Sophia Ahmadi
Sophia Ahmadi covers Human Rights for Uptown Radio. She graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2016 with a degree in French and Spanish. Before moving to New York, she worked in radio for Monocle 24 in London on its morning news show, which covered international news and business. Find her on Instagram @sophia_c_ahmadi and on Twitter @AhmadiSophia
Email: scb2190@columbia.edu
Sophia Ahmadi
Sophia Ahmadi covers Human Rights for Uptown Radio. She graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2016 with a degree in French and Spanish. Before moving to New York, she worked in radio for Monocle 24 in London on its morning news show, which covered international news and business. Find her on Instagram @sophia_c_ahmadi and on Twitter @AhmadiSophia
Email: scb2190@columbia.edu
Cynthia Betubiza
Cynthia Betubiza is a NYC-based writer and journalist passionate about politics, labor, health equity, trans rights, the environment, social justice, and the arts. She is currently pursuing her M.S. at Columbia Journalism School, specializing in multimedia. Outside interests include Netflix cooking shows, music, movies, creative writing, anything having to do with the African continent, comedy, and podcasts that remind her that the world is still a beautiful place. Find her on Twitter @CynthiaBetubiza.
Email: cynthiabetubiza@gmail.com
Cynthia Betubiza
Cynthia Betubiza is a NYC-based writer and journalist passionate about politics, labor, health equity, trans rights, the environment, social justice, and the arts. She is currently pursuing her M.S. at Columbia Journalism School, specializing in multimedia. Outside interests include Netflix cooking shows, music, movies, creative writing, anything having to do with the African continent, comedy, and podcasts that remind her that the world is still a beautiful place. Find her on Twitter @CynthiaBetubiza.
Email: cynthiabetubiza@gmail.com
Alex Colletta
Alex Colletta covers education for Uptown Radio. Born and raised in California, Alex graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012 with a degree in English Literature. Before coming to Columbia Journalism School, he worked in marketing at a tech company in San Diego. In his free time, Alex enjoys getting outdoors, discovering new music, and working on creative projects with friends.
You can reach him at ajc2274@columbia.edu or on Twitter: @alexcolletta.
Alex Colletta
Alex Colletta covers education for Uptown Radio. Born and raised in California, Alex graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012 with a degree in English Literature. Before coming to Columbia Journalism School, he worked in marketing at a tech company in San Diego. In his free time, Alex enjoys getting outdoors, discovering new music, and working on creative projects with friends.
You can reach him at ajc2274@columbia.edu or on Twitter: @alexcolletta.
Sophia Ahmadi
Sophia Ahmadi covers Human Rights for Uptown Radio. She graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2016 with a degree in French and Spanish. Before moving to New York, she worked in radio for Monocle 24 in London on its morning news show, which covered international news and business. Find her on Instagram @sophia_c_ahmadi and on Twitter @AhmadiSophia
Email: scb2190@columbia.edu
Cynthia Betubiza
Cynthia Betubiza is a NYC-based writer and journalist passionate about politics, labor, health equity, trans rights, the environment, social justice, and the arts. She is currently pursuing her M.S. at Columbia Journalism School, specializing in multimedia. Outside interests include Netflix cooking shows, music, movies, creative writing, anything having to do with the African continent, comedy, and podcasts that remind her that the world is still a beautiful place. Find her on Twitter @CynthiaBetubiza.
Email: cynthiabetubiza@gmail.com
Alex Colletta
Alex Colletta covers education for Uptown Radio. Born and raised in California, Alex graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012 with a degree in English Literature. Before coming to Columbia Journalism School, he worked in marketing at a tech company in San Diego. In his free time, Alex enjoys getting outdoors, discovering new music, and working on creative projects with friends.
You can reach him at ajc2274@columbia.edu or on Twitter: @alexcolletta.
Sophia Ahmadi
Sophia Ahmadi covers Human Rights for Uptown Radio. She graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2016 with a degree in French and Spanish. Before moving to New York, she worked in radio for Monocle 24 in London on its morning news show, which covered international news and business. Find her on Instagram @sophia_c_ahmadi and on Twitter @AhmadiSophia
Email: scb2190@columbia.edu
2024 Staff
Tommaso Baronio is a business reporter for Uptown Radio. He worked for two years in Italy as an editor at La Verità and Pluralia Magazine. He earned his bachelor's degree in Modern Literature in Bologna. He is an avid reader and a big pasta eater. He drinks too much coffee, and since he’s been in New York, he is missing his 6pm Aperol Spritz. Feel free to reach him at tb3076@columbia.edu
Klara Bauters is a Belgian business reporter for Uptown Radio. She graduated with a master’s degree in English Linguistics and Literature from Ghent University in 2023. She has experience in print, radio and broadcast, with interests in business and arts and culture. If she's not in the newsroom, you might find her strolling the streets of Manhattan looking for hidden bookstores with a vanilla latte.
Cecilia Blotto is covering City Services for Uptown Radio. Prior to the Journalism School, she completed a Bachelors in Art History at University College London. She is an art geek and is working towards a career as a multimedia journalist in print and radio. You can reach her on her website ceciliablotto.com
Dean Joseph Condoleo
Dean J. Condoleo covers New York City and State Politics for Uptown Radio. He is originally from Long Island, and attended St. John’s University in Queens, NY before enrolling at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. He previously interned at EDITION and JEZEBEL by Modern Luxury Magazines, covering arts, music, fashion, sports, and more. Follow him on X @CondoleoDean and on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/dean-j-condoleo.
Claire Elana Davenport
Claire Davenport is covering healthcare for Uptown Radio. She has a background in communications and nonprofit program management and is a fan of wellness scam investigations, history podcasts, and Oxford commas. You can find her on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-davenport-95a387114/ and X on https://twitter.com/claire_dav16.
Fahima Degia
Fahima Degia is covering education for Uptown Radio. She has a background in communications/marketing work at the United Nations and previously wrote and edited for her undergrad newspaper where she graduated with a BA in Political Science and Human Rights with a minor in Sociology and History.
Dominic Francis Hall-Thomas
Pascal Erik Hogue
Dominic Hall-Thomas covers climate for Uptown Radio. He has a background in radio having edited the audio edition of The Economist for 3 years prior to joining Columbia Journalism School. He has a background in music having worked as a musician and drum teacher.
Pascal Hogue is the artificial intelligence reporter for Uptown Radio. He graduated with a BA in Political Science and English Literature from McGill University in 2023.
Iryna vanivna Humenyuk
Before coming to the Columbia Journalism School, Iryna Humenyuk was an architect, from Canada. She was born in Ukraine and is currently covering immigration, race, and ethnicity for Uptown Radio.
Giulia Leo
Giulia Leo is covering Intellectual and Cultural Life for Uptown Radio. She earned two BAs, one in Communications and the other in English Literature, at John Cabot University in Italy, her home country. Her party tricks include reciting Dante's Divine Comedy and the prologue to the Odyssey by heart and in the original language. If you'd like to discuss anything from cute dog videos to Ancient Roman and Greek culture, you can reach her at gl2855@columbia.edu.
Cristina Mariela Macaya
Desiree Nikfardjam
Cristina Mariela Macaya is covering Religion for Uptown Radio. Before attending Columbia Journalism School, she earned a bachelor's in Art History and English at Georgetown University. A self-proclaimed lisztomaniac, aesthete, bowler, and book collector, she hopes to pursue her love of art and culture through a career in magazine curation, publishing, and music podcasting.
Desiree Nikfardjam is the sports reporter for Uptown Radio. She is from Toronto (go raptors!) and has a Bachelors in Conflict and Human Rights from the University of Ottawa, where she was a staff writer, arts and culture editor, and news editor for the student newspaper, the Fulcrum.
Marine Saint
Marine Saint is a French and British reporter covering Arts and Culture for Uptown Radio. She graduated with a BA in English and History from the University of Bristol in 2023. Before Columbia, she spent too much time editing her student newspaper, and also interned at Sky News and The London Times. She can usually be found in a dance class or online @marine.saint and https://www.linkedin.com/in/marine-saint-35312a218/
Samuel Eli Shepherd
Zoey Yi
Samuel Eli Shepherd is covering Arts and Culture for Uptown Radio. Originally from Toronto, Canada, he graduated from McGill University in 2022 with an Honors degree in history. During his time in Montreal, he wrote for, edited and eventually led McGill's largest student run news magazine: The Bull & Bear. He has also contributed to online publications Study Breaks, The Times of Israel and Hey Alma. When given the option, he prefers pineapples on pizza. Reach him at ses2325@columbia.edu.
Zoey Yi is covering mental health for Uptown Radio. Speaking five languages, she is obsessed with voice and sounds. She is also passionate about stages and theaters. She is interested in presenting stories with trauma and pain in the most detailed and sensitive way. She can be found @zoeyyi926 on social media and yc4397@columbia.edu. Although she is probably either sleeping or singing, she is happy to be reached!