Category: People

With over 10 years of experience, her expertise lies in project development and implementation within the CSO sector in post-conflict societies and transitional justice processes. Based in Sarajevo, Nejra oversees the projects implemented as part of the Balkan Transitional Justice regional programme. Prior to her role at BIRN, she focused on cultural development and programming, particularly within projects related to memorialization, the culture of remembrance and the promotion of human rights. Nejra holds a Master Degree of Advanced Studies in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and Rule of Law from Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and Master´s Degree in Comparative Literature from University of Sarajevo.

She’s fluent in English and Bosnian, and she’s actively learning French and Arabic.

Based in Pristina and working with the Hub’s Sarajevo office, she plays a central role in driving BIRN’s flagship programme for high-impact investigative journalism.

Donjeta leads the strategic planning and execution of the IRI programme, ensuring its smooth and efficient operation across all levels. Her work focuses on developing bold investigative project ideas, overseeing their full implementation, and aligning them with BIRN’s broader editorial and organisational goals. With a strong focus on quality assurance and impact, she manages the coordination of projects within the programme, making sure they stay on track, meet deadlines, and achieve their objectives.

She also manages BIRN’s flagship Summer School of Investigative Reporting, one of the region’s most respected training events for emerging journalists. The programme brings together award-winning trainers, cutting-edge tools, and cross-border collaboration opportunities, strengthening the next generation of investigative reporters across the Balkans and beyond.

Prior to joining BIRN, Donjeta managed the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) at the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), where she oversaw the entire grant cycle management, capacity-building initiatives, and team leadership. She supervised all aspects of the fund’s operations, ensuring the effective distribution of over 1 million euros, through hundreds of grants to women’s rights civil society organisations across the Western Balkans. Under her management, these initiatives benefited tens of thousands of individuals and supported significant policy changes, including the adoption of gender-responsive budgeting in municipalities and the development of gender equality action plans.

In addition to her managerial role, Donjeta brings several years of experience in public relations, having played a key role in organising numerous PR events and leading impactful online campaigns. Her communications expertise has been instrumental in raising awareness and strengthening stakeholder engagement.

Donjeta has been involved with the Kosovo Oral History Initiative since its early days, contributing significantly by filming the majority of interviews and actively participating in the organisation of exhibitions and related events. Her work has been vital in preserving and sharing the oral histories of Kosovo.

Alongside these roles, Donjeta has contributed as a mentor and engaged with various organisations throughout the Balkans, supporting women’s rights, community development, and youth empowerment initiatives.

Donjeta studied Media and Communication at UBT College in Pristina.

In addition to her native Albanian, she is fluent in English.

Her main responsibilities include planning, organising and coordinating the implementation of digital rights projects, ensuring the programmes achieve their aims. She works closely with team members, monitors progress, identifies challenges, and ensures the smooth and timely delivery of activities.

Before joining BIRN, she was engaged in both the non-governmental and private sectors, working at the intersection of digital transformation, social engagement and community development. She has collaborated with international, regional and local organisations, with a focus on strengthening the digital capacities of individuals and organisations. Azra believes that digital literacy and equal access to technology are essential for inclusive and sustainable development.

Azra has also been involved in designing and implementing international youth exchange programmes aimed at countering hate speech, challenging prejudice and fostering mutual understanding among young people from diverse backgrounds.

Through her work, she has gained deep insight into the vulnerabilities that communities across the region face in the digital space. Her current role at BIRN reflects her continued dedication to promoting safer, more inclusive and rights-based digital environments.

Her key responsibilities include strategic leadership, developing operational systems and compliance frameworks, managing budgets, and supporting organisational development initiatives.  

Before joining BIRN, Merima held several senior roles in international NGOs, primarily with the Danish Refugee Council. She served as its Regional Finance Manager for the East Africa and Great Lakes region, Finance Coordinator for Emergency Response in Türkiye, and Support Services Manager in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In these roles, she gained extensive experience in financial management, compliance, HR processes and operational leadership across multiple countries. Earlier in her career, she worked in banking and financial services, which strengthened her expertise in financial analysis.

Merima studied Accounting and Audit Management at the University of Zenica. She has also completed various professional training courses, including People Management, Accounting and Business Analysis at eCornell University. In addition to her native Bosnian, she speaks English fluently and basic German.

She plays a key role in supporting the organisation’s regional operations, with a strong focus on financial planning, monitoring and reporting. Her responsibilities include conducting regular financial analyses, ensuring compliance with internal and donor regulations, and managing a wide array of operational tasks – all helping to ensure the efficient and transparent functioning of BIRN Hub’s activities across the region.

Before joining BIRN Hub, Jasna built a professional background in the international NGO sector, with significant experience in financial management, operations, human resources and administrative processes. She previously worked at the Danish Refugee Council, where she was responsible for overseeing Support Services in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During her time there, she deepened her expertise in office and project operations, as well as HR systems and procedures, contributing to the smooth implementation of field programmes and internal support structures.

Jasna studied Economics at the University of Sarajevo, with a specialization in macro-financial management. In addition to her academic background, she has completed multiple professional development courses focused on finance and business operations. She is fluent in Bosnian and English.

Based in Podgorica, he reports on daily developments for Balkan Insight.

He worked as a correspondent at Voice of America, VoA, where he was responsible for writing daily news, interviews, and feature stories. During this period, he also gained valuable experience in office management and project operations.

Predrag studied Foreign Languages at the University Mediteran and specialized at the University of Montenegro in Podgorica. His major was English. In addition to his formal education, he has attended various project-related and media-related courses/seminars.

Alongside his native Montenegrin, he speaks English and Italian.

She is engaged with the BIRN Hub Office in Sarajevo, supporting regional operations. Her main responsibilities include strategic fundraising and donor engagement while overseeing the network’s monitoring and evaluation systems.

Verica is a senior programme and fundraising specialist with over 25 years of experience in humanitarian and development work across the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe. She has led initiatives on protection, gender equality, socio-economic inclusion, public advocacy and governance, working with UN agencies, INGOs and donor consortia.

In her recent role in Moldova and Ukraine, Verica guided a strategic shift from emergency response to sustainable protection and economic empowerment, securing institutional funding and advancing localization. She has managed diverse donor portfolios, implemented multi-agency projects with partners, such as UNDP, WHO, UNOPS and IOM and has provided technical assistance to government institutions and civil society.

Her work combines evidence-based programme design with strong fundraising skills, informed by extensive research on migration, housing, livelihoods, disaster risk reduction and resilience. Verica’s strategic vision and regional expertise aim to strengthening BIRN’s ability to deliver impactful and regionally grounded interventions.

She studied at the University of Novi Sad, majoring in English Language and Literature. In addition to her formal education, Verica has taken advanced training in risk and crisis management, humanitarian negotiation and project management, while gaining certifications in gender-based violence response, migration governance, programme design and funding frameworks for multi-sector interventions.

Alongside her native Serbian, she speaks English and French.