Alireza is Director of CNN Academy and Deputy Bureau Chief of CNN’s Abu Dhabi production hub, where he oversees the network’s CNN flagship current affairs program “Connect the World with Becky Anderson.” Alireza’s experience includes producing high-profile interviews, live breaking news programming and long- form content.

Francho Barón is a multi-award winner correspondent for CNN en Español. Focused on investigative journalism and foreign affairs, armed conflicts and unexpected contexts, Francho reported from different European and LATAM countries for 21 years. Based in Spain, he leads a CNN Academy co-branded Master in Multiplatform Journalism at Loyola University in Seville. He considers himself a multi-platform storyteller.

Luke has worked for rolling news channels for more than two decades. He began his career at Sky News after graduating from Leeds University in the United Kingdom. Luke worked at the heart of Sky’s breaking news operation including traveling to Phuket after the tsunami in 2004 to help the channel anchor its entire output from Thailand. He moved to CNN International in 2009 where he was a Senior Producer for Connect the World with Becky Anderson and The World Right Now with Hala Gorani. In 2016 he took on the role of Supervising Producer, overseeing much of CNN International’s dayside and overnight programming.

Shivon is the CNN Academy Abu Dhabi's Project Manager. Shivon manages the operations and logistics for CNN Academy and brings her knowledge, experience, energy and passion to the academy's simulation week. She is also PA to Becky Anderson, supporting the CNN Abu Dhabi bureau's broadcast and newsgathering functions and 'Connect the World'. She has been involved in the pre-production of CNN's outside broadcasts since 2015 from The World Government Summits to the Special Olympics, Expo 2020 and F1.

Jessie Yeung is the Asia Pacific Writer for CNN Digital Worldwide, based in Hong Kong. She writes breaking news, analysis, and features on social issues in the Asia Pacific region, as well as contributing to CNN’s three-times-per-week Meanwhile in China newsletter. At CNN, she has covered the Covid-19 pandemic in Asia, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan and ensuing humanitarian crisis, the 2021 Myanmar coup, and the 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy protests. Her reporting has also explored regional and international social issues including Asian American identity, poor conditions for migrant workers in Hong Kong and the difficulties of Filipina mothers working overseas.

Sarah Dean is a field producer based at CNN’s Johannesburg bureau, covering the African continent for TV and digital. She previously worked for almost five years in Europe as a field producer, covering Russia’s war in Ukraine, and as a Senior News Editor at CNN’s London bureau, overseeing newsgathering assignments and output across EMEA. Prior to joining CNN she worked for the MailOnline and The Huffington Post as a digital reporter and news editor, in Australia and London. She studied Journalism and Sociology at City University, London.

Ladan Anoushfar is the Senior Video Producer of As Equals, CNN's award- winning series reporting on gender inequality. She is a multi-award- winning filmmaker who has produced, directed, and edited films for CNN, BBC World, The Guardian, Al Jazeera English, as well as organisations such as Public Health England and the Aga Khan Architecture Foundation. She won an Emmy award and a Gracie award for videos reporting on systemic gender inequality for CNN. Before her time at CNN, Ladan co- founded Black Leaf Films in 2018, an independent production company that works on delivering films and series for platforms such as Al Jazeera Senior Video Producer English and Channel 4 News.