Introduction to magazine publishing course

James Njoroge is a designer and caricature artist based in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2013 he has served as art director of Timazi, a Christian magazine for high school students. He also designed and illustrated publications including: The African Illustrated Bible, Manure Fresh Anthology, Lil ‘Kanji and the Falling Sun, and Life Goes Round. He received a B.A. in Fine Arts from Kenyatta University in 2012. James graduated from MTI’s Design for Magazines course in Kenya, and served as a trainer for MTI’s Introduction to Magazine Publishing course in Côte d’Ivoire in 2019.

Esther Nyaga is publishing manager of Publishing Institute of Africa (PIA) a Nairobi-based organization specializing in trade, professional, and educational publishing. She has served as the editor of Leadership Today Africa magazine and has edited books on Christian living, strategic planning, and other topics. Esther facilitated a writing workshop in Nairobi and was on the LittWorld 2012 organizing committee. She is a leadership and governance doctoral student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She earned an M.A. in leadership from PAC University and a B. Comm. in marketing from the University of Nairobi. Esther is a graduate of MTI’s Editing the Magazine course in Nairobi, and served as a trainer for MTI’s Introduction to Magazine Publishing course in Côte d’Ivoire in 2019.

Jeremy Weber is director of CT Global, managing a team of journalists to produce Christianity Today’s international and multilingual content (including 1,500+ translations across 10 languages, reaching 3 million readers since March 2020). Based in Chicago, Jeremy has visited 40 countries and received 1st place reporting awards from both the Evangelical Press Association and the secular Religion News Association. The American Academy of Religion described him as one of the six most influential religion journalists in the US in 2018. He graduated from Wheaton College and has worked at CT for 14 years. He and his wife Carolin are avid Argentine tango dancers and are making progress at having their young kids follow in their footsteps.

Francis Ayieko is founder and publisher of The Shepherd, a monthly Nairobi-based Christian newspaper he launched in 2005. At The Shepherd, he provides overall leadership for his team and ensures the financial health of the organization. He also serves as an editor with The Standard Group. Prior to joining Standard, he worked for eight years as a writer with the Nation Media Group. Before launching The Shepherd newspaper, he edited the now defunct End Time News, a monthly Christian newspaper that was published by Nairobi-based Redeemed Gospel Church. Francis earned a B.A. from the University of Nairobi in land economics. He is a 2012 World Journalism Institute fellow and is a member of the Kenya Union of Journalists. He is a 2019 Sinapis Entrepreneur Academy graduate. Francis graduated from MTI’s Business of Magazine Publishing course in Kenya in 2018, and served as a trainer for MTI’s Introduction to Magazine Publishing course in Côte d’Ivoire in 2019.

David Renard is a partner with mediaIDEAS, a global consultancy providing research and advice on the publishing industry’s technology-enabled future. He founded and built Netcirculation, the largest nationwide distribution network for high-end boutique fashion, art, photography, and design titles. And, he co-created Stare, a publishing and advertising agency. He also spearheaded a new European subsidiary that developed research-driven decision support tools, which he grew into a multi-million dollar business. In demand worldwide as a speaker on digital publishing, he also taught a digital publishing seminar for Magazine Training International in India in 2012, and in the U.S. in 2015.

Lea Greene is an award-winning graphic designer from the suburbs of New York City. She is currently the publication content manager and designer for The Salvation Army Eastern Territory’s magazine, SACONNECTS, which tells the stories of The Salvation Army’s ministry throughout the territory. A BFA graduate of the School of Visual Arts in 2004, she has worked on multiple types of publications, including Home Furnishing News, a business-to-business publication; Current Health and Science Spin; and educational publications with Weekly Reader. Additionally, Lea has worked with high school students in creating and designing their high school yearbooks, guiding them on design techniques and content creation.