Kiran Maharaj is President and Co-Founder of the non-profit entities Media Institute of the Caribbean (MIC) headquartered in Jamaica, and the Caribbean Investigative Journalism Network (www.cijn.org).
She is the senior vice president of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce. She is also the Managing Director of several successful radio stations in Trinidad and Tobago, including Heartbeat Radio 104.1FM which she founded as the world’s first radio station for women. She is a former President of the Trinidad & Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) having served three consecutive terms where she actively advocated on press freedom issues.
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She is a member of the Alliance for Women in Media based in Washington DC who featured her as “an island of one” in their magazine. She was awarded a Fellowship in Broadcast Leadership and Management from the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington DC as the only non-U.S. citizen selected to be part of their program.
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Her educational background includes degrees and certifications in Literature, Political Science (University of the West Indies), Business Administration (Herriott Watt University) Journalism, Events Management (New York University); Executive Education certificates in Effective Media Management and Strategy and The Business of Entertainment, Media and Sports from Harvard Business School.
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Ms. Maharaj has been in media for over 25 years as a media manager and owner, a freelance journalist and media trainer. She has been involved in all aspects of the media industry (radio, print, digital, television and film). Her career includes having served as a Freelance Correspondent for CNN World Report. She enjoys mentoring and assisting NGOs where she can lend her expertise.
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In 2019 the US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago recognized her philanthropic and professional work with the Woman of Courage Award.
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In May 2022 she completed the UNESCO pilot study on Media Viability Indicators with Jamaica as the case study. This study sets the global benchmark for implementation with a view of media viability from an economic perspective of maintaining an independent media and ensuring the public’s right to information within the context of traditional and digital media ecosystems.
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In December 2022 she was the lead researcher and co-author of the UNESCO IPDC Disinformation study on the Caribbean region. She continues her research work as well as her efforts to build the capacity of the Caribbean region’s journalists, ensure coverage of issues related to sustainable development goals and support initiatives towards the development and enhancement of communities.