IPI STAFF

Renan Akyavaş covers violations of journalists’ rights for IPI’s website and social media channels, with a particular focus on Turkey and IPI’s #FreeTurkeyJournalists campaign. She holds a master’s degree in international relations from Central European University (CEU) and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boğaziçi University, Istanbul. Previously she worked as editor-in-chief of CEU’s Human Rights Journal and as a research assistant at Boğaziçi University while earning her bachelor’s degree.

Scott Griffen joined IPI in 2012 as press freedom adviser focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean. As deputy director, he helps manage IPI’s long-term project work and press freedom advocacy, and oversees IPI’s external and internal communications. He holds a bachelor’s degree in humanities from Yale University and a master’s degree in global ethics from King’s College London.

Ronja Koskinen works as a fellow covering press freedom issues from all over the world. She is especially interested in the current events of Eastern Europe, Russia, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Ronja has previously worked as a photographer for Etelä-Suomen Sanomat and as a communications intern for European Youth Parliament Finland. She holds a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from Tampere University and is currently studying a master’s degree in visual journalism.

Josh LaPorte is a media development specialist who coordinates the NewsSpectrum Fellowship programme that partners with minority language media across the European Union. Before joining IPI, he led the European Journalism Centre’s global press freedom and media development initiatives across Eastern Europe and the Global South. Prior to this, he held management positions at the OSCE and the Media Development Investment Fund. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.

Martin Leonhartsberger is a certified public accountant and has over 15 years experience in finance and administration working for companies such as GEWISTA WerbegesmbH, PROGRESS Werbe, VerlagsgmbH, Altstoff Recycling Austria AG, Manpower GmbH and more recently Philips Austria GmbH.

Martin ensures the smooth operation of all of IPI’s financial and administrative needs.

Javier Luque Martínez coordinates advocacy and communication on IPI’s digital platforms. He holds a master’s degree in International Journalism from Cardiff University and bachelor’s degrees in journalism and psychology. Prior to joining IPI, he worked as a foreign correspondent in Los Angeles, covering the National Basketball Association (NBA) for several online publications and over 40 TV channels across the United States and Latin America. He also previously worked as a crime reporter for Cadena SER, the main nationwide radio station in Spain.

Oliver Money-Kyrle is a media development expert and press freedom activist with over twenty years’ experience defending the rights of journalists in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Turkey. He joined IPI in September 2019 to head up the #FreeTurkeyJournalists campaign. Prior to that he was the Director of Projects with the International Federation of Journalists managing their global programmes and campaigns on journalists’ rights. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Bristol and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management from Boston University Brussels.

Jacqui leads IPI’s work on global network strategy and innovation. She is a journalist and editor with deep experience building journalism communities around press freedom and high-integrity journalism, particularly in the Asia-Pacific. She is Senior Fellow for Media Innovation at the University of Technology, Sydney and writes a fortnightly newsletter, The Story, on media startups and innovation in Asia-Pacific. She was founding CEO of Australia’s Walkley Foundation for excellence in journalism, founding Asia-Pacific Director for the International Federation of Journalists and a JS Knight fellow at Stanford University, focusing on media innovation and strategic design.

Onur Sazak is Turkey-based Project Coordinator at IPI. Prior to joining IPI, he coordinated the Philanthropy Infrastructure Development in Turkey project at The Third Sector Foundation of Turkey (TUSEV) from September 2019 to May 2021. He has also worked at Open Society Foundations Turkey, Istanbul Policy Center at Sabancı University, Hudson Institute, and Brookings Institution in different capacities ranging from research manager to program associate for over a decade and a half. Sazak holds a BA and MA in International Relations and International Economic Policy from American University in Washington, D.C.

Helena Soares works closely with the press freedom team and oversees institutional fundraising opportunities for IPI’s long-term projects in support of press freedom and freedom of expression worldwide. Before joining IPI in Vienna, she worked as a Fundraising Officer for Global Witness in London, where she assisted in the management of extensive grants portfolios, donor stewardship and building relationships with international partners. Helena holds an MA in Journalism Studies from Cardiff University.