Our People

We are an international community of independent journalists, photojournalists, designers, data scientists, faculty and students.

Leadership Team

Jeff Kelly Lowenstein

Founder & Executive Director
United States

Yaffa Fredrick, CCIJ Editorial Director

Yaffa Fredrick

Editorial Director
United States

Jillian Dudziak

Design Director
United States

Ajibola Amzat, Africa Editor

Ajibola Amzat

Africa Editor
Nigeria

Sotiris Sideris, Data Editor, CCIJ

Sotiris Sideris

Data Editor
Greece

Yuxi Wang, Data Fellow, CCIJ

Yuxi Wang

Data Researcher and Visualization Specialist
China

Serena Stelitano, Metaverse Designer, CCIJ

Serena Stelitano

Metaverse Designer
Italy

Carolyn Thompson, Project Editor

Carolyn Thompson

Project Editor
Germany

Fola Folayan, CCIJ Marketing Manager

Fola Folayan

Marketing Manager
Rwanda

Nelly Kalu, CCIJ Project Manager

Nelly Kalu

Project Manager
Nigeria

Nic Bothma, CCIJ Visual Editor

Nic Bothma

Visual Editor
South Africa

Board of Directors

Paul Schaeffer

Paul David Schaeffer

Paul, a business strategist with 25 years of senior experience in the investment management and financial services industry, is a member of CCIJ’s Board of Directors.

Brant Houston

Brant Houston

Brant Houston, who served more than 10 years as the executive director for IRE and now teaches at the University of Illinois, is a member of CCIJ’s Board of Directors.

Cheryl Thompson

Cheryl W. Thompson

Cheryl, an award-winning investigative correspondent for NPR who teaches investigative reporting at George Washington University, serves on CCIJ’s Board of Directors.

Anton Harber

Anton Harber

Anton, who holds the Caxton Chair of Journalism and is Adjunct Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, serves on CCIJ’s Board of Directors.

Motunrayo Alaka

Motunrayo Alaka

A CCIJ board member, Motunrayo has 15 years experience designing strategies for impact and social justice that enable investigative reporting, media sustainability, leadership and good governance across all genres of the media.