Courtney C. Radsch, PhD, is a free expression advocate who works at the nexus of media, activism and technology, with a particular interest in the Middle East. Dr. Radsch has spent her career developing a 360-degree perspective on how journalism and human rights can empower citizens through her work as a journalist, an academic, an international civil servant, and program manager. As Advocacy Director at the Committee to Protect Journalists she frequently speaks about these issues in the media and at events such as the Internet Governance Forum. She is editor of UNESCO’s flagship publication "World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development" and contributed to the conceptualization of the “internet universality” framework. Dr. Radsch started her career in journalism at the Daily Star in Lebanon, followed by a position with The New York Times, and then Al Arabiya in Dubai,

Dr. Radsch holds a Ph.D. in international relations from American University, a master's of science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree with highest honors in mass communication from the University of California, Berkeley. She blogs at Arab Media and the Huffington Post, and has written for a range of publications. She is also the author of several book chapters and monographs. Follow her on Twitter @courtneyr