Jeff Lovitt

Background

About Jeff Lovitt

CONSULTANT IN MEDIA DEVELOPMENT, CIVIL SOCIETY & PUBLIC DIPLOMACY- Since October 2022, Chief of Party, Central Europe Media Program, Zinc Network – USAID-funded project to support independent media in Central Europe (Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia). February-September 2022: International Consultant, Zinc Network, Open Information Partnership: Assessing needs and capacity of grantees working on countering hostile foreign influence and disinformation, namely think-tanks and investigative journalism outlets in Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Poland, and Slovakia- Specialist in open government and participatory policymaking: Co-Chair, Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (2012, 2014), and author of Forum strategy; member, Advisory Group on Media Freedom in Eastern Partnership, chaired by European Commission (2015-2017); Member, International Experts Panel of Open Government Partnership (OGP)(2016-2021), reviewing country implementation of OGP Action Plan commitments; Council of Europe expert trainer and consultant on civil participation in policymaking and CSO organisational development (2016-2021)- In 2016-17, lead author of two Council of Europe studies on civil participation in decision-making in Eastern Partnership countries. In 2017-18, designed Council of Europe's participatory democracy academy. In 2019-2021, implementing the academy at local level in Ukraine; ran trainings and provided advice on public consultations to local government in Armenia and Georgia, and to central government in Belarus- Manager of international civil society networks, leading communications, advocacy, and reputation management at Transparency International, and running a network of CSOs as Executive Director of PASOS (Policy Association for an Open Society) international think-tank network (2005-2015) in Europe and Eurasia, running projects and fellowship programmes, managing donor relations, and serving as trainer in strategic communications and advocacy for independent think-tanks- Founding Chair, New Diplomacy, launched in 2015 to address the policy challenges facing global and regional policymakers in the EU's eastern and southern neighbourhood- Communications expert: Native-English editor and journalist published in international media (The European, International Herald Tribune, Financial Times, Project Syndicate); strategic communications professional (Director of Communications, Transparency International, experienced public speaker & event moderator.