Sound Waves – Podcast Training Lab
Podcasting Experts Bios
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Paulo Dias and the South African Podcasting guild
(South Africa in person & online experts)Paulo Dias is a leading podcast strategist, producer, and thought leader in the South African audio landscape. After a successful career in radio, he pivoted to podcasting, where he consults widely with media agencies and broadcasters, and contributes to publications like MarkLives and The Financial Mail’s Redzone. He leads training initiatives such as Podcast Inspiration Days and is a course contributor at The Media Academy. Paulo is also a founding member of the South African Podcasters Guild (SAPG), a network of over 350 audio professionals dedicated to growing and professionalising the industry. As part of this programme, Paulo will lead local insight sessions and draw on SAPG’s broad expertise to bring in additional South African practitioners to support the training.
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Philip Artelt (Germany - in person expert)
Geographers are the last experts for the big picture, it is said. Philip studied Geography to get the big picture, already with journalism in mind. He worked in newsrooms, as a reporter and multilingual journalist in different European countries mostly for the radio. Currently he does trimedial science and education reporting with a focus on radio for the German public broadcaster ARD. If he finds time and peace of mind, he also does longer radio features and writes articles about the world of (short) films. He also enjoys passing on his knowledge in training young, aspiring radio makers in Germany.
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Claire Richard (France - in person expert)
Claire Richard is an author and documentary maker for radio and print. She is particularly interested in the intersections between intimacy and politics, digital cultures and forms of collective action.
She came to podcasting by chance in 2013 and hasn't left since. She writes radio dramas (“Alice et Hadrien”, “La Dernière Nuit d'Anne Bonny”, “Les Chemins de désir”) for Arte Radio and France Culture, and produces documentary podcasts for Arte radio, France Culture, Binge...
Her radio work has won several national and international awards (Prix fiction radio Télérama, Prix Italia, Prix Europa, Grand Prix de l'écriture radiophonique de la SGDL, Prix fiction SACD Paris Podcast Festival, Prix Nouveau Talent radio SACD...).
She has published two literary accounts with Le Seuil, Des Mains Heureuses (2023) and Les Chemins de désir (2019), as well as books on activist groups and initiatives (La santé communautaire, Technopolice, published by Editions 369, Young Lords, published by Editions de l'Echappée).
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Dina Elsayed (Germany - online expert)
Dina Elsayed is a seasoned podcast producer based in Berlin with a journalism origin story, a background film production, and a knack for creating standout audio content. Her work has landed on NPR, RBB, and the Goethe Institute’s Zeitgeister. Now as Original Content Manager at Audible, she aims to develop, produce and release the next wave of must-listen podcasts.
Project Coordinators
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Mihlali Ntsabo: Lead Project Coordinator & Peer Mentor (South African)
Mihlali Ntsabo is an award-winning journalist and digital communications strategist with over a decade of experience across print, radio, and digital media platforms. His career highlights include producing and hosting impactful news podcasts and contributing to some of South Africa’s leading newsrooms, including News24 and Eyewitness News.
Expanding beyond traditional journalism, Mihlali has also led communications strategy in the NGO and corporate sectors, where he has successfully shaped advocacy-driven campaigns and forged authentic connections with diverse audiences. Currently the Digital PR Lead at Tishala Communications, multi-award-winning PR and marketing agency, Mihlali develops and executes innovative digital strategies that elevate brand narratives and foster engagement. His expertise continues to position clients at the forefront of media relevance and influence.
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Tebadi Mmotla: Assistant Coordinator & Peer Mentor (South African)
Tebadi Mmotla is a journalist, producer, and podcast host with over seven years of experience. She holds degrees in Politics and International Relations, Journalism, and Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand. Her work focuses on the intersections of gender equality, health, and human rights, and she has produced and hosted several impactful podcasts over the past five years. In 2022, she was selected for the prestigious Sound Documentary programme at the Ecole nationale supérieure Louis-Lumière, supported by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Currently, Tebadi works with the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO), where she produces and hosts Buwa Basebetsi, a weekly current affairs show addressing issues faced by precarious workers in South Africa. The show is distributed to community radio stations and via social media, making it accessible to farm, factory, retail, and domestic workers. Tebadi’s journalism has appeared in 11 prominent South African publications, and her work with CWAO Radio contributes to the global Labor Radio Podcast Network, amplifying worker voices worldwide.
In the press
Contacts for more information:
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Vulane Mthembu
Project Coordinator Gamebox
Goethe-Institut Johannesburg
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Lauren Fletcher
Audiovisual Project Manager
French Institute of South Africa (IFAS)
Tel.: +27 11 403 0458
lauren.fletcher@frenchinstitute.org.za
