Samya Ayish joined ARIJ as a communication manager in 2021. She is an independent journalist and digital media trainer based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Samya focuses on visual storytelling in her work, and seeks to create innovative ways to promote news stories through diverse digital platforms. Samya was the first teaching fellow for the Google News Initiative in the Middle East and North Africa. Before joining Google, Samya worked as a video and social media producer for CNN in Dubai. Samya Ayish holds a Masters degree in New Media and Communication from the University of Sharjah, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Multimedia Design from the American University of Sharjah.