Team

Bahia Albrecht is a digital rights project manager and tech consultant. She focuses on topics like AI governance, digital security, and freedom of expression, advising projects and contributing to research and policy. As a trainer, Bahia develops programs to counter disinfo and build media literacy. With expertise in political science and education, she champions inclusive policies and ethical technology use.

Hala Attig is an engineer focused on machine learning applications. She is particularly interested in using NLP and data analysis to make information more accessible. Before joining DW as an Innovation Manager, Hala worked as a software developer and R&D project manager for other media companies.

Ipek Baris Schlicht is a computer scientist and innovation manager with both university and industry research experience in AI. A lot of her work is about using technology to facilitate fact-checking processes. In general, she loves to derive meaningful questions (and answers) from social data. Next to her work for DW (ReCo and AI Pro), Ipek is pursuing her Ph.D. on early detection of fake news and hatespeech in the health domain.

Julia Bayer is an investigative journalist who uses OSINT to expose human rights abuses and environmental crimes. As Innovation manager at ReCo, she works on verification and deepfake detection projects such as PADSE, InVid and Truly Media. Julia also trains journalists in OSINT techniques and digital verification, and is the founder of Quiztime. Together with her team at ReCo, she developed Sharpen your Senses and How to Verify.

Ruben Bouwmeester brings concept development skills, profound graphical expertise, and an urgent drive to get things done. He has a background in project management, concept development, and design, holding a B.A. from The Hague University. As a ReCo innovation manager, Ruben specializes in product development and verification technologies.

Andy Giefer is a ReCo innovation manager in love with good design and new technology. He creates smart, artistic applications and has a background in telecommunications engineering. Before joining DW, Andy worked for the BBC’s R&D department.

Farina Hamann is a communication and interaction designer focused on user experience design in immersive media. She enjoys supporting and connecting the XR community, hosting virtual events and giving lectures about XR. At DW she’s contributing with her experience in the fields of virtual and augmented reality.

Nico Heise focuses on interdependencies between social media and news. At DW ReCo, he has also specialized in drones. Nico is a former media industry top executive, holds a PhD in European law, and has worked as a media lawyer for more than 15 years. He teaches as a Professor for Media Law in Potsdam.

Lynn Khellaf is a data scientist with a background in AI. They have a passion for smart applications, computer vision, neural network design, and making sense of complex data systems. In the past, Lynn has mainly worked at universities and is now happy to apply their skills in the domain of disinformation detection and other projects here at DW.

Tim Koch has worked with the DW ReCo team since the early days. He has extensive knowledge in fundraising and the management of EC co-funded projects. Tim holds a diploma in mineralogy, which makes him the steady rock in the surf of innovation.

Eva Lopez is an innovation manager at DW ReCO and also part of DW’s data journalism team. She’s fascinated by numbers – and a news junky, absorbing what’s going in the analogue and digital world. No wonder she decided to go for an interdisciplinary education that allowed her to dive in to the world of natural sciences, analytics, and journalism. Eva holds a Master’s degree in data journalism from Tilburg University.

Mirko Lorenz is a hands-on journalist with software development skills. For the last 15 years, he has worked on technologies for newsrooms. In the international DDJ community, he is best known for launching the acclaimed chart creation tool Datawrapper. Mirko is also a co-author of the Data Journalism Handbook. Before joining DW, he worked for a variety of media companies in Germany and the US.

Kay Macquarrie is an Innovation Manager at DW ReCo and holds a Master's degree in Multimedia Production. His work focuses on human language technologies (HLT), with a particular emphasis on overcoming linguistic and accessibility barriers through advanced technological developments. More recently, image verification tools have also become a key component of his day-to-day life.

A prolific creator of concepts and tools, Nico Patz has carried out research projects for ages. His focus is usually on topics like e-learning, interactive media, collaboration, and inclusive user experiences. Nico’s M.A. in English literature and History of Arts goes back to his passion for storytelling, his skills in AV production originate from more than three decades in the performing arts. Prior to his job at DW innovation, Nico worked for public service broadcaster rbb and TU Berlin.

Alexander Plaum is an online editor, concept creator, and media consultant with a keen interest in IT, pop culture, and politics. Before joining DW ReCo as an innovation manager, Alex worked for several other organizations in the media, tech and education business. Ages ago, he also obtained an M.A. in literature studies, sociology, and political science.

Axel Primavesi is a journalist. He has worked for DW for more than a decade, putting a focus on adventurous reporting in recent years. As much as adventure, Axel loves innovation. At ReCo, he gives projects a journalistic reality check and brings his storytelling skills to the table.

As the head of DW’s ReCo team, Wilfried Runde is responsible for the overall planning and coordination of projects and budgets – and always striving to improve journalism’s creative toolset. Wilfried worked as an information specialist, freelance print and TV journalist, and online editor before joining DW. In his leisure time, he loves to “spin a tune”.

Anna Schild is an innovation manager for DW ReCo and holds a degree in media and communication studies. She believes in the power of verification with OSINT. Anna is always eager to manage projects that translate research into practical tools: for journalists, human rights activists, and everyone else who needs to verify information.

Jochen Spangenberg is the deputy head of DW’s ReCo team. He has been involved in R&D projects since 2003. Previous to joining DW, Jochen worked for the BBC in London and had an exciting time in the new media economy. His passions are journalism, verification, disinformation detection, media literacy, and human rights issues. Jochen also lectures at Freie Universität Berlin and is a board member of EDMO, CEDMO and GADMO.

Daniela Späth is a project manager at DW Lab – and a DW-trained reporter, video journalist, and social media editor. She loves to experiment with new platforms, technologies, and code. Prior to joining DW, Daniela freelanced for SPIEGEL Online and Gruner + Jahr. Daniela is a fellow of MIZ, DAAD, FCP, and a graduate of the Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Journalism, Media and Globalisation.

Olivia Stracke is a journalist and innovation manager with academic training in literary studies (B.A.) and cultural anthropology (M.A.). At DW Innovation, her professional focus spans XR and immersive journalism, AI-driven media environments, and disinformation research. She has studied in Hamburg, Nantes, and London – and freelanced for a number of German media including UNI SPIEGEL, DIE ZEIT, and NDR.

Tilman Wagner is a DW ReCo liaison at Deutsche Welle's AI Systems and Products team. His main responsibility is that of a product manager for DW internal AI systems. He keeps exploring the deep sea of internet data on the lookout for new AI applications, models and processes as well as other precious useful (and fun) gems. With a diploma in media technology and a Master's in international media studies, he combines tech savviness with a sound knowledge of the media landscape and current trends.