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 Exner

Director

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.

headshot photo of Mia Pascale Bergert

Mia Pascale Bergert

Residents & Collaboration Lead

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 in Friedrichshafen and Buenos Aires, 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.

Katharina Klün

Program & Experience Lead

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 Kohl

Project Manager Program and Event

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.

Linnéa Oelmann

Projektmanagerin Booking and Events

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.

Justina Kilinski

Head of Operations & Finance

Justina brings distinctive commercial and start-up experience to the Publix team and 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 finances, process set-up and operations. She is looking forward to turning an idea into a new institution.

Lea Bayer

Project Manager Program & Fundraising

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.

Juliane Schallau

Project Manager Fellowship Programs

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.

Deniz Tomm

Finance Manager

Deniz is the first point of contact at Publix for all commercial matters, takes care of optimizing workflows, looks at budgets and creates forecasts. Deniz grew up in Switzerland and has Turkish roots. 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.

Kübra Celik

Finance Assistant

As our finance assistance, Kübra supports our accounting team throughout the day-to-day procurement processes. While studying business mathematics at HTW Berlin, 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.

Johanna Giebel

Assistant to the director

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.

Julian Büchler

Assistant Operations & Diversity

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 at Berlin’s Free University and for an NGO that focuses on anti-racism educational work.

Jasper Silbernagel

Community Manager

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.

Lilja Kloth

Operations Manager

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 Berlin 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.

Jana Barth

Caretaker and Gardener

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.

Willi Lenz

Caretaker and Gardener

Willi handles all matters related to the house and garden. A skilled carpenter, he takes care of many routine tasks around the house. He also uses his expertise to supervise and assess larger-scale work on the premises. Willi keeps our garden in good order, too.His work ensures that the Publix House always looks its best. Plus, he gladly responds to any concerns our residents and visitors may have.

Emanuela Marras

Reception Manager

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.

Frederic Gaillard

Studiotechnik

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.

The following organisations work permanently in our building and help us breathe life into Publix.

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