Nikki Gladstone (she/her) is a community manager, writer, and human rights advocate. Presently, Nikki works with Access Now as the Director of RightsCon, the world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age. For the past five years, she has worked in Canada, Tunisia, and Costa Rica to build outcomes-oriented programming and connect communities across countries and sectors. Before Access Now, Nikki worked with the Wilson Center’s Digital Futures Project on the foreign policy implications of emerging technologies, and as a Graduate Fellow with the University of Toronto’s Digital Public Square, where she conducted research on online civic engagement tools.
She holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University and a Master of Global Affairs degree from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs.
My interest in joining the Equitas board stems from my commitment to investing in the human rights landscape in Canada and abroad, as well as my passion for ensuring organizations are prepared for the impact of technology on their work and our rights. I am also motivated by my previous encounters with the Equitas team, including during RightsCon Tunis in 2019, and by the positive way in which my former colleague Bushra speaks of her involvement. It is clear to me Equitas has a rich history and a commitment to evolving its programming and operations. I’m excited about the prospect of contributing the skills I have honed in my professional career, especially as the RightsCon Director with Access Now, to the growth and development of Equitas, including advising on fundraising, digital security initiatives, and programming more generally.