Fellows
Current year (2024/2025)
Abbey Bilotta is a journalist and writer currently based in Vancouver, B.C., where she is completing her Master of Journalism degree at the University of British Columbia. Abbey’s writing career began during her undergraduate degree at Brock University, where she worked as a news editor for Brock’s student-run news outlet and received a B.A.H in English Language and Literature. Since then, Abbey has also completed editorial internships at Xtra Magazine and Canadian Geographic. Abbey is extremely passionate about writing stories that indulge in global affairs, human rights, culture, mental and sexual health and reproductive justice.
Róisín Cahill is an MA student in the department of Political Science at UBC. After completing her BA in Political Science and International relations at UBC, Róisín worked as a project coordinator in the BC Gender-Based Violence sector in research, resource development, and training. Her work focused on safety resources for frontline workers and survivors of gender-based violence, and addressed technology-facilitated violence specifically. Róisín’s research interests lie in public memory, transitional justice, and peace-building, and in her research she hopes to explore how peace processes are incorporating trauma-informed practice in community-level responses to grief and conflict.
Chaimae Chouiekh is a Moroccan journalist entering the second year of her Master of Journalism at the University of British Columbia. She also holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a double concentration in Finance and Mathematics. She is currently a research assistant at the Global Journalism Innovation Lab. In her reporting, Chaimae focuses on topics related to marginalized communities, international politics, global affairs, and social justice. Her journalism appears in CBC Radio, CBC News, The/La Source, Global BC News, The Thunderbird and The Ubyssey. She’s a polyglot who lives to connect with diverse audiences.
Katrianna DeSante is a journalist and photographer based on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She grew between the western hemlocks of Vancouver, Canada, along its winding windswept shores, fed by an insatiable curiosity — and passion for unearthing its story. Her educational background in English literature and Motion Picture Arts is rooted in communicating stories through visual and print media. She is completing her Master of Journalism at the University of British Columbia, where she writes about topics linked to the resilience and strength of the environment, humans and wildlife. Katrianna's work can be found in Canada’s National Observer, Canadian Geographic, and Canadian Running Magazine.
Zachary Gaouad is a French, Canadian and Mauritanian graduate student in the department of French Studies at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on the intersection between theories of migration and contemporary Francophone cultural texts, particularly those of the Senegalese writer and winner of the Prix Goncourt, Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. He also is interested in Black and postcolonial studies, and has published feature- length pieces related to Aimé Césaire and the négritude movement for the McGill Daily. Zachary Gaouad studied Political Science and English Literature at McGill University and in his free time, he loves to draw!
Megavarshini Somasundaram Gnanasundari is a writer, journalist, and researcher from Tamil Nadu, India, and her writing focuses on labour issues, immigration, gender politics, and social justice. She received a Master of Science in Electronic Media from Anna University, India, prior to pursuing UBC’s Master of Journalism program. In the coming years, she hopes to pursue a career in long-form journalism and research, contributing to literature on gender, journalism, and global affairs.
Anabella Klann Harrington is a journalist and writer based in Vancouver B.C. where she is currently completing her Master of Journalism degree at UBC. She is passionate about global affairs, environmental issues, arts and culture, and social justice. She started her journalism career writing about sustainability and culture while at Queen’s University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies. Anabella recently interned with Canadian Geographic and CBC Books, getting to explore her love for both nature and literature.
Husein Haveliwala is a Vancouver-based media professional born and raised in Mumbai, currently pursuing a Master of Journalism at UBC. After earning his bachelor’s degree in mass media, he gained versatile experience writing for a magazine and a digital publication, producing videos for an education non-profit, creating social media content for a city tour company, and working in radio production. He then spent two and a half years as a podcast producer, where he discovered his passion for production. It allows him to combine his knack for organisation with his flair for storytelling. Husein is passionate about producing work that delves into global affairs, social justice, urban issues, pop culture, and travel.
Sandrine Jacquot is a writer and editor currently based in Vancouver. She is completing her Master of Journalism at the University of British Columbia and is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Global Journalism Innovation Lab. Sandrine’s journalism covers a diverse range of topics such as urban and social issues, climate change, culture and events, and family. Her work has been featured in Canada’s National Observer, the Georgia Straight, Vancouver Magazine, Western Living, Business Insider and CBC Radio-Canada. She also holds a B.A.H in Global Development Studies and English Language and Literature, and a Certificate in Law from Queen’s University.
Austin Johnson is a documentary filmmaker and journalist based in Vancouver, BC, focused on telling global, human-impact stories. After graduating from Capilano University with a bachelor in motion picture arts, he pursued a career in television production. Still, a desire to tell grounded and human stories led him to shift toward documentary filmmaking. Austin is currently completing his Masters of Journalism at the University of British Columbia, expanding his storytelling techniques, merging visual storytelling with investigative journalism. Alongside his documentary work with creative studios such as Boldly and Eastcherry, he also works as an associate producer for the Vancouver-based podcasting agency Jar Audio. Austin believes storytelling can drive change, and he is dedicated to creating media that resonates with global audiences, explores universal themes, and fosters meaningful conversations.
Carlos M-Castro is an award-winning Nicaraguan, Spanish-language author whose work encompasses poetry, fiction, essays, and various forms of journalistic writing. He has significantly contributed to literary magazines and anthologies published in several countries. Antropología del poema, a collection of poems, was his first book (2012), followed ten years later by the fiction collection Cantar de inocencia. Among the accolades he has received, the Carátula Central American Short Fiction Prize, organized by the prestigious regional magazine Carátula, stands out. As a student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, where he is pursuing an MA in Hispanic Studies, he explores the effects of migration and mobility on the writing of five contemporary Nicaraguan authors. Outside academia, he runs a small publishing house (Lector Disléxico) and is an editor of Quiebraplata Ediciones, a publishing house specializing in Central American literature.
Bismah Mughal is a Vancouver-based writer and photographer. She began her journalism career in Karachi, Pakistan where she reported on politics, culture, sports, and critical social justice issues like gender-based violence, minority rights, and animal welfare. Alongside pursuing a Master's at the University of British Columbia, she has also been working with CBC News in Vancouver and Calgary across radio, and TV. With a passion for women’s rights, literature, visual storytelling, and global affairs, she plans to focus on photojournalism and documentary filmmaking, with a reporting lens on conflict zones and underrepresented communities worldwide.
2023/2024
Bhagyashree Chatterjee, University of British Columbia
Tori Fitzpatrick, University of British Columbia
Poornima Francis, University of British Columbia
Phoebe Fuller, University of British Columbia
Karla Jubaily, University of British Columbia
Juliana Konrad, University of British Columbia
Bea Lehmann, University of British Columbia
Chhavi Mehra, University of British Columbia
Regina Ng, University of British Columbia
Arjun Panchadar, University of British Columbia
Solana Pasqual, University of British Columbia
2022/2023
Michelle Gomez, University of British Columbia
Sonal Gupta, University of British Columbia
Hanna Hett, University of British Columbia
Shaurya Kshatri, University of British Columbia
Victoria Mann, University of British Columbia
Hafsa Maqsood, University of British Columbia
JJ Mazzucotelli, University of British Columbia
Aastha Sethi, University of British Columbia
Megan Wilde, University of British Columbia
2021/2022
Natasha Caton, University of British Columbia
Gardy Chacha, Aga Khan University
Ashishvangh Contractor, University of British Columbia
Yejin Jo, Kyung Hee University
Susan Kendi, Aga Khan University
Heung-su Kim, Kyung Hee University
Sandra Korhonen, University of Jyväskylä
Michelle Meiklejohn, University of British Columbia
Chiara Milford, University of British Columbia
Rowan Smart, University of British Columbia
Sabina Staempfli, University of British Columbia
Arrthy Thayaparan, University of British Columbia
Vilma Aholuoto, University of Jyväskylä
Saana Uosukainen, University of Jyväskylä
Kiundu Waweru, Aga Khan University
Ridge Zhang, University of British Columbia
2020/2021
Mashal Butt, University of British Columbia
Alejandrina Alvarez Debrot, University of British Columbia
Emma Gillies, University of British Columbia
Prerna Gupta, University of British Columbia
Akshay Kulkarni, University of British Columbia
Priya Bhat Manjeshwar, University of British Columbia
Yasasvi Mehta, University of British Columbia
Rhea Mogul, The University of Hong Kong
Alexandra Phillips, University of British Columbia
Simone Rawal, University of British Columbia
Taya Triffo, University of British Columbia
George Tubei, Aga Khan University
Doreen Wainainah, Aga Khan University
2019/2020
Wesaam Al-Badry, University of California – Berkeley
Asim Muhammad Ameen, Centre for the Excellence in Journalism
Drusilla Anyango, Daystar University
Nkurikiyinka Julien Astrida, Daystar University
Rabia Bugti, Centre for the Excellence in Journalism
Kassidie Cornell, University of British Columbia
Fabian Fröhlich, University of British Columbia
Hina Imam, University of British Columbia
Braela Kwan, University of British Columbia
Candice Lipski, University of British Columbia
Maria Jose Athie Martinez, University of British Columbia
Ben Mussett, University of British Columbia
Newsha Naderzad, University of California – Berkeley
Aria Nasimi, University of British Columbia
Lydia Mukari Okang’a, Daystar University
Alison St. Pierre, University of British Columbia
Logan Turner, University of British Columbia
Rida E Zehra Zaidi, Centre for Excellence in Journalism
Jennifer Cortez, University of California – Berkeley
2018/2019
Prisca Baike, Makerere University
Oscar Beardmore-Gray, University of British Columbia
Cameron Bullen, University of British Columbia
Paige Dean, The University of British Columbia
Dandan Dong, Nanjing University
Caroline Graham, University of British Columbia
Abi Hayward, University of British Columbia
Ryan Patrick Jones, University of British Columbia
Sulaiman Kakaire, Makerere University
Stephan Kroener, Universidad de los Andes
Hao Luo, Nanjing University
Emmanuel Ngabire, Makerere University
Dustin Patar, University of British Columbia
Monique Rodrigues, University of British Columbia
Sebastian Romero Torres, Universidad de los Andes
Annie Rueter, University of British Columbia
Rehmatullah Sheikh, University of British Columbia
Rithika Shenoy, University of British Columbia
Thomas Smith, University of British Columbia
Jonathan Ventura, University of British Columbia
Yuxian Wang, Nanjing University
Shumin Wei, Nanjing University
Melanie Woods, University of British Columbia
Vito Zou, University of British Columbia
2017/2018
Sophie Gray, University of British Columbia
Alexander Kim, University of British Columbia
Emma Loy, University of British Columbia
Holly McKenzie-Sutter, University of British Columbia
Alex Migdal, University of British Columbia
Sharon Nadeem, University of British Columbia
Andrew Seal, University of British Columbia
Aryn Strickland, University of British Columbia
2016/2017
Maria Camila Agudelo, Universidad de los Andes
Arunava Bannerjee, Jain University
Jaione Belza-Guede, University of British Columbia
Megan Devlin, University of British Columbia
Kunyuan Huang, Nanjing University
Liu Huilan, Nanjing University
Stefan Labbe, University of British Columbia
Peggy Lam, University of British Columbia
Rohit Joseph, University of British Columbia
Akshatha M, Jain University
Romita Majumdar, Jain University
Prabhu Mallikarjunan, Jain University
Emilie Rauschuetz, University of British Columbia
Efraín Rincón, Universidad de los Andes
Cherise Seucharan, University of British Columbia
Alexander Villegas, University of British Columbia
Sophie Woodrooffe, University of British Columbia
John Woodside, University of British Columbia
Wenjuan Xu, Nanjing University
Yuan Yuan, Nanjing University
2015/2016
Emily Blake, University of British Columbia
Michelle Ghoussoub, University of British Columbia
Codi Hauka, University of British Columbia
Jon Hernandez, University of British Columbia
Mike Lakusiak, University of British Columbia
Peter Mothe, University of British Columbia
Ahmed Najdat, University of British Columbia
Konstantine Roccas, University of British Columbia
Natalie Walters, University of British Columbia
Daisy Xiong, University of British Columbia
2014/2015
Olivia Fellows, University of British Columbia
Emily Fister, University of British Columbia
Maura Forrest, University of British Columbia
Linda Givetash, University of British Columbia
Darryl Hol, University of British Columbia
Pauline Holdsworth, University of British Columbia
Hala Kamaliddin, University of British Columbia
Valentina Ruiz Leotaud, University of British Columbia
GP Mendoza, University of British Columbia
Emi Sasagawa, University of British Columbia
2013/2014
Umbreen Butt, University of British Columbia
Britney Dennison, University of British Columbia
Allison Griner, University of British Columbia
Angel Lin, Shantou University
Classic Luo, Shantou University
Emma Smith, University of British Columbia
Aurora Tejeida, University of British Columbia
Carlos Tello, University of British Columbia
Jimmy Thomson, University of British Columbia
Katelyn Verstraten, University of British Columbia
Mike Wallberg, University of British Columbia
Helen Wu, Shantou University
Echo Xie, Shantou University
Cherry Yang, Shantou University
Lynn Yao, Shantou University
Leif Zapf-Gilje, University of British Columbia
Renee Zhang, Shantou University
2012/2013
Sadiya Ansari, University of British Columbia
Emily Bodenberg, University of British Columbia
Malin Dunfors, University of British Columbia
Alexandra Gibb, University of British Columbia
Alexandra Minzlaff, University of British Columbia
Kim Nursall, University of British Columbia
Lucas Powers, University of British Columbia
Heather Roy, University of British Columbia
Keith Rozendal, University of British Columbia
Lindsay Sample, University of British Columbia
2011/2012
Hassan Arshad, University of British Columbia
Shannon Dooling, University of British Columbia
Sam Eifling, University of British Columbia
Lisa Hale, University of British Columbia
Farida Hussain, University of British Columbia
Jacqueline Ronson, University of British Columbia
Aleksandra Sagan, University of British Columbia
Calyn Shaw, University of British Columbia
2010/2011
Jes Abeita, University of British Columbia
Sarah Buell, University of British Columbia
Rebecca Cheung, University of British Columbia
Evan Duggan, University of British Columbia
Daniel Hallen, University of British Columbia
Emily Jackson, University of British Columbia
Jenna Owsianik, University of British Columbia
Niamh Scallan, University of British Columbia
Robyn Smith, University of British Columbia
2009/2010
Kate Allen, University of British Columbia
Sarah Berman, University of British Columbia
Kerry Blackadar, University of British Columbia
Brandi Cowen, University of British Columbia
Darren Fleet, University of British Columbia
Rebecca Lindell, University of British Columbia
Karen Moxley, University of British Columbia
Sarah Stenabaugh, University of British Columbia
Alexis Stoymenoff, University of British Columbia
Magally Zelaya, University of British Columbia
Faiza Zia Khan, University of British Columbia
2008/2009
Ian Bickis, University of British Columbia
Shira Bick, University of British Columbia
Krysia Collyer, University of British Columbia
Allison Cross, University of British Columbia
Dan Haves, University of British Columbia
Doerthe Keilholz, University of British Columbia
Jodie Martinson, University of British Columbia
Blake Sifton, University of British Columbia
Leslie Young, University of British Columbia
2007/2008 (pilot year)
Anupreet Sandhu Bhamra, University of British Columbia
Dan Haves, University of British Columbia