Rutger has a MSc in development economics from the University of Wageningen, specializing in communication and extension education. He worked in agricultural extension projects in Africa for 10 years and was director of NGOs such as HIVOS (The Hague, the Netherlands), Beijer Institute Centre for Energy and Development (BICEDA, Nairobi) and TOOL (Amsterdam, the Netherlands). He was founding director of IICD, the International Institute for Communication and Development (The Hague, the Netherlands).

Rutger specializes in policy research and consulting in fields such as Knowledge Management, Science and Technology for Development, and ICT programmes for rural development. Over the years, he has been member of various Boards of Directors of NGOs, such as Oneworld International (London) and Oneworld Netherlands (Amsterdam), OnzeWereld Media (Amsterdam), PSO - Personnel Services Overseas (The Hague), the jury of the Stockholm Challenge, an international annual award programme for innovative ICT/Internet projects (Stockholm), and the local branch of PvdA in Leiden. Currently is an active member of his neighbourhood association.

Marleen is training in anthropology at the University of Leiden. Within Contactivity she is responsible for thematic web research and the content management of web magazines.

Jim has a MA Novel Writing (Distance Learning) from Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester (UK), a BSc in Biology from the University of Paisley (UK) and a post graduate diploma in radio journalism from Bell College of Technology, Hamilton (UK). Since 1995, Jim has worked as a researcher for the BBC Radio Scotland, as an internet producer for Radio Netherlands and as an editor for the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (Windhoek). Most recently he worked as a free lance journalist based in Angola. Within Contactivity, Jim is responsible for editorial production of ICTUpdate and of radio programmes, podcasts and other audiovisual materials.

Valerie has a degree in Geography from University of London (UK) and is a highly experienced science editor, specializing in subjects such as science, technology, the environment and international development cooperation. She has worked for publishers as Princeton University Press (USA), Simon and Schuster (UK), Addison-Wesley (Canada), Elsevier and the UN Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) (the Netherlands). Within Contactivity she is responsible for editorial production processes and for assisting Contactivity's clients in writing professional/academic articles, case stories, books and annual reports.

Elvira is training in anthropology at the University of Leiden. Within Contactivity she is responsible for thematic web research and the content management of web magazines.

Britt is training in anthropology at the University of Leiden. Within Contactivity she is responsible for thematic web research and the content management of web magazines.

Mark has degrees from Tufts University (Boston, USA) and VU University Amsterdam (the Netherlands) in English and German Language and Literature. He has worked in New York conducting research and copywriting for a Manhattan public relations firm and ran the rare books department of an antiquarian bookstore in Amsterdam. In 2001, he set up a freelance business, editing and translating articles and books in a variety of subjects, including political science, development cooperation, agriculture, architecture and literary theory. Mark joined Contactivity in 2010 and is primarily responsible for the the English editing and editorial production of .
The Broker

Anita Toebosch has a degree of the Minerva Academy of Arts, Groningen (the Netherlands) and is a creative visual artist and a highly skilled graphic designer who worked for various publishers of well known Dutch magazines such as Grasduinen, Zeilen and FietsActief. Anita is responsible for the graphic design and layout of the magazines, books and (annual) reports that Contactivity produces and publishes for its clients.