WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers
Melanie Walker is an accomplished professional in media development and gender advocacy with extensive experience in various leadership roles. Since January 2014, Melanie has served as the Executive Director for WAN-IFRA, overseeing global media development activities in multiple regions, while also holding the position of Executive Director for WAN-IFRA Women in News since May 2010, focusing on increasing women's leadership in media. Melanie is a Board Member for the Sustainable Journalism Partnership since May 2022, contributing to the intersection of journalism and sustainability. Previous roles include Strategic Advisor at the World Association of Newspapers and The Jeffery Group, and Vice President International at the Women's Executive Network, where Melanie facilitated networking and professional development for members. Melanie's educational background includes a Professional Certificate in Financial Acumen from the University of Toronto, a Professional Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from ESSEC Business School, and a Master's in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics.
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WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers
WHO WE ARE - WAN-IFRA is the World Association of News Publishers. Our mission is to protect the rights of journalists and publishers around the world to operate independent media. We provide our members with expertise and services to innovate and prosper in a digital world and perform their crucial role in society. With formal representative status at the United Nations, UNESCO and the Council of Europe, it derives its authority from its global network of leading news publishing companies and technology entrepreneurs, and its legitimacy from its 80 national association members representing 18,000 publications in 120 countries. WHAT WE DO - We believe that business sustainability enhanced by a culture for innovation is the best guarantee for publishers to play their pillar role to advance freedom of expression in open societies. This has been a guiding principle of WAN-IFRA for seven decades of global advocacy and development work. Our mission is twofold. We deliver operational services to our individual members, be it to share knowledge on best practices, solutions to develop their organisation and business or to connect with expertise that helps them find the best solution to prosper in a digital world. We also represent our members as a global trade organisation with human rights mandate, advocating to protect the rights of journalists across the world to operate free media, coaching news media professionals in fragile states with our media development programmes.