Digitally Right

Bangladesh

Tamara Yesmin Toma is an OSINT investigator and researcher at Dismislab, specialising in disinformation, hate speech, and gender issues. She has nearly four years of experience in journalism and fact-checking, having previously worked at The Business Standard. Tamara holds a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Dhaka, where she received the Ali Riaz Graduate Research Award for her thesis on South Asian gender fluidity.

Women In News, WAN-IFRA

Myanmar

Thandar runs programs for Women In News, WAN-IFRA. She previously served as Country Lead for Myanmar in the past years. Thandar is a marketing and communications professional and previously led a commercial team at Frontier Myanmar, one of the leading media organisations in Myanmar. In parallel, she also led Frontier Myanmar's Black Knight Marketing and Communication Agency, and collaborated with a number of international clients.

Inclusive Journalism

Netherlands

Sanne Breimer is a freelance journalism adviser, mentor, and researcher for international media organisations. She founded Inclusive Journalism, with which she publishes a weekly newsletter and conducts courses and retreats on the intersection of representation, decolonisation, and well-being. She works remotely and divides her time between Europe and South East Asia.

Thibi

Myanmar

Yan Naung Oak is the founder of Thibi, a consultancy working in the space between data and design. He works with media and civil organisations across Southeast Asia to help them use data for storytelling and advocacy.

Sifter

Ethiopia

Maya is a freelance reporter based in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. She runs Sifter, a weekly newsletter where she curates the week's top five human rights stories.

KBR

Indonesia

Citra Dyah Prastuti is the Chief Editor and Director of KBR Media - Indonesia’s independent and award-winning media organisation. KBR Media started in 1999 and we remain the largest independent radio network, broadcasting to 34 provinces across Indonesia. We expand to podcasts with KBR Prime, as a healthy podcast ecosystem to nurture meaningful conversations and expand perspectives. KBR Prime was awarded with Digital Media Awards Asia 2024 from WAN-IFRA for “Best Innovative Digital Product” for the small/medium category. One of our podcasts, Love Buzz, recently won the Best Society and Culture Podcast in the Asia Podcast Awards 2024. 

Luminate

Egypt

Alexandra Buccianti oversees Luminate's Global Programme team's efforts in supporting transregional organisations and initiatives to safeguard information integrity and hold technology accountable. With over 14 years of experience in designing and implementing media support and development projects, she previously worked at BBC Media Action and Search for Common Ground.

Luminate

Malaysia

Jo-Ann leads Luminate’s programmatic work in Malaysia. She is part of the team in Asia supporting civil society organisations working to protect civic spaces, build inclusive societies, and hold Big Tech accountable. She has been involved with human rights and institutional reform advocacy for over 15 years in various roles as a lawyer, journalist, and activist.

AFP

United Kingdom

Sara Hussein is AFP’s Future of the Planet reporter for the Asia-Pacific region. She covers all aspects of climate change and the environment from her base in Bangkok. In recent months, she has written about Indonesia's struggle to transition from coal power, deforestation in Cambodia, and conservation diving in Thailand. She has reported from across Asia and the Middle East and began her career with AFP in Washington DC. She speaks English, French, and Arabic, but is happiest listening to the sounds of nature.

MS COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY (IN PROGRESS), BA MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY

Counselling Thailand

Thailand

Pim is fluent in both Thai and English. Pim has experience working with clients facing depression, stress, anxiety, self-esteem issues, relationship issues, trauma-related issues, and more. Pim believes that self-love, self-compassion, self-awareness, and self-forgiveness are the keys to having positive and healthy emotional wellbeing, where these skills can be developed through acknowledgment, understanding, and acceptance.

davidrafachinho.myportfolio.com

Portugal

David is a multidisciplinary creative and graphic designer. He designed the Beta speaker profile pics on this website, and the program book (with art-direction by Rishad Patel). He finds comfort outside his comfort zone.

Pulitzer Center

Malaysia

Kuek Ser Kuang Keng is the data editor at the Pulitzer Center, a non-profit journalism organisation based in Washington D.C., where he supports, trains and mentors journalists in doing environmental investigation and in-depth reporting.

WIN WAN-IFRA

Myanmar

Nyi is a Project Coordinator at WIN WAN-IFRA. She has more than ten years of experience in Communications and Project Management, cultivated through diverse roles in PR agencies, corporate environments, and NGOs. Nyi is doing her master's degree in Mental Health in Thailand. Besides her studies, she is passionate about helping young people and making positive social changes.

ApertureChina

China

An ex-journalist influenced by design thinking, Yaling now applies her journalistic skills to help businesses find their niche with Chinese consumers. Yaling specialises in providing insights and strategies for brands and financial institutions on the Chinese consumer market, based on qualitative research findings. She has also collaborated with research firms such as Kantar, WGSN, Canvas8, and the Hartman Group on China-related projects.

Impact Hub Phnom Penh

Cambodia

Bank Vath is the Program and DEI Manager at media4Impact, where they support and collaborate with media professionals to promote public interest and foster more inclusive and sustainable media.

Impact Hub Phnom Penh

Cambodia

Vandara Sin is the media4impact lead at Impact Hub Phnom Penh, managing the strategic development, co-design, and implementation of support programs, community engagement, and agency for public interest media startups and content creators in the network.

PHD PSYCHOLOGY IN COUNSELLING, MA GUIDANCE & PSYCHOLOGY COUNSELLING

Counselling Thailand

Thailand

Doi is highly experienced in both individual and relationship/marriage counselling. With a Doctorate in Applied Psychology and membership in the Thailand Counselling Psychology Association, he brings a wealth of experience gained from his studies, research, internships, and professional practice, offering clients empathetic, authentic, and validating support.

MS COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY, BA COMMUNICATION ARTS

Counselling Thailand

Thailand

Prieo has a diverse counselling experience with a range of clients of all ages encountering relationship issues, stress, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, grief, and life transitions. Her aim in therapy is to facilitate clients in self-discovery and help them utilise their inner resources to cope with any challenging circumstances that occur in any stage of life.

Ladder Studios

United States

Ross Settles, occasional academic, sometime consultant and dilettante investor, tries to stay at the intersection of media, money and tech, but is often left in the dust by innovators in Asia. Learning from the devil in the details is his motto.  Ross previously spent a year as a faculty associate at Harvard's Berkman Centre and also taught journalism graduate students at Hong Kong University's Journalism and Media Studies Centre about the ins and outs of the media business. You can find him anywhere there is a good bowl of noodles. Currently oscillating between Taipei and San Francisco.

Asian Institute of Technology

Myanmar

Khant earned a Master's Degree in Social Science (Development Studies) from Chiang Mai University in 2022. She has been conducting studies on labor rights issues, notably the rights of female workers, as a labor rights researcher in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone. Currently, she works as a Project Officer at the Asian Institute of Technology, SERD, where she helps organise events and coordinate projects.