Before Ivana started work, she graduated from the University of Montenegro in Podgorica and became a political scientist. She also spent one year studying in the US on a USAID/World Learning exchange programme. As she says, it’s hard to recall from this distance how she imagined her career back then.
“But, as a true millennial, I believe I spent more time thinking about summer music festivals I could attend than about my future career.
“Joking aside, I was always passionate about injustice and wrongdoings happening in my home country, Montenegro, and always eager to join any initiatives confronting such things or trying to bring positive change to society, which is why I could easily imagine myself having a career that is interconnected with politics, society and change,” Ivana explains.
She worked for more than 10 years in the NGO sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro before joining BIRN.
“Before joining BIRN, I worked in several NGOs in both countries on similar positions, but on different topics, not media-related. However, I knew about BIRN as one of the most impactful media organisations when it comes to investigative journalism and I often admired the bravery of those journalists who tackle high-risk topics like corruption, business wrongdoing in the region or assets of people in power,” she recalls.
She was excited to contribute to BIRN’s mission in the region, which, over the years, has expanded from investigative journalism to include a significant role in capacity development for other media outlets.
“The most challenging part was understanding BIRN itself, how it functions, bearing in mind the regional office BIRN Hub and the local offices in the region,” Ivana says.
Many things have changed since she started working in BIRN Hub, she explains.
“But I would say most of the changes were positive. One of the most important changes for my work is better communication and understanding between editorial and programme people in the organization,” Ivana says.
Now senior project manager, usually she manages projects that support media development in the region, through tailored training, mentoring, and grants.
“Through the projects I currently manage, we offer support to individual journalists for investigative stories and to media outlets,” she says.
“I was lucky enough to start working at BIRN five years ago, when we developed the Engaged Citizens Reporting tool (ECR tool), which allowed BIRN and other media outlets in the region to become familiar with audience-engaged reporting for the first time.
“This approach brings mutual benefits to both newsrooms and citizens who are involved in or affected by the impact of the stories. After five years, we have almost 90 media outlets across the Western Balkans and the Visegrad region that have access to the tool and involve citizens regularly in their reporting,” Ivana notes.
As for the favourite part of her job, there are several things.
“I find it really enjoyable to have colleagues from all over the region, and so if I need to organise something in Kosovo, I immediately have someone who can help with contacts and local information. I also especially appreciate the possibility to meet, support and work with local media outlets in the region that are struggling to work independently and endure due to the current financial restraints in the sector.
“Finally, I like it when I have the opportunity to organise an event offline; although the preparation can be stressful, it’s also rewarding to see people that you work with or support sharing ideas and connecting in real life, not only on Slack/Zoom/Google Meet,” Ivana explains.
Outside BIRN, Ivana loves music and dancing.
“Before I became a mother of two, theatre was my second home. I finished elementary ballet school as a kid and continued dancing actively for many years in the contemporary dance company in Montenegro called ‘Ballo’.
“Dance is still one of my biggest passions, but I pursue it a bit differently; I play music and dance with kids around the house. I am also very keen to get back in shape when it comes to reading books, and attending summer music festivals whenever it’s possible,” Ivana concludes.