Meet our People

Peter Laufer is the James Wallace Chair Professor in Journalism at the School of Journalism and Communication. He is an award-winning journalist and scholar. He has studied, teaches and reports from throughout the world. Author of a couple of dozen books, Laufer’s writing focuses on borders, migration, identity, and animal rights. Laufer adroitly combines his scholarly and professional work; he served as editor of the University of Oregon anthology Interviewing: The Oregon Method and as author of Slow News: A Manifesto for the Critical News Consumer.

Christopher Chávez is the Carolyn Silva Chambers Distinguished Professor of Advertising at the School of Journalism and Communication. He is the author of Reinventing the Latino Television Viewer: Language Ideology and Practice and co-editor of Identity: Beyond Tradition and McWorld Neoliberalism. Through his research, teaching, and service, Chávez aims to promote cross-cultural understanding. 

Gabriela Martínez is Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication and an international award-winning documentary filmmaker who has produced, directed, or edited more than 12 ethnographic and social documentaries. In addition to her documentary work, Martínez is a scholar who specializes in international communication and the political economy of communication. Martínez is the co-creator of the Latino Roots in Oregon Project, a faculty/student- and grassroots-led historical digital repository.

H. Leslie Steeves is Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Journalism & Communication at the University of Oregon. Steeves’ research addresses overlapping questions concerning media in and about sub-Saharan Africa, including gender, media and development/social change; information and communication technologies (ICTs) for development; and entertainment and tourism representations of Africa. 

Ed Madison is an associate professor at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, and is an affiliate faculty member at the UO College of Education, the Agora Journalism Center, and the Center for Science Communication Research (SCR). Madison has a 27-year track record as an executive producer/director of network television, film, and commercial projects.

Damian Radcliffe is a journalist, researcher, and Carolyn S. Chambers Professor in Journalism at the University of Oregon. With over 25 years of experience in the media industry, Damian has worked in editorial, strategic, research, policy and teaching roles in the USA, Middle East and UK. This includes roles in all media sectors (commercial, public, government, regulatory, academic, and nonprofit/civil society) and all platforms (print, digital, TV and radio). 

M. S. Laufer worked in mathematics and high energy physics until he decided to use his background in science to tackle problems of world health and other social issues. Perpetually disruptive, his flagship project makes it possible for people to manufacture their own medications at home. Open-source, and made from off-the-shelf parts, the Apothecary MicroLab puts many medications within the reach of those who would otherwise not have them. The project which garnered his group the most press was the EpiPencil, an open-source version of the EpiPen which costs only $30 to produce, and $3 to refill.

David Burns is an associate professor in Salisbury University’s Communication Arts Department. Burns has worked as a videotape editor and field camera operator in the United States and abroad. As part of a UNESCO-led education initiative, Burns served on an international panel of experts that reformed Iraq’s higher education journalism curriculum. He has taught multimedia journalism courses to students and professional journalism workshops to media professionals in the United States, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Dov Hassan is the head of the Theater Arts Department at Chabot College in Northern California. Over the past 30 years he has worked as an educator, actor, director, film maker, musician and writer. Mr. Hassan is currently researching a book on the inception of Yiddish Theater in Eastern Europe and its subsequent development in New York City, focusing particularly on the career of actor and playwright, Moishe Schorr. Mr. Hassan holds a B.A. in Theater Arts from UCLA and an M.F.A in Acting and Directing from the University of Missouri – Kansas City.

David Hollenberg is an Associate Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Oregon. A scholar of medieval Islam, as part of his service, he has worked with NGOs on the ground in Yemen to protect and preserve the Yemeni manuscript heritage. In collaboration with Princeton University, Free University, Berlin, and the Imam Zayd ben ‘Ali Cultural Foundation, he directed a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant to preserve four private libraries in Yemen (ymdi.uoregon.edu).

Ruby Wool is an avid journalist from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication. She is passionate about social justice issues and their impact on the global world. Wool believes that diversity and multiculturalism support progress and effect change.

Nishtha Yadav is a doctoral student at the University of Oregon, School of Journalism and Communication. Yadav has served as a 2020-21 Princeton in Africa Fellow and has over a decade of experience in journalism and communication. 

Nahla Bendefaa a doctoral student at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication. She is also a digital content creator, strategist, and project management consultant. Her work has spanned quasi-governmental organizations, public radio and non-profit journalism, corporate communications, and higher education administration. Bendefaa is the current website content manager for the Crossings Institute. 

Zachary Jones Neuray is a reporter based in the Pacific Northwest, originally from Brussels, Belgium. Jones Neuray’s multicultural background cemented his passion for cross cultural storytelling. Throughout his career, Jones Neuray has been a contributor on the Daily Emerald, served on Carolyn Long’s 2018 midterm campaign, and reported with the Catalyst Solutions Journalism Project.

Gabi LaRiccia was a journalism major at the University of Oregon. She aspires to become a broadcast journalist and work on writing more people-focused stories.

Katherine Wineland was a journalism major at the University of Oregon, School of Journalism and Communication. She has worked as a reporter for the Daily Emerald, the University of Oregon chapter of HerCampus, and as a content manager for Wormhole TV.

Hevenn Vanhelsdingen is a passionate storyteller and hopes to be a part of the many journalists exposing corruption through investigative journalism. She is also a firm believer in solutions-based journalism and hopes to contribute to its continued development within the field.

A journalist’s job is to present well-researched, evocative stories that explore and expose the world in which we live. Denis produces articles, photographs, and videos that engage communities, examine local culture, and invoke the human spirit. And he is further invigorated by editing the professional work of peer reporters.

Karl Furlong holds a graduate degree in journalism from the University of Oregon as well as an MBA . He previously worked in the technology sector. The areas Karl most enjoys writing about are the outdoors and technology. 

Hayley Hendrickson holds a journalism degree from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. She has participated in a research-heavy investigative journalism project involving both Russian and Oregon students. Hendrickson served as the Marketing Manager of Classroom 15, the book that was developed out of the project.

Jade Yamazaki Stewart is a food writer and journalist with Spanish, Japanese, and journalism degrees from the University of Oregon. Jade is using his language skills to pursue a career in international and multicultural journalism.

Alec Cowan is a print and audio journalist. As a student at the University of Oregon, he was the Senior Podcast Editor for the Daily Emerald and he reported for the Crossings Institute. He produces a podcast series for the Lundquist School of Business at the University of Oregon titled “1O1”, which centered around teaching basic principles from college business classrooms in an accessible and digestible podcast medium. He is also worked as an archivist, writer, and web designer for the UO English Department as a part of their English History Project.

Gittleman served as Crossings Radio Native American issues reporter.

Derek Maiolo is a journalist who gets outside any chance he can get — be it kayaking, hiking or mountain biking on a nearby forest trail. He joined Crossings Radio to tell meaningful stories in his community and around the world.

Besides working at Crossings, Sravya was assistant news director at KWVA Radio, where she co-hosted a weekly roundtable show on Oregon politics.

In addition to being a Crossings Institute Senior Research Fellow, Emrakeb A. Woldearegay is a doctoral candidate in Media Studies at the University of Oregon. Woldearegay was a journalist and an editor and worked in the media industry in Ethiopia and across the African continent. She is also a media activist who worked for freedom of the press and expression as well as promoting women and girls’ rights in Africa.

Maxwell Ely is a communications professional and researcher from Oregon, United States. Ely has expertise in public diplomacy, social media management, public relations planning, media relations, copywriting, and copyediting. He will work alongside the institute’ news correspondent as a digital editor for the 2023 UNESCO World Press Freedom Day.

Emma is a Journalism and Global Studies student at the University of Oregon with an interest in international relations and global supply chain advocacy. Through her public relations work for the Mills International Center, she publicizes and organizes events to bring domestic and international students together. Johnston is a Crossing Institute contributing writer and reporter for 2023 World Press Freedom Day events.