After studying Philosophy, English, and Chinese Studies at the University of Cologne, Johanna Heckeley followed her curiosity about people and their stories straight into a newsroom. A crossmedia traineeship at Zeitungsverlag Waiblingen got things started, before she moved through roles in online editorial at katholisch.de, Head of Online at Solinger Tageblatt, and since 2021, Head of the Digital Desk at Medienhaus Trierischer Volksfreund.

Her current focus is the intersection of Al and journalism – the possibilities, but just as much the ethical questions that come with them. For a philosopher at heart, that feels like exactly the right place to be.