Graciela Selaimen works at the foundation’s Brazil office, where she has focused on media rights and access issues. Her grant making has supported initiatives that advance freedom of expression and pluralism in the communications sector, especially those that promote democratic regulatory frameworks and media accountability. In addition, she has worked on broadening access to and the diversity of media and new technologies, particularly in relation to underrepresented groups such as women and Afrodescendants.

Graciela has more than 15 years of experience as an activist and advocate in the fields of Internet governance, communication rights, and information and communications technology (ICT) for development. Before joining the foundation in 2013, she was one of the founders and coordinators of Instituto Nupef, the Center for Research and Capacity Building on Communications and ICT Policies, which became an influential advocacy group at national communications policy debates and global Internet governance forums. Earlier, she coordinated the communications department and several other projects at the Information Network for Civil Society (RITS), an independent nongovernmental organization that supports civil society organizations and social movements. Graciela represented RITS at the establishment of the Communication Rights in the Information Society campaign in 2001 and at the UN World Summit on the Information Society between 2002 and 2005.

Graciela has extensive international experience promoting civil society engagement with Internet and ICT policies. From 2008 to 2013, she served as a member of the multi-stakeholder advisory group of the Internet Governance Forum. Since 2008, she has acted as the chief editor of poliTICs magazine, Brazil’s first and most influential publication devoted to communication and ICT policies and rights.

Graciela holds a master’s degree in communication and culture from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s School of Communications.