Experience

PeaceWomen Across the Globe

• Switzerland
• International Affairs
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Communications Manager

  • May 2019 - Present

  I am responsible for the communications of PeaceWomen Across the Globe, a nonprofit that promotes and supports the work of gender and peace activists and advocates for the inclusion of women in peace processes, conflict-prevention and post-conflict reconciliation. As this is a part-time position, I also work as an independent consultant, journalist, editor and trainer (intercultural communication, external communications). I am responsible for the communications of PeaceWomen Across the Globe, a nonprofit that promotes and supports the work of gender and peace activists and advocates for the inclusion of women in peace processes, conflict-prevention and post-conflict reconciliation. As this is a part-time position, I also work as an independent consultant, journalist, editor and trainer (intercultural communication, external communications).



Independent Consultant

• United States
• Technology, Information and Internet
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Communication Consultant, Media, Communication and Intercultural Trainer

  • Jul 2017 - Present

  I am an independent consultant and trainer in the fields of media development, communication and media training, and intercultural communication. I am an accomplished, award-winning journalist, a highly experienced journalism, communication and writing trainer and independent consultant who thrives on working in multicultural settings. I have a profound understanding of development issues and international cooperation. I am a certified intercultural trainer, who can help individuals to build their intercultural competences for an assignment abroad and culturally mixed teams to work together more efficiently.I am a native English and German speaker with a good comprehension of French in a work context.



Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

• International Affairs
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Head Communication Management Unit

  • Dec 2013 - Jul 2017

  As Head of the Communication Management Unit at Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation I was responsible for a wide range of communication tasks, incl. media enquiries, advising and supporting the director and the board of directors in external and internal communication, writing and coordinating SDC publications and managing a number of projects (communication strategy, media fund and award, etc.)I also devised and ran workshops for the local staff in SDC's offices abroad and embassy staff on internal and external communication, writing, working with the media, giving presentations, etc. In 10 years I ran more than 35 workshops in countries as diverse as Albania, Mongolia, and Zimbabwe for communication and development specialists from more than 40 nations.



Information FDFA, Federal Dept. of Foreign Affairs

• Deputy Head Communication Team and Media Trainer

  • Oct 2008 - Nov 2013

  - Management responsibilities for a team of about six communication specialists- Co-facilitated annual media training for members of the Swiss diplomatic corps and heads of cooperation.- Communication liaison for the SDC's Humanitarian Aid Department at Information FDFA, the Foreign Ministry's communication department; led communication training during biannual introductory course for new members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit- Conceptualised and ran communication and writing workshops for SDC staff at headquarters and at Switzerland's representations abroad; coached communication officers at Swiss Cooperation Offices abroad.- Wrote handbook on external communication used by Swiss Cooperation Offices and representations abroad.- Wrote and edited texts for the SDC's website and publications for the SDC and the FDFA



International Institute for Journalism IIJ

• Freelance journalism trainer

  • Oct 2004 - Oct 2011

  - Trained journalism trainers and lecturers from Africa and Asia who participated in a biennial "Train the Trainer" course in Berlin designed to improve how they teach and train journalists in their countries (incl. among others Kenya, Ghana, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia).- Devised and taught a three-day module on "Ethics and Accuracy" for business journalists from Africa and Asia (incl. Indonesia, Rwanda, India) who participated in an annual seven- to eight-week Economic and Financial Reporting course in Berlin.- Devised and together with a public health specialist co-facilitated three "Reporting on HIV/Aids" workshops for journalists and editors from sub-Sahara Africa in Arusha, Tanzania and in Johannesburg, South Africa.NB: The IIJ was part of InWent until the latter was integrated into Germany's development agency GIZ and the IIJ became part of the Deutsche Welle Academy.



Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC

• Media and Communication Trainer

  • Jan 2007 - Oct 2008

  I was responsible for designing and implementing a media and communication training programme for the communication officers and staff of the Swiss Cooperation Offices in developing and transition countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. In this time period, I devised and ran 11 regional workshops for participants from more than 40 countries with a focus on improving writing and public relations skills and creating a common understanding of the importance and key elements of good external communication. The workshops took place in: Mongolia, Tajikistan, Jordan, Niger, Bolivia, Ukraine, Bosnia Herzegovina, Nicaragua, India, Pakistan and South Africa.



freelance editor/writer/trainer

• Freelance Journalist, Editor, Trainer and Consultant

  • Jan 2003 - Dec 2006

  I contributed news stories, reportages and features to a variety of South African and international publications and organisations, incl. among others The Sunday Independent, the NZZ am Sonntag, the International Bar News (of the International Bar Association), UNDP, Elle (SA), Marie Claire (SA), Swiss Air Lines magazine, Sued-Afrika (Germany), Der Überblick (Germany), Tribute magazine (SA), Leadership magazine (SA), Das Magazin (Switzerland), the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (SA). As a trainer I ran workshops for journalists and local NGOs. Journalism training included workshops for the Berlin-based International Institute for Journalism (IIJ) on Reporting on HIV/Aids for sub-Saharan African journalists, Train-the-Trainer course for journalism trainers and lecturers from Africa and Asia as well as a number of workshops or short courses on basic reporting, news feature writing and reporting on development issues. As a consultant I was team leader of a EU analysis of the internal and external communication of South Africa's Human Rights Commission, Commission on Gender Equality and the Office of the Public Protector.



Neue Zürcher Zeitung

• Switzerland
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Southern Africa Correspondent

  • Dec 2000 - Dec 2002

  I reported from South Africa and neighbouring countries Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, with a particular focus on the latter before, during and after its controversial and violent presidential elections in 2002.Between 2001 and 2003 I was a board member and then Chairperson of the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Southern Africa. I reported from South Africa and neighbouring countries Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, with a particular focus on the latter before, during and after its controversial and violent presidential elections in 2002.Between 2001 and 2003 I was a board member and then Chairperson of the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Southern Africa.



Reconstruct, The Sunday Independent

• Editor

  • Feb 1998 - Nov 2000

  I was the launch editor of Reconstruct, a weekly supplement on development issues in South Africa and on the continent that appeared in the national The Sunday Independent newspaper. I wrote, edited and commissioned articles from freelance journalists and specialists in a range of fields.During that time, I was awarded or nominated for a number of journalism awards, including:- Overall winner of the FAWE Award for Media Excellence (1999), a Pan-African award that recognises coverage of women's development issues- The African Journalist of the Year Award (1999), co-sponsored by the African Journalist Foundation (UK) and CNN. I was nominated for the overall award and won 2nd place in the "print" category- The Katlego Development Journalism Award (1st place, 1998) that honours achievements in South African development journalism. I was also a finalist for the Excellence in Health Journalism Award, sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation and for the SA Courageous Journalism Award, sponsored by the Ruth First Memorial Trust, for my "bold and independent" coverage of women's issues.



The Sunday Independent

• United Kingdom
• Media Production

• Senior Writer

  • Jun 1995 - Feb 1998

  I joined the editorial team shortly before the national newspaper's launch in 1995. While I covered a range of topics, I had a special focus on health, human rights, development, women and children. I covered the first hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the TRC's special hearings for women.On three separate reporting trips I wrote reportages from Algeria and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), from its refugee camps in southwestern Algeria. I joined the editorial team shortly before the national newspaper's launch in 1995. While I covered a range of topics, I had a special focus on health, human rights, development, women and children. I covered the first hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the TRC's special hearings for women.On three separate reporting trips I wrote reportages from Algeria and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), from its refugee camps in southwestern Algeria.



The Star Newspaper

• Canada
• Newspaper Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Staff Reporter

  • Mar 1994 - Jun 1995

  I joined the reporting team for the daily newspaper's coverage of South Africa's first democratic, non-racial elections in 1994, covering events leading up to the elections, the election day and its aftermath.As a stringer for Die Weltwoche, a Swiss weekly newspaper, and the Houston Chronicle, USA I also wrote reportages from a Rwandan refugee camp on the Tanzanian border and from Burundi in 1994 and from Rwanda in 1995, focusing on the Rwandan genocide and its effects on neighbouring Burundi.



freelance

• Egypt
• Human Resources
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Freelance Journalist

  • Jul 1992 - Dec 1993

  Following a one-semester programme at the national film school FAMU, I freelanced as a writer and editor, among others for Die Weltwoche (Switzerland), the Prague Post (Czech Republic) and CSA Airlines magazine (Czech Republic).I also published poetry in the English-language literary magazine Yazzyk and in an anthology of essays and poems published by Modra Musa Publishers Following a one-semester programme at the national film school FAMU, I freelanced as a writer and editor, among others for Die Weltwoche (Switzerland), the Prague Post (Czech Republic) and CSA Airlines magazine (Czech Republic).I also published poetry in the English-language literary magazine Yazzyk and in an anthology of essays and poems published by Modra Musa Publishers