Seek Initiative

Really excited to be going back to my hometown for a journalism conference after years of speaking in other countries. At Media Party Barcelona, I'll be talking about how journalists can collaborate with citizens on public interest investigations, both in a lightning talk and with Sabrina Faramarzi in a hands-on workshop. If you're around and fancy talking about this or anything journalism related, let me know and let's grab a coffee! ☕ #MediaParty

Two years ago, I became the Executive Director at the Seek Initiative. While I had already led media teams, leading a non-profit organisation in journalism felt like a much bigger responsibility, as I was suddenly in charge of fundraising, partnerships, colleagues, and the organisation’s future. At the beginning, I kept trying to explain Seek in the simplest possible way: we believed that people should have the tools to investigate issues that affect their own lives. But as a journalist, I also knew there was a missing link. Journalism is under-resourced and facing a trust crisis, so we needed to connect both sides by supporting co-investigations between journalists and citizens. The idea made sense instinctively, but it has taken time to fully understand how it works in practice. Over these two years, I have spoken at conferences, fundraised, built partnerships, and had many conversations about community journalism. There have been days when I’ve questioned if what we are building is too difficult in today’s media environment, but our growing body of international projects and collaborations shows that this work is possible and necessary. However, running a small non-profit can be overwhelming at times. If you are in a similar position, here are some things I’ve learnt that might be useful: 👉 Collaboration: As a small organisation, we rely heavily on partners. Having previously worked across the fields of journalism and the rule of law has shown me how important cross-sector collaborations are, so look beyond your field. Building trust and long-term relationships has been key. 👉 Projects and funding: Not every opportunity is worth pursuing. Early on, it felt tempting to apply for everything, but we are now focusing on fewer projects with clearer impact and stronger partnerships, and we are succeeding in securing funding for those. 👉 Team: Build a team that challenges your ideas, not one that simply validates them. Bonus points if they are not only competent but also fun, like mine Sabrina Faramarzi, Vivienne Moise 👉 Leading as a woman: I still go to many meetings where women are underrepresented. When younger women ask me what to do, I tell them: always speak your mind in meetings with other organisations and directors. If you disagree, say it. I’ve also enjoyed co-founding “Library Chats,” a space for women in journalism and civil society to connect. 👉 Build your own network: Talk to colleagues and mentors who can give you advice. Much of what we have achieved has been shaped by conversations with many people, including my team, our Advisory Board, Brandi Grissom Swicegood, our friends at MuckRock, CORRECTIV, OCCRP, Are We Europe or Maldita, Ebru Akgün, Riccardo Ramacci, Joep van Gelder, and many more. Are you also leading a non-profit or working in a similar space? Always happy to connect and share experiences!

How can journalists help safeguard an independent judiciary? It was great to discuss this with Hungarian judge Tamás Matusik and David Kardos in an interdisciplinary panel at the amazing CEELI Institute. I pointed out that this relationship needs to go both ways. The media has a key role in making court decisions visible and understandable, and in holding judicial institutions accountable. But at the same time, courts need to actively protect media freedom because without it, meaningful scrutiny isn’t possible. For journalists, this means investing more in court reporting and strengthening legal knowledge, but also addressing broader structural issues such as transparency and access to information about the judiciary, ensuring media regulators are independent, protecting journalists' safety, identifying SLAPP cases quickly, and ensuring independent media can actually survive financially. Big thanks to Democracy Reporting International, Jakub Jaraczewski, and Halyna Senyk for the invitation!

How can citizen participation strengthen investigations and public interest journalism? Last week, I moderated a panel at the International Journalism Festival on expanding public interest journalism through citizen collaboration. What did we learn? When citizens are active contributors rather than passive audiences, investigative journalism can reach further and have a greater impact on society. But participation alone isn’t enough. It requires trust, infrastructure, ethical safeguards, and sustainable funding to make these models last. Huge thanks to Caitlin Gilbert, Ph.D. Paul Radu Paul Myles for such a great discussion! Looking forward to continuing the conversation, especially around durable collaboration models and funding. 🎥 You can watch the session via the link in the comments. #ijf26