The DW Akademie Team
Managing Director of DW Akademie
Carsten von Nahmen has headed DW Akademie since September 2018. He was DW's Senior Correspondent in Washington from February 2017 - August 2018 and had previously headed DW's News and Current Affairs Department since 2014. Von Nahmen has long worked with and for DW Akademie. He headed various DW Akademie regional divisions as of 2005 and until 2014 was DW Akademie's Deputy Director.
The DW Akademie Team
Director of Media Development
Natascha Schwanke initially joined DW Akademie as a trainer, consultant and project manager and went on to head the Africa division for three years. She was appointed DW Akademie's Deputy Head and Director of Media Development in March 2019. Schwanke is a journalist and for many years worked on TV and radio programs for various German broadcasters.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Department Africa
Dani Leese joined DW Akademie in 2004 as a trainer. Prior to that, she had founded a non-profit agency for media education and worked as a TV journalist. She established the DW Akademie office in Windhoek in 2013 while working there as a project manager and subsequently headed the office as a country coordinator. At the beginning of 2019, Dani Leese was appointed Head of Department Africa.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Department Asia and Europe
Michael Karhausen holds a degree in administrative law but decided to become a journalist instead. He initially worked for a Hong Kong news agency but in the mid-1990s became a freelance reporter, editor and host for German radio and TV programs. He also spent many years training DW Akademie journalism trainees. Karhausen became Head of Department Asia and Europe in 2016.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Department Latin America
Rodrigo Villarzú has headed DW Akademie’s Latin America division since 2013. He was previously in charge of various special projects. Prior to joining DW Akademie, Villazú worked as a journalist for Deutsche Welle and helped set up a number of DW editorial desks.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Department Middle East/North Africa
Jens-Uwe Rahe has headed DW Akademie's Middle East/North Africa division since 2017. He developed his journalism skills at the "Westfälische Nachrichten" newspaper and with a degree specializing on the Arab world, worked on international cooperation projects for the Robert Bosch Stiftung. He later worked as an editor for the German public broadcaster ZDF and as a reporter and editor for DW.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Policy and Learning
Jan Lublinski became Head of Policy and Learning in November 2019 after leading the Research and Evaluation team since 2014. Lublinski worked as a trainee for the public service broadcaster "Sender Freies Berlin" and later hosted a DW science program. He has been a DW Akademie trainer and consultant and has also worked for organizations in Africa and the Middle East.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Academic Education and Training
Professor Dr. Christoph Schmidt holds a degree in economics and prior to joining Deutsche Welle in 1995 worked as a marketing manager and consultant for numerous corporations. He has since held various DW senior positions and in 2006 became Head of DW Akademie's Education and Administration division. He has headed DW Akademie's Academic Education and Training division since 2019.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Communication Consultancy and Training
Daniela Wiesler-Schnalke has headed the Communication Consultancy and Training division since 2005. After completing a degree in German studies, literary studies and psychology, she began working for print media in 1989. Wiesler-Schnalke spent two years working for the international service of Japan's public broadcaster NHK, and in 1994 joined DW as an editor for its German radio program.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Educational Programs
André Moeller has headed DW's Educational Programs since 2009 and was previously an editor and managing editor for DW Online's German reports. He was later in charge of various multimedia programs for DW's New Media department. Prior to joining Deutsche Welle in 2002, Moeller worked as an editor for RTL Interactive, a subsidiary of the private broadcaster, RTL.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Support and Project Administration
Holger Hank became Head of Support and Project Administration in 2019. He joined DW Akademie in 2012 after heading DW's New Media department since 2006 and developing DW's online desk in 2000. Hank is a trained journalist and began working for Deutsche Welle in 1994 as a radio host and editor.
The DW Akademie Team
Head of Information and Editorial Services
Kerstin Nacken has been Head of DW Akademie's Information and Editorial Services since May 2021. After completing her studies and a traineeship at the Axel Springer School of Journalism in Berlin, she worked as an editor for the German Press Agency, dpa. Prior to joining DW Akademie, Nacken worked in corporate communications for the international companies Bayer, T-Systems and Grünenthal.