About us
Our mission
News Decoder is a global educational news service for young people founded in 2015. Our mission is to help young people develop internationally-recognized global citizenship competencies, including the ability to communicate to global audiences, appreciate diverse perspectives, think critically about global issues and identify solutions to local, national and global problems. Learn more about our history here.
What we do
Through partnerships with 21 schools in 17 countries, News Decoder teaches journalism, media literacy and global citizenship skills that help young people better understand complex international issues.
Our educational services include mentoring by professional journalists, training workshops in pitching and interviewing, webinars on global issues, e-learning courses and handbooks on reporting and writing.
Why we do it
Tackling the multiple, interconnected challenges of the 21st century requires savvy, informed and responsible global citizens.
News Decoder approaches this in a unique way: we use journalism training and news literacy to nurture the skills, knowledge and values that students need to cooperate in resolving the great global challenges of our time, including conflict, poverty, sustainability and climate change.
By supporting young people to think like journalists — interrogating information sources, considering all sides of an argument and examining context and precedent — we help them to become critical-thinking, responsible media consumers and creators.
By deepening their understanding of the news and facilitating interactions with experts, we help them develop a sophisticated, nuanced understanding of the political, economic and social dimensions of global issues.
By fostering international, cross-cultural collaborations between young people, we help to instill universal values, intercultural awareness and respect for both diversity and our common humanity.
These qualities are the foundation of global citizenship. They are also transferable to multiple occupations and help to equip our students for success in whatever career they choose.
Who we are
News Decoder is the educational services unit of the French nonprofit Nouvelles-Découvertes, whose mission is to inform young people about international relations with tolerance, objectivity and broad vision.
Our team is composed of a professional staff, a large network of correspondents and accomplished trustees and advisors.
Interested in joining our team?
Visit the Careers and Internships pages for current opportunities.
News Decoder Updates
Our services
Maria Krasinski, Managing Director
Maria has more than 15 years of experience leading global education, youth media and cultural exchange programs. A former Peace Corps volunteer in Tbilisi, Georgia, she holds master’s degrees in International Relations and Public Policy from the University of Chicago, where she also earned her undergraduate degree. She is a published illustrator with two books exploring public art and historical sites in New York City and Paris.
Marcy Burstiner, Educational News Director
Marcy is an experienced educator, journalist, published author and founder of the Humboldt Center for Constitutional Rights, HumRights. A graduate of the Columbia Journalism School, she has taught journalism for more than 15 years at Cal Poly Humboldt in California. The author of “Investigative Reporting: from premise to publication,” Burstiner was awarded the James Madison Freedom of Information Award in 2018 by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Thea Lacey, Director of Development
Thea has 15 years of experience managing fundraising and programmes for mostly humanitarian and development NGOs, both small and large, including five years based in West and Central Africa. She holds an undergraduate degree in Politics from the University of Edinburgh and a postgraduate degree in International Development from SOAS University of London.
Karolina Krakowiak, Project Management Intern, The Writing’s on the Wall
Leaving engineering behind and following her passion, Karo decided to move to Paris and pursue a Master’s degree in International Management and Sustainability at the American University in Paris. Both in her professional and private life, she prioritizes nature, kindness and mindfulness. Karo’s wish is to one day open an animal sanctuary.
Joyce Yang, Programs & Communications Intern
Joyce is a former classroom teacher passionate about equitable education access, intentional pedagogy and inclusive policy-making. She has professional experience working in schools on three continents and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Sciences Po. She also holds another Master’s degree in Teaching and an undergraduate degree in Communications.
Nelson Graves, Founder and President of News Decoder
An experienced educator and administrator, Nelson Graves was a correspondent, bureau chief and regional managing editor at Reuters for 24 years, holding posts in Washington, Paris, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Milan and Tokyo. He later served as admissions director at Johns Hopkins University’s graduate program in international relations in Italy.
