Felista Auma is a Ugandan media professional with a Degree in Journalism and Communication (Honors) from Makerere University. She boasts of several certificates in digital media, media management and leadership, multimedia production, broadcast journalism and editorial work.
She currently serves as the Assistant Communications Officer at Gulu University and her work involves public relations, crisis management, content creation, and managing the university’s media presence.
Auma is known for her role in media as a human rights defender, particularly vocal about the protection of journalists’ rights and gender equity in the media industry, and as a member of Gender Tech Initiative Uganda, a female led organization in Gulu city, Northern Uganda, she joins hands in advocating for the digital rights of women and young school girls.
Her Journalism journey started in the post-war Northern Region with the first reporting experience at MEGA FM, where she majored in reporting on children, climate change and human right stories. Over the years, she transitioned from being a reporter, Radio presenter, and Talkshow host to a News Editor.
Auma is one of the few professional female journalists in Gulu City, Northern Uganda who has stood the test of time in the tough post-war media in the war raged Northern Region with very few female media professionals. She is a freelance voice artist who has recorded several Radio adverts in both her mother tongue (Acholi), other LUO dialect and English for years.
She previously worked as a News Editor and producer at Radio Pacis in Gulu and has experience as a freelance multimedia journalist, with significant contributions in the promotion of peace in the region through radio programs and talk shows she held while at the Radio, and notable one was in November 2021 where she hosted Dr. Kiiza Besigye.
She participated in the SheLeads Media Fellowship 2024, organized by Baraza Media Lab Nairobi Kenya and the program aimed at mentoring and empowering female journalists across East Africa. This reflects her commitment in advancing gender equality and quality journalism in the region.
Auma is a member of Female Journalists Foundation Uganda, formerly Female Journalists Forum Uganda, an organization enhancing the capacity of female journalists to thrive in today’s ever evolving digital newsroom to practice professional journalism, amplify the voices of vulnerable and underrepresented communities in Uganda, and leverage various media platforms to inspire positive change in Society.
She holds executive position in the Uganda Editors Guild-UEG, a non-profit organization contributing towards deepening media independence and press freedom in the country and beyond, by bringing together senior editors, scholars of journalism and media studies for fraternity, networking, fellowship and leadership.
She is a Women-In-News, WAN-IFRA Alumna, a leading global programme founded in 2010 by WAN-IFRA to advance gender equality and inclusion in the media industry working with media organizations, industry leaders, and journalists. WIN is active in more than 30 countries across Africa, Southeast Asia, Eurasia, Latin America and the Arab Region.
Auma believes in inclusive newsrooms and workspaces which is key in building a media landscape that is more gender equal, inclusive, safe, and healthy
Fellowship, Certificates, Short courses, Professional membership and other trainings
• Certificate in Graphic Design from Nile Institute of Information and Communications Technology
• Short Course in Uganda Sign Language-USL
• Alumna of Women-In-News (WAN-IFRA) Leadership Accelerator
• Certificate in Digital Safety Security Training by Gender Tech Initiative-Uganda and Chapter Four Uganda
• SHELEADS Media Fellow, Baraza Media Lab, Nairobi Kenya
• Executive member of the Uganda Editors’ Guild and Northern Uganda Media Club.
• Certificates in Human Rights reporting by DefendDefenders, Human Rights Network for Journalists, Uganda Journalists Union
• Certificate in Gender Sensitive Reporting by African Centre for Media Excellence-ACME.
• Fact-checking certificate by International Centre For Journalists-ICFJ
