Publix will be a new home for all those who work in journalism, shape the public sphere and strengthen democracy. This requires a strong team!

Maria, a journalist and the director of Publix. She guides our mission, in addition to building the team and designing the Publix program. Previously, Maria served as editor-in-chief of ZEITmagazin and deputy editor-in-chief of ZEIT ONLINE, where she developed innovative, civil society-oriented projects, including Germany Talks and the Z2X Festival of Ideas. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Jean Monnet Prize for European Integration and the Grimme Online Award, in addition to being recognized as Magazine Editor-in-Chief of the Year.

Justina is the Chief Financial Officer of Publix. During the start-up phase, she also managed the operational developement and contributed her cross-industry experience. Before joining Publix, Justina has built co-working spaces in Germany and abroad. Most recently, she worked as an investment manager at a Berlin-based venture capital firm, and before that, she was involved in building the photography center Chaussee 36. At Publix, Justina is responsible for finance and legal affairs. She is looking forward to further developing the institution strategically and ensuring its economic sustainability.

Florian is responsible for the operational processes in the building - from the smooth guest experience on the ground floor, studios and overnight studios to the IT infrastructure. He brings a wealth of experience to the team - from the hotel industry, supporting international start-up teams, implementing new work strategies and managing large office spaces. Most recently, he was responsible for the offices and coworking concepts of a large consultancy firm with more than 4,000 employees across Germany. His heart beats especially for technical innovations, which is why our digital processes are of great importance to him.

Our caretaker and gardener Jana is Publix's fairy godmother. Her professional background combines theory and practice since she is not only a graduate mechanical engineer but also a trained carpenter. With her many talents, Jana ensures that the building and grounds are in perfect order and shine in all their glory. She takes care of minor repairs in the Publix building and, with her friendly and courteous manner, ensures that people feel right at home with us.

Lea has extensive expertise in program planning and event organization. She previously led a team for editorial live formats at ZEIT ONLINE, was a consultant to the editor-in-chief and worked for several years as a freelancer on film sets, at festivals and as an event organizer.
At Publix, she supports the director in program planning, fundraising and networking with foundations, editorial offices and ministries.

Mia Pascale is responsible for the Publix Community and is the first point of contact for all those who want to work in the space in the future. Mia Pascale studied political science, administration and international relations, and she previously worked as a consultant to the board and Publix project coordinator at the Schöpflin Foundation in Lörrach and Berlin. She has been part of Publix since the very beginning. Following the planning work of the past several years, she is now extremely excited to see the project coming to life.

Julian supports us with office organisation and project-related tasks. In addition to his work for Publix, he is completing his master’s degree in social and cultural anthropology with a focus on intersectionality and qualitative data research. Julian has already gained significant experience in administration and project coordination through his work as a graduate assistant and for an NGO that focuses on anti-racism educational work.

As our finance assistance, Kübra supports our accounting team throughout the day-to-day procurement processes. While studying business mathematics, she acquired valuable experience in financial accounting. Today, Kübra efficiently coordinates communication between customers, partners and the Publix team on all billing matters. Together with the finance team, she is consistently optimising our workflows–an important basis for our organisation's success.

Frederic is responsible for operating our studio area. With broad expertise in the field of digital media and a strong technical understanding, he will be in charge of our video studio, the two recording studios and the post-production workstations and will be available to you as a contact person for all studio matters - from planning to production.

Johanna is Maria’s right-hand woman. She coordinates the calendar, prepares for appointments and takes care of organisation so that Maria can focus on other things. She also helps out with communication on the website and with social media activities. Prior to joining Publix, Johanna was digital content manager for the Pierre Boulez Saal of the Barenboim-Said Akademie.

Anne is the point of contact for press and media inquiries and is also in charge of communications at Publix. She oversees the maintenance and development of our website, social media and the Publix newsletter, as well as communication of our event programme and the many other projects and services offered by Publix. Before joining our team in July 2024, Anne was head of corporate communications at the citizen participation agency Zebralog. Before that, she worked for many years as a PR consultant for NGOs and public institutions, notably at the campaign agency BALLHAUS WEST.

As Operations Manager at Publix, Lilja maintains an overview of the technical and organisational processes within the company. After completing her studies in modern history, Lilja collected a wide range of experience in various positions in the film industry. Most recently, she spent eight years with the localisation company VSI in the area of office and project management. As Office Manager, Lilja initially ensured everything is perfectly organised ahead of the opening of Publix. As Operations Manager, she now keeps everything run smoothly in day-to-day operations.

Katharina Klün adds years of experience in the conception and implementation of large-scale events to the Publix team. She was, for instance, responsible for international culture marketing projects of Red Bull as well as the Opening events of the fashion fair Bread & Butter in Berlin and Barcelona. As the director of “Q Berlin”, she modernized the flagship conference of the city of Berlin. Most recently, Katharina managed the architecture and design department of a Berlin agency.

Carolin brings many years of experience in organising cultural events and projects. Whether panel discussion, reading or conference – Carolin will ensure that the events in the house run smoothly and that the visitors can look forward to an exciting program. Most recently, Carolin was responsible for the Berlin Art Week as one of the largest art events in Berlin.

She welcomes us all: Emanuela is our receptionist and the first person to greet visitors and residents every day. She coordinates the reception on the first floor and is patiently available to answer any questions you may have about Publix - in four languages! Emanuela studied foreign languages in Italy and is also a qualified event manager. With her many years of experience in the hotel industry, Emanuela now enriches the Publix team.

Linnéa arranges event space bookings at Publix and expertly organises event productions in-house. She spent many years working in the live music industry, in international artist booking and in the Germany-wide promotion of music clubs – giving her plenty of opportunity to live out her passion for concerts. She now uses her organisational skills for our various live formats.

Juliane is responsible for the fellowship programs at Publix. She brings her many years of professional experience in supervising scholarship programs and collaborating with fellows, which she gained at the Literarisches Colloquium Berlin, at the American Academy and most recently at the Deutsche Übersetzerfonds. Juliane studied German Studies, English/American Studies and Education and received her doctorate in the Department of American Literature and Culture at the University of Potsdam.

Our community manager Jasper connects people, ideas and processes in-house. His professional experience at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für InternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) and seven years in hospitality have sharpened Jasper's eye for inclusive spaces and efficient processes. Among other projects, he has worked on a book chapter that deals with the lived realities of cleaning staff in the German hotel industry. Our entire team benefits from his insights. Jasper's top priority is to bringPublix's mission to life within the house–both for the community within the building and for visitors and neighbours.

Deniz is the first point of contact at Publix for all commercial matters, takes care of optimizing workflows, looks at budgets and creates forecasts. She has worked for the last five years in a digital marketing agency as an authorised representative and assistant to the management in the area of Finance & Legal. Now she brings her financial expertise to Publix.