28 Mar shirin anlen

| africa shirin anlen, AI Research Technologist and Impact Manager shirin is an award-winning creative technologist, researcher, and artist based in New York. Her work explores the societal implications of emerging technology, with a focus on internet platforms and artificial intelligence. At WITNESS, she is part of the Technology, Threats, and Opportunities program, investigating deepfakes, media manipulation, content authenticity, and cryptography practices in the space of human rights violations. shirin joins WITNESS with a decade of experience developing and designing interactive, community-driven, thought-provoking projects using machine learning technology, web applications, as well as virtual and mixed reality platforms. Among others, her work has been featured at SIGGRAPH, Cannes Festival, IDFA DocLab, the Biennial for Moving Image, House of Electronic, Google Web Experiments, and Vice.  She is a research fellow at the MIT Open Documentary Lab, a member of Women+ Art AI, and holds an MFA in Cinema and Television from Tel Aviv University, where she majored in interactive documentary making. Follow @shirinishere on Instagram or @shirinmedia on Twitter. READ MORE

28 Mar Ines Aisengart Menezes

| africa Ines Aisengart Menezes, Brazil Program Coordinator Ines joined the Archives Program at WITNESS in 2022, developing tools for collecting, managing, and preserving video documentation for human rights advocacy and evidence. Since July 2025, she has been the Coordinator of the Brazil Program, providing training and consultancy support to improve media literacy, expose human rights violations, and advocate for accountability. Before joining WITNESS, Ines worked in archival institutions in Brazil and in the Netherlands. She has worked on curating archival symposia, conducting research projects, editing books, and giving lectures on archives, heritage, and cultural processes. She has been advocating for more inclusive policies for Brazil’s audiovisual heritage (especially for community archives) as a member of the ABPA - Brazilian Association of Audiovisual Preservation board (2022-2026). Besides Portuguese, Ines speaks English and Spanish. She holds an MA in the Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image from the University of Amsterdam - UvA, where her thesis research focused on preserving digital records of public demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro, largely inspired by WITNESS guidelines. She holds a BA in Cinema Studies from the Federal Fluminense University - UFF, in Brazil. READ MORE

07 Feb Malaika Caldwell

| africa Malaïka Caldwell, Development Coordinator  Malaïka is a development professional who thrives on solving complex problems and making funding work better for organizations. As A Development Coordinator on WITNESS' Development team, she coordinates funding processes and works across Development, Finance, and Program Teams to manage institutional grants from start to finish. Before WITNESS, Malaïka worked with local nonprofits focused on creative strategies and artful activism, organizations working toward a world where life, community, nature, and future generations are honored. She carries these values into her current work, along with her love for storytelling and creative action. Malaïka holds an MSc in Sociology with a focus on migration, race, and ethnicity from the University of Amsterdam, which gives her a deeper understanding of social systems and equity issues that enhances her ability to identify funding opportunities and craft compelling narratives that resonate with institutional funders. READ MORE

07 Feb Mahmoud Elmasry

| africa Mahmoud Elmasry, Program Manager, MENA  Mahmoud is a human rights advocate with over a decade of experience advancing personal freedoms, refugee rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and socio-economic justice across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). He joined WITNESS in 2022, building on years of collaboration on projects that harness video and technology to promote justice and accountability. His work focuses on supporting grassroots movements and human rights defenders through documentation, advocacy, and strategies that challenge systemic violence. Mahmoud brings an intersectional perspective, with a deep understanding of how political repression, social exclusion, and economic hardship intersect to impact marginalized communities across the region. Before joining WITNESS, Mahmoud worked with regional and international organizations to strengthen local leadership and amplify voices resisting oppression. He holds a B.A. in Sociology, a postgraduate diploma in NGO Management, and an M.A. in International Relations from Goldsmiths, University of London. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Science at the University of Leeds. Mahmoud shares insights on activism, documentation, and digital resilience through his social platforms, including X  and LinkedIn, fostering dialogue and solidarity across communities. READ MORE

24 Aug Jacobo Castellanos

| africa Jacobo Castellanos, Program Coordinator, Technology Threats and Opportunities Jacobo Castellanos is the Coordinator of the Technology, Threats, and Opportunities team at WITNESS, a global human rights organization that empowers people to use video and technology to expose injustice and drive change. In this role, he leads efforts to analyze how emerging technologies, such as generative AI and manipulated media, impact the safety, credibility, and agency of communities documenting human rights abuses. Jacobo co-chairs the Threats and Harms Task Force of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), a multistakeholder body creating open technical standards for verifiable provenance of digital content. His contributions focus on embedding a human rights lens into both the technical architecture and the governance models of emerging standards, especially in light of growing concerns about mis/disinformation and AI-generated media. He also leads global consultations with grassroots organizations, journalists, activists, and technologists to ensure that WITNESS’ advocacy is informed by the real-world needs, expectations, and strategies of those most affected. This participatory approach ensures that the policies and technologies WITNESS engages with are not only effective but equitable and inclusive. READ MORE