Meet the Humphrey Fellows
The Cronkite School’s Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows are global media leaders committed to public service. Representing nations and media organizations across the world, fellows embed at the Cronkite School for an academic year to share their experience and perspectives while pursuing studies, leadership training and professional affiliations with journalism and communication organizations in Arizona and beyond.
Current Fellows
Vagner de Alencar
Brazil
Vagner de Alencar is a multimedia journalist with over ten years of experience in local journalism and education. He holds a communications degree from Presbyterian Mackenzie University and a master’s and a doctorate in education from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo. He is the co-founder and director of journalism at Agência Mural, a nonprofit news organization focused on covering marginalized communities in São Paulo, Brazil. Additionally, he is the author of the book “City of Paradise — There Is Life in São Paulo’s Largest Favela” and has received awards such as the Fernando Pacheco Jordão Young Journalist Award and the Sebrae Journalism Award. He has worked as an educator and as a journalist for national and international organizations, with a particular focus on education issues. In 2017, he represented Brazil in the IVLP (International Visitor Leadership Program) sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, showcasing his leadership skills globally.
Lyudmil Karavasilev
Bulgaria
Lyudmil Karavasilev is a communications professional with a strong background in corporate communications, stakeholder and institutional relations, sponsorship, CSR, and event management. He advises the Bulgarian Minister of Environment and Water. He leads communication and fundraising projects for the BCause Foundation, a professional philanthropy organization that develops CSR and sustainability programs for companies. Lyudmil has considerable experience as a PR officer in the banking sector, trade, and pharmaceutical companies, as well as for sports and cultural organizations. Lyudmil holds a master’s degree from Sofia University’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communications. He co-authored a study and article, “Models of Public Relations in Bulgaria and Job Satisfaction among Its Practitioners,” published in the US Public Relations Review in June 2000. Lyudmil is also a columnist for the Bulgarian “24 Hours” daily newspaper and co-authored a book, “History of Sofia Commodity Exchange.”
Oumar Zombre
Burkina Faso
Oumar Zombre is an experienced journalist, news anchor, and communications specialist with over a decade of experience. From 2009 to 2022, he worked at RTB in Burkina Faso, specializing in investigative journalism, conflict reporting, documentaries, and feature stories. His excellence in these fields earned him prestigious awards, including a continental prize for investigative journalism. Oumar has collaborated with major international media, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Telegraph, National Geographic, Financial Times, and The Guardian. In 2021-2022, he contributed to the Associated Press in Burkina Faso. Beyond journalism, Oumar is passionate about literature, culture, and the arts and has written a novel and a political essay. He holds a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy, a diploma in journalism from the Institut d’Etat des Journalistes ISTIC, and a degree in international public relations from Université Libre du Burkina.
Moses Havyarimana
Burundi
Moses Havyarimana is a Burundian multimedia journalist specializing in political, social, and economic issues in Burundi and East Africa. He began his journalism career with Burundi National Radio and Television (RTNB), focusing on critical East African community matters. He later joined the Nation Media Group as a special correspondent for The East African. Subsequently, he freelanced for Voice of America (VOA), covering political and social issues, and started working as a freelance video journalist for Al Jazeera during Burundi’s first referendum. He also wrote for GAVI on vaccination and health stories from Burundi and created video packages for TRT World. Notably, he covered Burundi’s political crisis and elections, highlighting human rights abuses and the refugee crisis. He received the prestigious COMESA Best Radio Reporter award.
Maud Kouadio
Côte d’Ivoire
Maud Kouadio is an expert in communication and marketing with seven years of experience in content creation, event coordination, and project management. As the president of Empowering Women in Africa (EWA), an NGO based in Côte d’Ivoire, she is dedicated to empowering women through education. Under her leadership, EWA has re-enrolled 56 girls in school, provided free training to 19 young women, and offered psychological support to more than 1,000 girls. Maud is committed to ensuring every girl has access to quality education, regardless of her background. She invites people to join her journey of empowerment, where every action speaks to the limitless potential of the human spirit. She aims to pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future where every woman and girl can thrive and shine.
Emese Dudics
Hungary
Emese Dudics is a Hungarian award-winning journalist with 20 years of experience. She began her career at a daily newspaper before becoming the main editor of a health magazine, where she received several journalism awards. Currently, she works at Central Mediacsoport Zrt. as a journalist for Nők Lapja, a 75-year-old weekly women’s magazine, covering various topics from everyday matters to social and psychological issues. Emese gained recognition for her interview with Katalin Kariko, the first Hungarian woman to win the Nobel Prize. She is dedicated to promoting gender equality and empowering women. She enjoys reading, traveling, photography, and experimenting with new recipes in her free time. Emese is also a proud mother of one daughter.
Nurit Canetti
Israel
Nurit Canetti is an award-winning journalist and renowned radio news and current affairs anchorwoman in Israel. For thirteen years, she served as editor-in-chief of the daily news talk show “What’s Cooking?” at Galei Zahal – Public Radio, one of Israel’s most influential radio shows. Additionally, Nurit chaired the Israeli Journalists Association, which she helped found in 2011, advocating for the rights of approximately 3,000 journalists and promoting press freedom. Nurit has also reported for various news desks and contributed articles and opinion columns to renowned Israeli newspapers and magazines. She produced and hosted documentaries on a wide range of issues. Nurit was a lecturer and tutor in mass communications and journalism at several academic schools. In 2021, she received the B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism, recognizing her journalism excellence and contributions to the state of Israel-World Jewry relations in Israeli media. She was rewarded twice for the best radio show at her home station. As a lawyer, Canetti holds academic degrees in literature, history, and law and a master’s degree in public policy.
Bojana Dabovic
Montenegro
Bojana Dabovic is a seasoned journalist and editor spearheading a central news program at RTV Podgorica, Montenegro’s public local broadcaster. Her career journey embodies a versatile blend of experiences across the private and public sectors. Beginning at Television 777 in 2011, she swiftly transitioned into roles as a marketing manager and later as a corporate and airline catering manager. From 2016 to 2020, she served as an advisor to the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, honing her public affairs and diplomacy expertise. Bojana is a distinguished alumna of prestigious programs, including the “European and International Affairs” program at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna and the U.S. State Department’s IVLP program. Complementing her extensive professional journey are certifications as a media literacy trainer in Montenegro and participating in various European Union trainings focused on intercultural dialogue and human rights.
Jean Paul Ibambe
Rwanda
Jean Paul Ibambe is a Rwandan human rights activist and lawyer specializing in media laws, freedom of expression, and human rights. With over 15 years of experience in journalism, media regulation, law practice, and human rights promotion, he defends journalists in legal battles through litigation and constitutional petitions. A founding member of H-I LEX Partners, a law firm established in Kigali, he has also served as a Legal Advisor at the Rwanda Media Commission. Ibambe is currently with The Legal Aid Forum, a Rwandan NGO, and he advocates for the decriminalization of defamation and responsible freedom of expression. He is a member of the Rwanda Bar Association and the East African Law Society. As a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow at Arizona State University, he plans to create a Freedom of Expression Institute of Rwanda, focusing on legal representation for journalists, research and advocacy, and law reforms.
Jaehee Kim
South Korea
Jaehee Kim has been a journalist at the century-old South Korean media company Dong-a Media Group since 2015. She is an award-winning investigative journalist, covering stories of immigrants facing racial discrimination in South Korea and crime victims of arson and homicide. As a cinephile, Jaehee mainly covered the film and K-pop industries. She curated a segment called “EnterView” in a newspaper, interviewing Korean entertainment experts and conducting exclusive interviews with global figures, including Grammy-winning musicians. A hybrid journalist, she has experience with both traditional newspaper formats and social media formats. Ms. Kim was a former YouTuber with 25,000 followers and currently manages an Instagram account titled “BreakFirst_newsletter,” where she shares interviews exploring the stories of individuals who have overcome inertia to make breakthroughs in various industries. Jaehee pursues the goal to fathom the unfathomable areas of human beings by building strong rapport and engaging in in-depth conversations with interviewees.
Nkosikhona Dibiti
Zimbabwe
Nkosikhona Dibiti is the Founder and Executive Director of Community Podium, a non-profit participatory media organization dedicated to providing support for content creators and creating inclusive platforms for the voices of marginalized communities to be heard in southern Zimbabwe. He is a trained journalist with 12 years of experience in communications strategy, media advocacy, social media content production, and external media communications. He is also a media entrepreneur, innovator, trainer, and a substantial contributor to empowering young people in media and communication. He holds various positions of responsibility as a board member in three non-profit organizations in Zimbabwe. Community Podium has recorded significant milestones in the last four years, with some news articles winning awards, such as the Best Sustainable Forest Management story in Zimbabwe, and having stories republished by renowned newsrooms such as The Independent UK. In 2023, Community Podium was nominated to participate in the International Press Institute Local News Accelerator.
Past Fellows
Rocio Baro, Cuba
Tamuna Chkareuli, Georgia
Camille Diola, Philippines
Riazul Haq, Pakistan
Seoka Hwang, South Korea
Mariatu Kabba, Sierra Leone
Elzat Kydyrmysheva, Kyrgyzstan
Golden Matonga, Malawi
Tufan Neupane, Nepal
Seungshin Seo, South Korea
Belén Tavares, Peru
Doreen Ampofo, Ghana
Katerina Barushka, Belarus
Emmanuella Dago-Akribi, Cote d’Ivoire
Meer “Ahsan” Habib, Bangladesh
Blessing Jona, Zimbabwe
Teddy Kafo, Solomon Islands
Hakob Karapetyan, Armenia
Joonggun Lee, S. Korea
Makepeace Sitlhou, India
Nellija Locmele, Latvia
Jihea Yang, S. Korea
Zahidun Nisa, Pakistan
Anastasia Zhukova, Russia
Tasneem Amro, West Bank
Angela J. Aurora, Ph.D., El Salvador
Atok Dan, South Sudan
Mohamed Asmieu Bah, Sierra Leone
Johnson Mayamba, Uganda
Elira Çanga, Albania
Bálint Fabok, Hungary
Anum Hanif, Pakistan
Dilshad Karim Elita, Bangladesh
Gahyeok Lee, South Korea
Hyuntaek Lee, South Korea
Milana Mazaeva, Russia
Andrea Polanco, Belize
Siqi Yao, China
Xaviera L. Arnhem, Suriname
Fakhar Durrani, Pakistan
Farhat Javed, Pakistan
Slađana Lučić, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Delia Marinescu, Romania
Yana Pashaeva, Russia
Samantha Refilwe Pilane, Botswana
Teodora Trifonova, Bulgaria
Elma Velić, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mona Abdel-Moneim Aly, Egypt
Radovan Bogojevic, Montenegro
Chentao Cui, China
Pierre Negaud Dupenor, Haiti
Camille Kristina Elemia, Philippines
Mónica Rivero Cabrera, Cuba
Deusdedit Ruhangariyo, Uganda
Ha Tran Thi Thu, Vietnam
Noreen Shams, Pakistan
Aung Naing Soe, Myanmar
Nera Valentić, Croatia
Phanindra Dahal, Nepal
Alexey Gorbachev, Russia
Jinjin Mo, China
Sebenzile Nkambule, South Africa
Rula Rizk, Lebanon
Benazir Samad, Pakistan
Balint Szalai, Hungary
Adey Tegene, Ethiopia
Lilan Wu, China
Dalia Younis, Egypt
Salisu Ibrahim Yunusa, Nigeria
Martín Aguirre, Uruguay
Ahmed Elashry, Egypt
Daneel Knoetze, South Africa
Kazi Mohua, Bangladesh
Mila Moralic, Croatia
Paul Udoto Nyongesa, Kenya
Szabolcs Panyi, Hungary
Bopha Phorn, Cambodia
Marina Ridjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Holger Roonemaa, Estonia
Kiran Somvanshi, India
Xiaofeng Wang, Chin
Laurentine Bayala, Burkina Faso
Tynymgul Eshieva, Kyrgyz Republic
Edine Harr’met-Kimbouala, Republic of the Congo
Jean Claude Kabengera, Rwanda
Adetola Kayode, Nigeria
Leanid Pashkouski, Belarus
Kunal Ranjan, India
Narmina Strishenets, Ukraine
Ivaylo Vezenkov, Bulgaria
Dina Zhansagimova, Kazakhstan
Vitalien Adoukonou, Benin
Rajneesh Bhandari, Nepal
Criselda Marie Z. Caringal, Philippines
Marta Cerava, Latvia
Natalia Ghilașcu, Moldova
Darko Ivanovic, Montenegro
Joseph Mayombo, Gabon
Alla Nadezhkina, Russia
Namgay Zam, Bhutan
Tabua Francis Butagira, Uganda
Lila Ojha Dhakal, Nepal
Krista Kull, Estonia
Evaldas Labanauskas, Lithuania
Omar Mohammed, Tanzania
Vlad Odobescu, Romania
Priscilla Janet Nyenator Quiah, Liberia
Armen Sargsyan, Armenia
Sholpan Zhaksybaeva, Kazakhstan
Fernando Aguilar, El Salvador
Hina Ali, Pakistan
Ivana Braga, Brazil
Maja Cakarun, Croatia
Wahida Ifat, Bangladesh
Rhonda Jaipaul-O’Garro, Trinidad and Tobago
Steven James Kapoloma, Malawi
Derya Kaya, Turkey
Issa Koumouréoua Napon, Burkina Faso
Javaria Tareen, Pakistan
Kareem Awadalla, Egypt
Ilona Bičevska, Latvia
Nikiwe Bikitsha, South Africa
Borgia Miguel Samba Bouesso, Republic of the Congo
Kibnesh Chala Fulas, Ethiopia
Gwendolin Mokake née Mojoko Messinge, Cameroon
Fatima Talib, Pakistan
Alma Telibečirević, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Branko Veselinovic, Serbia
Andreza Andrade, Brazil
Mona Abdel Alim, Egypt
Lubna Thomas Benjamin, Pakistan
Hao Chen, China
Antonio Jimenez, Costa Rica
Lejla Kapetanovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Evgeny Kuzmin, Russia
Taati Niilenge, Namibia
Lujain Ismail Shafeeq, Maldives
Elena Strapkova, Slovakia