Work experience
BLUE 21 e.V., Unfairtobacco: Various positions, most recently policy advisor: 2003-2020
- Project, campaign and strategy development
- Research and analysis, conceptualization and writing of
publications (factsheets, reports and others) - Presentations and workshop contributions at national and international conferences as well as for the general public
- Public relations (press releases, interviews)
- Social media (Facebook and Twitter; graphics, photos and videos)
- Active membership in NGO networks, contribution to the development of mutual advocacy positions and campaigns; national and international networking among actors from public health, human rights and sustainable development
- Initiation and coordination of German Network for Children’s Rights and Tobacco Control
- Advocacy (among others at negotiations for the WHO FCTC, COP6-COP8)
- Funding applications to private foundations, contribution to funding applications to public funders
Freelance researcher and author: Since June 2012
- Research and analysis for various organizations (e.g. International Development Research Centre, Unfairtobacco, German NGO Forum Environment and Development, Swiss Coalition for Corporate Justice, World Health Organization)
- Focus on tobacco control, human rights and workers rights, sustainable development, supply chains, tobacco industry strategies to avoid regulation
BBC World Service, Freelance journalist: Oct. 2015 – Oct. 2017
- TV documentaries “Welcome to Germany” I and II about the integration of refugees in Gera, Eastern Germany (fixer, assistant producer), published in Dec. 2015 and Oct. 2017
- Longterm radio documentary “Die Klassen” about Syrian refugees in Berlin, Germany (co-producer, audio recordings and pictures), four parts, published Feb. 2016 to Sept. 2017
Forum Smokefree (Germany), freelance campaigner: Nov. 2013 – March 2014
- #DortmundKills campaign against the InterTabac Asia trade fair that was organized by the publicly owned German Westfalenhallen GmbH in Bali, Indonesia, in February 2014
- Development of the campaign strategy
- Networking with and generation of support of national and international organizations
- Multilingual online petition on Change.org with 12,000 signatures
- Photo petition, social media and website (multilingual)
- Result: The trade fair in Bali was cancelled and the InterTabac Asia was stopped altogether
Language skills
According to Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR):
- German (native speaker)
- English (C2)
- French (B1, currently in training)
Education
2004 – 2013: Studies of Cultural Anthropology and Intercultural Communication Studies (M.A.) at Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
M.A. Thesis: Opening Malawi’s Tobacco Black Box (2012)
Recent media appearances
February 2016, Deutschlandfunk Nova: Eine Stunde Talk (one hour talk programme about me and my advocacy for the regulation of tobacco industry; German only)
November 2016, Bayern 2: Heat Not Burn – Die Zukunft des Rauchens (programme about e-cigarettes and the tobacco industry, my contribution was a description of tobacco industry marketing strategies; German only)
Membership in professional networks
- Human Rights and Tobacco Control Network (HRTCN; since 2009, board member 2017-2018)
- Health and Trade Network (HaT; since 2016, board member since 2017)
- Framework Convention Alliance (FCA; since 2008)
- Among others participation in taskforces on human rights as well as alternative livelihoods to tobacco growing
Scholarships
2006 – 2011: Scholarship of Heinrich Böll Foundation