelena leads strategic initiatives to drive investment opportunities and provide technical assistance to media beneficiaries in the Western Balkans. As Director of the MDIF Western Balkans Fund, she shapes strategy, drives growth and ensures punctual execution of the Fund. Drawing on more than two decades of media experience, including notable roles at B92 Serbia, Ringier Axel Springer Serbia and the USAID Cardno project Cooperation for Growth, Jelena brings deep sector and regional expertise to the role. Her academic background includes a BSc in Computer Science and an Executive Master of Business Administration, as well as a Franklin Covey training licence. Based in Belgrade, Serbia, Jelena speaks Serbian, English and Russian.
Jakub Młynarski
Investment Analyst
Meredith Moloughney
Chief of Staff
Meredith joined MDIF in 2014 and currently holds the position of Chief of Staff, a role that sees her working across all departments within the organization to ensure the effectiveness of its staff, programs and overall efficiency. Prior to her appointment as Chief of Staff, she served as Administrative Director, working closely with the Finance team, and leading New York office operations. Before joining MDIF, Meredith spent time in sales and business-to-business marketing, but a desire to work in the not-for-profit space, specifically supporting press freedom, led her to MDIF. Meredith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business. She is based out of the New York City office.
Mohamed Nanabhay
Senior Advisor
In addition to sitting on MDIF’s Investment Committee, Mohamed is the Managing Partner of Mozilla Ventures, a first-of-its-kind impact venture fund that invests in early-stage startups pushing the internet — and the tech industry — in a better direction. He is a digital media practitioner, entrepreneur and strategist. As the Head of Online at Al Jazeera English he led the team that produced the award winning coverage of the Arab revolutions in 2011. Previously, he started Al Jazeera’s New Media department, and served as an advisor to the Director-General. In 2005 Mohamed founded QatarLiving.com (acquired in 2012), a listings and community website that quickly grew to be the largest site in Qatar. He also co-founded Signalnoi.se, a social analytics platform for newsrooms that won the Knight News Challenge, and he has been an active angel investor in a variety of digital start-ups.
Mohamed is a member of the Board of Directors of Global Voices Online and the Mozilla Foundation. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Social Media. He received his undergraduate degree in Computer Science at the University of the Witwatersrand and a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge. Mohamed is based in Johannesburg.
Marie Nemcova
Senior Advisor
Marie (Majka) Nemcova has overseen MDIF’s operations supporting and investing in independent media companies since 1996. She is responsible for MDIF’s international and Prague-based operations, as well as overseeing Media Advisory Services (MDIF’s technical assistance unit), special programs, development issues and strategic partnerships. Prior to joining MDIF, she was program director in the Open Society Fund Prague (OSFP) from 1994 to 1998, developing and managing several large-scale regional and national initiatives. From 1987 to 1994, she coordinated international development projects for USAID, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union. She has an MA in Economics and Management from Czech Agricultural University. She is a member of several investee Supervisory Boards and serves on multiple other media and journalism-related Boards. She is based in Prague, Czech Republic and speaks Czech, English and Russian.
Sebenzile Nkambule
Program Director for Africa & MENA
Sebenzile is an experienced journalist, strategic communications expert and media development practitioner. She previously led a regional organization supporting investigative journalism in southern Africa. She has also worked in the social justice and human rights sector in Africa, and previously held a senior managerial role at a regional human rights and social justice non-profit organization. Sebenzile was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Humphrey Fellowship, through which she specialized in digital storytelling and strategic communications at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. She holds a BA Journalism degree majoring in International Relations, and Honours and Master’s degrees in Gender Studies from the University of Pretoria.
Jeanette Nuñez
Assistant to CEO
Jeanette Nuñez is responsible for managing the CEO’s schedule, everyday operations for the New York office and events logistics. She coordinates with building management and handles office-related projects and activities for efficient facilities and office operations. She plans meetings, conferences and special events for the MDIF team, maximising the effectiveness of the company’s staff and processes. Jeanette has more than a decade of experience in supporting C-level executives. Throughout her career, she has earned a reputation as a resourceful and creative leader, multi-tasking across a broad spectrum of responsibilities to ensure executives can optimize their time and energy in the most positive way possible.
Before joining MDIF in 2019, she worked at Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church and The Council of Bishops. Jeanette has an associate degree in office administration and is a certified event planner. She is based in New York, USA and speaks Spanish and English.
Vivian Ojomu
Program Assistant, NAMIP
Vivian Ojomu is responsible for handling logistical arrangements, maintaining records, facilitating communication and carrying out administrative tasks for the Nigerian Media Innovation Program (NAMIP), using her expertise in corporate communications and events planning to manage clients. She has worked in the non-profit sector for more than five years. Before joining MDIF in 2023, she worked at the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative. Her educational background is in computer science from the University of Abuja, Nigeria, where she gained a Bachelor of Science degree. She is currently pursuing her postgraduate degree in Development Communication from Nasarawa State University in Nigeria. She is based in Abuja, Nigeria.
Anna Pagul
Accountant
Anna Pagul is responsible for assisting the Controller with the day-to-day, monthly and year-end operations of the Accounting Department. She manages the processing of cash and PRI receipts, the recording of revenue and receivables. She reviews all vendor invoices and employees expense reports and ensures compliance with company policies and required approvals prior to input into the GL system. Before joining MDIF in 2003, Anna had worked with Risk Waters Group, a British-based publishing company. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration at Baruch College. She is based in New York City and speaks English and Russian.
Marija Petrovic
Administrative Assistant
Marija works in the representative office in Belgrade as an administrative assistant and is responsible for supporting the local team. She has solid experience working in supporting roles across banking, media, and legal sectors. Before joining MDIF, she worked for the BBC News and Current Affairs in Serbia as a team assistant. She holds BA degree in Arabic language and literature and speaks English and German.
Bojana Pavlovic
Senior Legal Counsel
Bojana is a member of the MDIF Legal team, based in Belgrade, Serbia. She provides legal support at all levels of MDIF’s operations, including investments, compliance and various legal challenges in different jurisdictions.
Bojana is a team player, contributing to MDIF’s mission by providing expert legal advice aimed at business-oriented support and process acceleration. Before joining MDIF, Bojana practiced law for more than 13 years. Her diverse experience includes practicing law at a leading Balkan regional law firm, working in the UAE as legal counsel in a construction and architecture company, and working as legal business partner at pharmaceutical company Hemofarm, a member of STADA group.
Elena Popovic
Secretary and General Counsel
Elena Popovic is primarily responsible for general oversight of legal support to MDIF and MDIF’s governance and compliance. Holding a law degree from the University of Belgrade and LLM from New York University School of Law, Elena is an attorney admitted to the New York State Bar, with over 25 years of experience of M&A, private equity and commercial law in multiple legal systems. She is responsible for overseeing all the legal work of MDIF and its funds, including analysis of legal and political risks and FDI protection mechanisms. Before joining MDIF, Elena’s experience included managing a legal task force for the former Yugoslavia at the Open Society Institute in New York; private commercial practice in Belgrade; and managing the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia (of which she is also a co-founder). Elena also managed the Serbian Center for Anti-War Action. Elena is currently based in Belgrade.
Hillary Puckett
Administrative Assistant
Hillary is the administrative assistant for the finance team. In addition to supporting the finance team, she is a certified notary, which she uses to support the legal team. She has worked as an administrative assistant in the fashion and non-profit industries for more than eight years. Before joining MDIF in 2019, she worked at Seventh House PR as the executive assistant to the president. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. She is based in New York City.
Bilal Randeree
Chief Program Officer
Bilal is responsible for clients and special programs across Africa and MENA. He brings almost two decades of finance, management and editorial experience to this role, helping media companies navigate challenging business and operational environments. Before joining MDIF in 2017, Bilal worked for KPMG, Al Jazeera and successfully scaled a digital media startup. Bilal is a Chartered Accountant (CPA equivalent) and holds a post-graduate diploma in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University. He received his undergraduate degree in Finance and Marketing, and honours degree in Accounting from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Joanna Różycka-Iwan
Chief Investment Officer
Joanna Różycka-Iwan has more than 15 years’ experience in investment, consulting and financial management. Since joining MDIF in 2012, Joanna has managed a portfolio of debt and equity impact investments across Central and South-East Europe and Asia, notably executing several major European media deals in recent years. She is a member of several investee Supervisory Boards, specialising in shaping strategic priorities, performance monitoring and financial management. Prior to joining MDIF, Joanna advised companies for Deloitte and Crido Taxand, obtaining more than EUR 150 million financing for projects in different sectors (environmental protection, intermodal transport, renewable energy, innovation, trainings, SSC, R&D). Joanna has been a member of ACCA since 2014 and FCCA since 2019, and is a Leadership Academy for Poland 2021 alumna. Joanna holds an MA in corporate finance from SGH Warsaw School of Economics and an MA in international relations from Warsaw University. She is based in Warsaw and is fluent in English and Polish.
Patrice Schneider
Chief Strategy Officer
Patrice started his publishing career as a journalist reporting from conflicts in Central Asia at the end of the 1980s. Before joining MDIF in 2002, within the AOL Time Warner Group he served as Managing Director of Netscape Europe overseeing its eight European websites: UK, Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Denmark and Sweden. In 1998, before joining AOL Time Warner, Patrice was a Senior Adviser for the World Economic Forum (The Davos summit). From 1994 to 1998 he was Deputy Managing Director at Hachette Filipacchi Medias – the leading French publishing group and owner of Elle, Paris Match and other internationally renowned magazines. Previously Patrice served as Director at the World Association of Newspapers in Paris. He is a graduate of the Institut d’études politiques (Sciences Po) in Strasbourg and McGill University in Montreal. Patrice is based in Zürich.
Khumo Sello
Senior Program Officer, Amplify South Africa
As Senior Program Officer for Amplify South Africa, Khumo is responsible for the program’s grant funding management, coordinating capacity-building initiatives (workshops, training, coaching and mentorship) to the cohort, and communication and marketing (writing weekly and monthly blog posts, newsletters, website updates and social media updates). Khumo holds a Master of Management in Innovation Studies from Wits Business School and a BSc degree and honours in Urban and Regional Planning from Wits University. She previously worked as Project Manager at the South African Cities Network.
Kamal Siddiqi
Senior Program Officer for Asia
Kamal is our Senior Program Officer for Asia and part of the Amplify Asia Program. Prior to joining MDIF, he was the Director of News at Aaj TV. Before that he was the Director, Center for Excellence in Journalism at IBA in Karachi.
With over twenty-six years of extensive experience in journalism, Kamal brings a wealth of knowledge to our team. He served as the founding Editor of The Express Tribune, an English language national daily associated with the New York Times. Additionally, he is recognized as a fellow of the Center for Democratic Development and Rule of Law (CDDRL) at Stanford University.
Kamal holds an MSc in Economics with a specialization in Media and Communication Studies from the London School of Economics. His expertise extends beyond traditional roles, having also served as a lecturer in Journalism at Monash University, Australia.
Magdalena Skrzypek
Impact and Communications Manager
Magda takes a central role in all MDIF’s communications and impact tracking work. Her responsibilities encompass internal and external communication, reporting, impact assessment, monitoring, data visualisation and data storytelling. Prior to joining MDIF in 2017, she worked in media development, communications and international institutions. Her educational background is in journalism and media studies and includes a joint master’s degree from Aarhus University and the University of Amsterdam. She is based in Berlin, Germany and speaks Polish, English and German.
Janusz Slupek
Investment Officer
Janusz is responsible for working with portfolio companies, monitoring performance and advising on strategy and identified challenges. His expertise covers the whole investment cycle from deal origination through execution as well as portfolio management and internal and external reporting. He uses his expertise in analyses and business planning to increase the value of the fund’s investments.
Janusz has worked in the impact investing sector for more than 15 years. He is based in Poland and speaks Polish, English and Russian.
Ana Soffietto
Program Director for Latin America
Ana Soffietto is responsible for MDIF’s portfolio in Latin America, strengthening relationships within the media ecosystem in the region and developing strategic initiatives. Before joining MDIF, she was Head of Product at Grupo Octubre, one of Argentina’s largest media companies, where she oversaw product strategy and audience research and founded its first interactive and data team. Ana has also worked as a consultant and coach in media, technology and audience development for programs such as GNI Startups Lab Hispanoamérica for Google and Sembramedia, Product Inmersion for Small Newsrooms for CUNY and Impulso Local for Meta, Adepa y Dosunos.
Since the beginning of her career, she has been passionate about the intersection between journalism, communication and technology. This led her to participate as co-founder and co-director of MediaChicas, a non-profit organization with the mission of bridging the digital gender gap. Ana was a professional fellow at the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in 2019. She is a journalist with a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Buenos Aires. Ana is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina and speaks Spanish and English.
Patricia Torres-Burd
Managing Director, Media Advisory Services
Patricia Torres-Burd is responsible for managing Media Advisory Services and its portfolio and partner technical assistance and venture support, focusing on sustainability across all areas of media operations. She uses her expertise in media development, launch and operations to work with MDIF’s supported projects as their needs develop across their operational, audience reach and measurement, engagement and product considerations. She has worked internationally in all aspects of media, including television, radio and digital news for more than 25 years. Before joining MDIF in 2018, she held executive management positions at CME, SBS, Telemundo and UBC. Her educational background is in media and includes a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas. She is based in Prague, Czech Republic and speaks English, Spanish, French and moderate Romanian and Slovene.
Nolwazi Tusini
Program Director, Amplify South Africa
Nolwazi is responsible for executing Amplify South Africa. She is an award-winning broadcast journalist, queer feminist, social justice activist and writer with a keen interest in media and narrative strategy. Before joining MDIF, Nolwazi served as Communications and Media manager and Acting Co-Director at Iranti, a human rights advocacy organisation that advocates for the advancement of the rights of LBQTI persons in Africa. Prior to her work in the non-profit sector, Nolwazi spent over a decade as a broadcast journalist crafting radio and TV shows covering news and current affairs in South Africa and globally. She has led editorial teams at eNCA, 702, Power 98.7, and The Big Debate SA as an Executive Producer and Programme Editor. She has also written on politics and current affairs, as well as gender and race, for publications such as City Press and EWN. Nolwazi is a senior Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity with Columbia University in New York and the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, and a Global Atlantic Fellow. She is also a Ruth First Scholar.
Dhyanesh Vaishnav
Communications Officer
Dhyanesh is part of the Strategy and Communications team producing external communications, reporting to funders and investors, and carrying out research. With a postgraduate degree in Global Media and Communications from the University of London, Dhyanesh has experience of working in journalism and social impact communications. Currently based in London, Dhyanesh was born and raised in India and speaks English, Hindi and Gujarati.
Nenad Vucetic
IT Director
Nenad is a technology executive with experience in IT strategy, infrastructure, and enterprise systems. Over the past decade, he has held senior roles including CTO, IT Director, IT Manager, and Solution Architect, leading complex digital transformation initiatives across multiple sectors. He has worked with organizations such as STADA, Fujitsu (GDC), Galenika and BDO, delivering scalable solutions for companies ranging from 50 to over 20,000+ employees. Nenad holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Oleksandra Volkova
Administrative Assistant
Max von Abendroth
Senior Advisor Europe & Germany
Max von Abendroth is part of MDIF’s global Strategy & Outreach team with a particular focus on MDIF activities in Europe and Germany. With 18 years of experience in EU public affairs, he is the former Executive Director of Dafne (2017 – 2022), the European umbrella organisation of philanthropy, representing 10,000 public benefit foundations. Previously, Max was the Executive Director of EMMA, the European Magazine Media Association, representing the interest of 15,000 press publishers across Europe vis-à-vis the EU. He is Board member at Europe’s Media Lab (Belgium) and Trustee at Alliance Publishing Trust (UK). Max studied economics and business administration at Universität Witten/Herdecke (Germany).
Peter Whitehead
Director of Communications
Peter is responsible for MDIF’s global communications, including brand management, impact and other reporting. His experience in journalism, press freedom and law seeks to bring a coherent and engaging public face to MDIF’s investing and media support work. He has worked in media development and journalism for 30 years. Before joining MDIF in 2005, Peter worked as a consultant for international media support organizations and development agencies, as well as Director of the World Editors Forum and in various journalism and editorial roles at publications in Europe and Asia. His educational background is in law and includes an LLB and a post-graduate qualification from the UK’s University of Law. Peter is based in the UK and speaks English and French.
Sibahle Zuma
Program Assistant, Amplify South Africa
Sibahle Zuma is a Program Assistant at MDIF’s Amplify South Africa project. Prior to joining MDIF, Sibahle served in various roles, including as a Research, Communications, and Campaign Assistant at Amnesty International, Program Assistant at CIVICUS, and Campaign Assistant at Crisis Action. She holds a degree in law and political science from the University of Cape Town and the University of Kwa Zulu-Natal respectively. Sibahle is passionate about supporting initiatives that promote social justice and media development.