Dr. Nikos Panagiotou is Associate Professor and Google Research Scholar at the School of Journalism and Mass Media Communication at Aristotle University. He has been a Chevening Scholar of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office UK, Socrates Scholar at Universidade Fernando Pessoa (Portugal), Scholar of the State of Luxembourg, RCAP Scholar from APU University Japan, and Scholar to Beijing Foreign Studies University. He is engaged in research work, including the Digital News Initiative, funded by Google. He is the initiator and organizer of the Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy. Dr. Panagiotou is a member of the advisory board for Networking Knowledge, member of the board of Municipal Company of Information and Communication of Thessaloniki, member of the Radicalization Awareness Network of the European Union, and a member of the International Relations Committee of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research interests include global journalism, political communication, mass media literacy, and conflict analysis and resolution.

Franak Viačorka is the Vice President of the Digital Communication Network. He concurrently works as the consultant for U.S. Agency for Global Media. Franak conducted more than 100 training course on digital communication and New Media for activists and journalists from Europe and the United States. He has served as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense, Freedom House, and the Broadcasting Board of Governors, spoke at various events in the National Endowment for Democracy, Atlantic Council. Franak graduated from American University in Washington D.C. and Warsaw University in Poland, he also studied in Georgetown University, College of Europe and European Humanities University

Maria-Anna Tanagia is a journalist, working as a freelance editor and digital copywriter. She did her Master's degree on Journalism and New Media at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. As part of her master thesis, she created the online magazine "publiSHIT" which is inspired by crowdsourcing journalism and has received an award by Regional Media Greece (Bronze Award "Best Column", 2017). She is also a guest blogger of HuffPost Greece. She also works as an adult educator, as well as a facilitator in journalism workshops. She was included in the list of 50 young (under forties) disruptors of Northern Greece (2018). Her interests include digital storytelling, user generated content, participatory journalism and media literacy.

Christos Frangonikolopoulos is Professor of International Relations and Jean Monnet Chair Holder on European Integration Journalism at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University.

He studied Politics and Government (BA Honors) and International Relations (PhD) at the University of Kent at Canterbury (England). He has worked as a diplomatic newspaper correspondent (1995-2003) and advisor to the Greek Parliament (1997-2003).

He combines a significant research output with practical experience. His research interests and teaching have an interdisciplinary character, combining International Relations, European Integration with Global/European and Peace Journalism.

Betty Tsakarestou is Associate Professor and Head of ADandPRLAB & Director of Mass Media Division, Department of Communication, Media and Culture of Panteion University. She is Branding Chair & European Research Liaison for International Communication Division at The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). BoD member of the Institute of Communication. She is an International Exchange Alumna of Study of U.S. Institutes on Journalism and Media of U.S. Department of State, named as International Exchange Alumna of the Month, and featured in "Women Changing Greece," video series by U.S Embassy Athens. She has been visiting lecturer at Copenhagen Business School, the University of Cyprus and visiting researcher at Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism, CUNY J- School.

As Head of ADandPRLAB she has initiated cross-sector educational and innovation partnerships with leading communication and business organizations, digital media, startups and social innovators. In partnership with Inside Story, they have co-designed #YourStory 2 & 3, through co-creation workshops, engaging readers and journalists in collaborative storytelling.

She has co-organized Startup Weekends and Startup Labs, to engage university students in startup entrepreneurship, including the Startup Weekend on "Entrepreneurial Journalism" with the support of U.S. Embassy Athens and in collaboration Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism and, Athens Startup Weekend on Audio and Radio Innovation and Summit in partnership with Antenna Music. With the support of Stavros Niarchos Foundation, she participated with students from Panteion University at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Journalism Bootcamp, in Washington, D.C.

She served as the Director for Educational Radio-Television at the Ministry of Education focusing on its digital transition (2010-2012) and served at the editorial board of the monthly "Tribute of Ideas" at Lambrakis Press.

She has been a state scholarship foundation scholar in collaboration with cedefop in Sweden and Erasmus scholar at ISTI (Institut supérieur de traducteurs et interprètes ) in Brussels.

She holds a Bachelor degree in Public Relations & Communication and a Bachelor degree in Political Sciences. She did a Master degree on “Total Quality Management in Public Administarion” and her Master thesis has been on e-democracy. Her second Master degree has been on “Executive Master in European Studies”. Her research studies has been focused on energy justice, energy democracy, mass media and social inclusion in coal transitions.

She is an instructor in the National Center of Public Administration in Greece and appointed as a communication manager to many European Programmes. 
Reviewer for «JeDEM - eJournal of eDemocracy and OpenGovernment».

Anthi Baliou is a PhD Candidate in the field of “Literacy in Digital Mobile Media” at the Department of Journalism and Mass Media of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Senior Researcher at the Peace Journalism Lab. At the same time, she works as a Librarian at the Library of the University of Macedonia. She is a graduate of the Department of Library Science (TEI of Thessaloniki) and holds a Master’s Degree in “Management of Cultural Units” (Hellenic Open University). She has participated in various research projects as a Research Assistand and as Project Manager (EUFactCheck, JRP, Refugees Fact-checking, COST) on the field of news cross-referencing, disinformation and media literacy. She is the Project Manager of the 5th Thessaloniki International Summer Academy. She is also a member of the Digital Communication Network and she is occupied as a Research Assistant in projects (Influencers Hub Ukraine) and as a Trainer in Workshop Series (DCN Digital and Media Literacy for NGOs Training Program, Active Citizenship Workshop Series). Her research interests include: Information, News and Media Literacy, Misinformation, Propaganda and Fake News, Social Influence of the Media and Social Media, Community Engagement.