Meet our team Get to know the interdisciplinary Migration Matters team

Bernadette is a film and media producer who develops innovative projects at the intersection of art and education. Originally from Austria, she studied film production at the dffb in Berlin, as well as media studies and cultural management. In collaboration with artists and scholars, she works on new ways to tell stories and effectively engage audiences. She served as executive board member from 2017-2019 and now works as a freelance producer and creative director for Migration Matters.

Karoline joined our Executive Board in August 2019 and has more than 12 years of experience in the field of migration. She currently researches German and European migration policy questions at the Expert Council on Integration and Migration in Berlin, having previously worked with the IOM in Geneva and Cairo. Karoline holds degrees from Oxford University and the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Rebecca joined our Executive Board in February 2024, bringing a strong background in research and seven years experience in the fields of migration, access to education and work for refugees, as well as capacity-building of migrant organisations in Germany and the MENA region. Rebecca has worked for British Universities and non-profit organizations in Berlin, most recently at the Association of German-Syrian Aid Organizations (VDSH). She holds a PhD in French and Francophone studies from the University of Leeds.

Sophia is a co-founder and the managing director of Migration Matters whose work lies at the intersection of migration, media, and online education. She has over 12 years of experience in project management and network development and has previously worked at Mediendienst Integration, Kiron Open Higher Education, and Migration Policy Institute. Sophia holds a Masters in International Education Policy from Harvard University.

Anna is a communications designer who prefers to develop empathetic designs for projects that are in the artistic and socio-political realm. She studied communication design at the Merz Akademie Stuttgart and graduated in 2005 with a Master of Arts in European Media. Since then she has been working as a designer in agencies and as an independent designer in Berlin and Lake Constance. You can learn more about her work at www.annavanodijk.com.

Julia is a journalist and founding editor of Migration Matters. Motivated by the acute need to improve the public’s understanding of migration, she initiated the project in 2015, established the first academic partnerships, and led the development of the first three courses on the platform. Julia is now engaged as an ambassador and freelance producer.

Julian is a filmmaker, photographer and media producer based in Berlin. He shoots documentaries, produces educational videos and online courses. He has worked with, besides, and in front of the camera for over 15 years. You can see more of his work at: www.vandieken.com and follow his AI artistic endeavors on Instagram at @julian_ai_art. He also coaches companies on the use of AI tools in creative processes, and gives talks and workshops on this topic.

Karoline is a film editor in Berlin who has worked on numerous Migration Matters productions. She edits documentary, informational, and campaign films for various organizations and museums, as well as long documentaries that run successfully at international festivals. She studied history at the Humboldt University in Berlin and editing at the HFF “Konrad Wolf” in Potsdam-Babelsberg. She has been a freelance editor since 2008. Learn more about her work at karolineschulz.com.

Kelly is a co-founder of Migration Matters who served on our Executive Board from 2016-2020 and has worked on numerous Migration Matters video series. She is a techie, translator, and advocate for inclusive societies. Kelly holds degrees in European studies, social anthropology, and interactive technology design and currently works in quality assurance and agile product management.

Lee is a freelance producer specializing in the production of meaningful video projects, and a facilitator/coach of transformative group processes. Having produced campaigns for clients including Greenpeace and Endeva, he joined Migration Matters in 2023 to work on its digital output, and will co-teach and mentor participants of its Erasmus+ project over the coming year. His production work can be found at www.meaningful.video and his facilitation on Instagram at @embodied.empathy.