ICFJ Staff

Dawn Arteaga, Communications Director
Responsible for the design and implementation of all of ICFJ's communications strategy, including public relations, publicity, outreach events, Web sites, newsletters, brochures and publications. Arteaga also serves as ICFJ’s IT coordinator. Before coming to ICFJ, she worked as the managing editor for a guidebook on Ecuador and Latin America. Previously, she reported for the Hispanic Link News Service and Los Angeles Times News Syndicate in Washington, DC and the Broadsheet Magazine in Madrid, Spain. She has a B.A. in print journalism and Spanish from American University (Washington, DC) and is currently a master's candidate in communications at Johns Hopkins University. She is fluent in Spanish. darteaga (at) icfj (dot) org

Joyce Barnathan, President
Responsible for running the organization, long-range planning and institutional development. She also serves as the Chair of the Global Forum for Media Development.  Previously, she was Executive Editor - Global Franchise at BusinessWeek, where she helped create new editorial extensions and alliances.  As Assistant Managing Editor, she supervised nearly every department of the magazine.  She worked as Asia Regional Editor, helping to launch the Asia edition, which won prestigious awards for coverage of China's growth, Asia's financial crisis and the turmoil in Indonesia.  She began her career at BusinessWeek in 1990 as an editor in the international department.  From 1979 until 1988, she held a number of posts at Newsweek, including Moscow Bureau Chief, Special National Political Correspondent and State Department Correspondent. For her work, she has been honored with five Overseas Press Club Awards and one National Headliner Award, among other honors.  She also served as a Freedom Forum Fellow in 1989 - 1990. She has a B.A. in Russian and Chinese area studies and M.A. in Asian studies from Washington University, and M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri. She speaks conversational Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. She is a trustee of the Arthur F. Burns Fellowships Program and on the advisory board of McGraw-Hill's Architectural Record.  jbarnathan (at) icfj (dot) org

Luis Manuel Botello, Senior Program Director for Digital Media
Responsible for the development of ICFJ's digital media strategy. He also oversees Latin American programs and ICFJ’s monitoring and evaluation systems. He conducts a variety of training programs and conferences on ethics, press freedom, and media in the Western Hemisphire. Botello worked for 10 years as ICFJ's Latin American program director and launched the ICFJ's International Journalism Network (IJNet). Botello previously served as morning newscast producer, host and television reporter for Televisora Nacional in Panama, where he covered assignments in Colombia, the United States and Europe. He is a member of the board of directors of the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin and the Latin American Journalism Center (CELAP) in Panama City, Panama. He received a Fulbright Scholarship in 1988 and a fellowship to Louisiana State University’s Manship School of Mass Communication in 1997. He has a B.A. in journalism and a master's in mass communications from Louisiana State University. He is a native Spanish-speaker, fluent in English and proficient in Portuguese. Botello is also available for interview.  lbotello (at) icfj (dot) org

Patrick Butler, Vice President, Programs
Oversees the development and execution of ICFJ training programs and supervises program personnel. He previously worked as a reporter and writer for 10 years at The State (Columbia, SC) working on general assignment, business and feature news. Before joining The State, he worked at the Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald-Journal, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the San Jose Mercury News. Butler completed a five-month Knight International Press Fellowship in Nicaragua in 1999. He has a B.A. in Spanish and journalism from the University of Missouri. He is fluent in Spanish and is proficient in French. Patrick is also available for interview. pbutler (at) icfj (dot) org

Johanna Carrillo, Program Director
Responsible for developing and managing ICFJ programs, with special emphasis on programs for Latin American and Hispanic journalists. Carrillo previously served as Director of the International Journalists' Network (IJNet). Formerly, she worked as an associate producer on Televisión Nacional de Chile, TVN (2002-2003), and a project manager and field producer at JL Producciones in Santiago, Chile (2000-2002). She has a B.S. in journalism from the Universidad del Desarrollo, Concepción, Chile. She is a native Spanish speaker, fluent in English and Portuguese and proficient in French. jcarrillo (at) icfj (dot) org

Lanaea C. Featherstone, Director of Development
Responsible for assisting the Vice President of Development with outreach. Featherstone previously served as deputy director of ICFJ’s largest fellowship program, the Knight International Journalism Fellowships, where she supervised Latin American Fellows. She also served as Knight International program officer and program coordinator. Recipient of the 2001 RTNDA Carole Simpson Scholarship, Featherstone is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). She has a master’s degree in Spanish and Latin American studies from American University in Washington, D.C., and a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Louisiana State University. She also studied at Colegio de España in Salamanca, Spain. She is fluent in Spanish. lfeatherstone (at) icfj (dot) org

Nancy P. Frye, Vice President, Finance and Administration
Responsible for the financial, administrative and human resource operations of the organization. Experienced in public-and private-sector administration. Previously restitution officer and clerk with the Loudoun County Court Service Unit (1976-85). nfrye (at) icfj (dot) org

Isaac Itman, Deputy Director, Knight International Journalism Fellowships Program
Assists in the general implementation of the program with special emphasis on Latin American projects, partner development and promotion of the program with international visitors. He previously was the Bilingual Writer/Editor for the Office of Minority Health Resource Center at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He has also had stints as a reporter, translator, feature writer, and as a teacher’s assistant. Itman has a bachelor’s degree in communications from the Universidad Católica del Uruguay and a master’s degree in International Relations from the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals, Barcelona, Spain. He is a native Spanish-speaker and fluent in English. iitman (at) icfj (dot) org 

Mark Larson, Senior Accountant
Responsible for coordinating and reconciling subsidiary reports and producing and distributing financial reports.  He also oversees the accounts payable and accounts receivable of the finance department and assists in preparing the annual budget and annual audit. He previously worked as a Senior Accountant at Eternal Investments (VA) monitoring general accounting functions, developing accounting policies and procedures, and creating the organization’s budget. Before joining Eternal Investments, he worked at Prison Fellowship Ministries (VA) as an Accounts Payable Supervisor overseeing a team of five individuals. Larson has a B.B.A. in finance from James Madison University and an M.A. in theological studies from Liberty University.  He is also currently pursuing his M.B.A. at The University of Massachusetts Amherst. mlarson (at) icfj (dot) org

Amy Martin, Executive Assistant to the President
Responsible for supporting and aiding ICFJ’s President as well as the Development Director to raise annual support for ICFJ. Coordinates fund-raising and promotional activities as well as assists with annual dinner preparations. She recently received a M.A. in Mass Communications from the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University. Her experience ranges from fundraising and executive board communications for a national non-profit organization, digital publicity projects for a music recording label, and many various promotional tasks for the Manship School.  amartin (at) icfj (dot) org

Michelle Mathew, Program Officer
Assists Program Directors on fellowships, implementing projects and training programs in the U.S., East Timor and other countries and assists on planning conferences. She earned a bachelor’s in mass communication and a minor in English from Louisiana State University where she wrote for the university’s newspaper, The Daily Reveille. She is proficient in Malayalam and speaks conversational French. mmathew (at) icfj (dot) org

Joi-Marie McKenzie, Communications Officer
Responsible for supporting and aiding ICFJ’s Communications Director in the design and implementation of all of ICFJ's communications strategy, including public relations, publicity, outreach events, Web sites, newsletters, brochures and publications. Coordinates fund-raising and promotional activities as well as assists with annual dinner preparations. McKenzie is also a freelancer for many local publications in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park receiving a B.A. in Communication and a certificate in Media, Self and Society. jmckenzie (at) icfj (dot) org

Sharon Moshavi, Senior Director, New Initiatives
Moshavi oversees ICFJ’s new project development, with an emphasis on developing innovative digital media projects. She also serves as a program director, overseeing projects in Egypt, Malaysia and Mexico. Previously she worked as communications manager at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Prior to that, Moshavi reported internationally from Asia and the Middle East for more than a decade, based in New Delhi, Jerusalem and Tokyo, returning to the U.S. in 2003. She has written for The Boston Globe, Newsday, Business Week, Forbes, The New Republic and US News & World Report, among others. She also produced radio documentaries and essays for NPR, BBC and CBC. A native of Baltimore, she has a B.A. from Columbia University. Sharon is proficient in Japanese. She is also available for interview. smoshavi (at) icfj (dot) org

Karen Nelson, Office Manager
Responsible for answering incoming calls, greeting visitors, ordering office supplies and ensuring maintenance of equipment. Former education aide, administrative assistant and program director for DC Public Schools (1994-2003); art administrator for DC Youth Ensemble (1992-1994); data entry and emergency room clerical supervisor at Washington Hospital Center (1984-1992); and procurement specialist at the National Institutes of Health (1972-1984). knelson (at) icfj (dot) org 

Mariya Perchikova, Staff Accountant
Assists the vice president of finance & administration with the maintenance of ICFJ's finances and the processing of monthly and annual financial reports. She was previously employed as accountant for Affiliated Building Inspectors and Tel-Aviv Cafe. She has a B.S. in accounting from Lugansk Technical College, in the Ukraine. A native Russian speaker, she is also fluent in Ukrainian and English. mperchikova (at) icfj (dot) org

Mario Scherhaufer, Senior Program Director
Responsible for designing and implementing effective procedures for managing the program staff; developing budgets for proposals, and keeping oversight on expense reports and budgets for ongoing ICFJ programs. Scherhaufer serves as deputy director of programs and oversees program staff members in the vice president’s absence. He also oversees a variety of ICFJ programs, including programs in the Caucasus region, the Arthur F. Burns Fellowships, and the US-Austria Journalism Exchange Fellowships. He is experienced in developing program content, assigning faculty, maintaining budgets and helping conduct evaluations. He has a master’s in political mass communication from Louisiana State University, and a bachelor’s in communications from East Carolina University. A native German speaker, he is fluent in English. mscherhaufer (at) icfj (dot) org

Bassam Sebti, IJNet Arabic Editor/Program Officer
Responsible for editing, writing and researching for IJNet Arabic. He also works on creating and operating ICFJ's distance learning courses and assists with Middle Eastern programs. Before joining IJNet, Sebti worked as a special correspondent for The Washington Post in Baghdad where he covered the war and the political process from 2003-06. He has an M.A. in Writing Studies from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia and a B.A. in English and Literature from the Baghdad-based al-Turath University. He is a native Arabic speaker and fluent in English. bsebti (at) icfj (dot) org.

Vjollca Shtylla, Vice President, Development 
Responsible for overseeing the development and communication departments at ICFJ. She previously worked as ICFJ senior program director for Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia and as the Deputy Director of the Knight International Journalism Fellowships at ICFJ (1997-2007). Before joining ICFJ, she was regional director of the Solon Foundation in Albania (1994-96); Humphrey Fellow in Mass Communication at Boston University (1993-94); and assistant director of the Encyclopedia Publishing House in Tirana, Albania (1992-93). She has a B.A. in Chinese Language from the Beijing Institute of Foreign Languages and a second B.A. in Language and Literature from Beijing University. A native Albanian speaker, she is fluent in English and Mandarin, and proficient in French. vshtylla (at) icfj (dot) org

Rob Taylor, Director, Environmental and Science Programs
Responsible for developing and managing ICFJ's environmental and health journalism activities. He worked as a newspaper reporter for three decades, about half of that period covering environmental issues. He wrote for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for 10 years, The Wall Street Journal's Washington Bureau for nine years, and the Philadelphia Bulletin for seven years and free-lanced in eastern and southern Africa in 1977 and 1978. Taylor was a John S. Knight Fellow at Stanford University in 1996 and 1997. He edited quarterly journal of the Society of Environmental Journalists, 2000. He has a bachelor’s in history from Princeton University and is proficient in Spanish. rtaylor (at) icfj (dot) org

Elisa Tinsley, Director, Knight International Journalism Fellowships Program
Responsible for supervising and implementing this world-wide media assistance program. Previously worked as World Editor at USA Today. Elisa helped oversee the expansion of USA Today’s international bureaus and the newspaper’s coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Elisa also developed the newspaper’s network of international freelance reporters and helped conceive and administer USA Today’s safety policy for journalists working in war zones. Before joining USA TODAY in 1988, Elisa was a Moscow-based reporter. Beginning in 1984, she worked for United Press International and was a freelance reporter for Time, Newsweek, ABC Radio, USA TODAY and Advertising Age. A native of Chicago, Elisa has a B.A. degree in English literature from Washington University in St. Louis. She earned an M.A. in English literature from the University of Chicago. She is proficient in Russian. Elisa is also available for interview. etinsley (at) icfj (dot) org

Robert Tinsley, Proposal Development Director
Responsible for writing and preparation of a number of ICFJ grant proposals as well as oversight of several ICFJ programs. Formerly responsible for the operation and editing of ICFJ's web-based International Journalists' Network (IJNet). He was previously a copy editor and night editor on the international desk of The Washington Post; and also served as a senior copy editor on the universal desk at The Dallas Morning News. He has a master’s in Russian and East European studies from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. He is proficient in Polish and Russian and speaks conversational Spanish. Robert is also available for interview. rtinsley (at) icfj (dot) org. 

Natasha Tynes, Program Director
Responsible for developing and managing ICFJ's Middle Eastern programs. She has worked as a reporter in the Middle East for more than a decade. She is a former reporter and editor for Al Jazeera, the Jordan Times and Arabia Online. She has a Master's degree in International Journalism from London's City University and a bachelor's in Biological Sciences from the University of Jordan. She is a native Arabic speaker, fluent in English and proficient in Spanish. Natasha is also available for interview. ntynes (at) icfj (dot) org

Ting Wang, Program Officer
Assists Program Directors on the implementation of projects and training programs in the U.S., China and other countries. Previously worked as a foreign affairs officer/interpreter at China’s Ministry of Radio, Film & Television, and interned at two local NBC-affiliated TV stations and CBS International in the US. She has a Ph.D. in media studies from Northwestern University, a master’s in American studies and international relations from Foreign Affairs College, China, and a bachelor’s in English from Xi’an Medical University, China. A native Mandarin speaker, she is fluent in English. twang (at) icfj (dot) org

Jessica Weiss, IJNet Manager
Responsible for researching, writing and editing stories for IJNet’s English language coverage. Also assists with the Web site and a variety of digital media programs. Before coming to ICFJ she worked as the online editor at the education newspaper eSchool News. She also worked as a Capitol Hill reporter and associate editor for Community Development Publications, an elementary school co-teacher, and a research assistant at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She has a B.A. in History and a minor in Spanish from the University of Maryland, College Park. Jessica is proficient in Spanish. jweiss (at) icfj (dot) org