Our Team

Who We Are

Our Team

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The Global Press Institute team comprises trailblazing visionaries, seasoned professionals, highly sought-after creatives and talented interns. We believe that journalism is a powerful tool for individual empowerment, community development and global awareness.

U.S.-Based Staff

Cristi Hegranes, Executive Director, Founder

Cristi Hegranes is an award-winning journalist and a renowned international journalism trainer.

The recent recipient of a Jefferson Award for Public Service and the Ida B. Wells Award for Bravery in Journalism, Cristi believes that journalism is a development tool capable of creating direct and lasting social change. Cristi is also the winner of the SPJ Journalism Innovation Prize, a New Media Web Award, Clarion Award for Investigative Journalism, a Lifestyle Journalism Prize and numerous other honors. She holds a master's degree from New York University, served as a fellow-in-residence at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg and received a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Cristi teaches News Entrepreneurship at San Francisco State University and international media courses at California State University. She resides in the Bay Area with her partner, Patrick. cristi@globalpressinstitute.org

Maura Bogue, Managing Editor

Maura Bogue joins Global Press Institute as its first managing editor. Previously the editorial assistant for 7 Mile Publishing & Creative, Maura wrote for and edited its two newspapers and various publications. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Richmond, where she won the Epps Award for achieving the highest cumulative GPA of any graduating female. A member of The Phi Beta Kappa Society, Maura studied journalism, sociology, and Latin American and Iberian studies at Richmond and abroad in San Sebastian, Spain. She covered the Virginia General Assembly for the Capital News Service after getting her start at The Collegian as a copy assistant, staff writer and opinion editor. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Maura is currently living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to develop GPI's News Desks in the Americas. maura@globalpressinstitute.org

Mike Berkowitz, Senior Strategist

Mike Berkowitz is co-founder & CEO of Third Plateau Social Impact Strategies, LLC. Prior to founding Third Plateau, Mike served as Senior Vice President for Operations and Strategy at the Bonner Group, Inc., a nonprofit and Democratic political fundraising firm in Washington, DC. In this capacity, Mike served as a lead consultant to the Democracy Alliance, a partnership of the nation’s top progressive philanthropists. mike@globalpressinstitute.org

Annie Rapaport Hunt, Public Relations Manager

Annie Rapaport Hunt is a publications and communications guru providing support in the form of editing, publication layout, press relations and more. She was previously the communication project manager for the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. Annie has long been inspired by Global Press Institute and says she is honored to be part of the team. Annie has a Bachelor of Arts in theatre arts with a minor in history from Loyola Marymount University and a Master of Arts in public history from California State University, Sacramento. annie@globalpressinstitute.org

Alison Kaneko, Human Rights/Media Law Researcher

Alison Kaneko joins Global Press Institute as a researcher, conducting reviews of the human rights records and media laws of the countries in which Global Press Institute operates. She received her Master of Arts in international relations from San Francisco State University and her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from California State University, East Bay. Previously, Alison served as a program assistant with Global Service Corps and assisted with marketing and outreach at the Global Health Fellows Program. alison@globalpressinstitute.org