About us
di:ga offers bespoke strategy and communications advice for non-profit organisations and other good causes.
We are an employee-owned company focused on driving impact for our clients on key social and environmental issues. We feel privileged to work with organisations doing cutting-edge research and campaigning, and thrive on the challenge of helping them to raise awareness and promote positive change.
We don’t do spin, and we won’t just tell you what you want to hear. If we work with you, we will become your thought partners, dedicated to helping you get results. This might mean we challenge your assumptions and push back on what you propose: we’ll do this respectfully so that between us we can really make a difference.
We are humble about what we don’t know; respectful of the knowledge and expertise of others; and assertive about what we do know. We believe in the sanctity of grammar, the power of simple, direct and clear prose, and the importance of finding an author’s (or an organisation’s) voice.
A note on our name
di:ga means ‘speak up’ in Spanish. We use the phonetic spelling - the colon slows you down, so you don't say digger, which would be weird, and have nothing to do with communication.
Our teams
We have three teams with different specialisms but good writing and strategy are at the heart of what we all do. We are all creative, tenacious and diligent, and get things done on time.
CEO and Operations
The Founder and CEO oversees all the projects and our strategy as an agency, as well as being more hands-on on some projects. Along with the Head of Operations, she makes sure we have the structures, processes and systems needed to perform at our best.
Amy Barry
Founder and CEO
Amy is a former national newspaper journalist turned international development professional with over 20 years’ experience in media and strategic communications. Self-motivated, intelligent and able to lead and inspire others, Amy has proven management and policy skills, outstanding writing ability and comprehensive knowledge of and contacts in the national and international media. She is an experienced media trainer.
Nicole Bator
Head of Operations and Company Secretary
Nicole is an experienced operations professional with additional experience in publishing and project management. Before joining di:ga, Nicole was Operations Coordinator for Wave for Change, a grassroots inclusion charity, where she was responsible for all aspects of the charity's operations. At di:ga she focuses on operational planning and delivery to ensure that all of our processes and systems are running smoothly. She's passionate about finding ways to improve the way we work and supporting the team to ensure they have everything they need to achieve their goals.
Digital team
The digital team helps organisations shape their strategy and come up with the right set of tools and tactics to drive positive change. Whether it’s social listening to understand key audiences, data visualisations for story-telling, or social media planning to support campaigning, they can strategize, advise and implement.
Ross Haig
Creative Director
Ross has over a decade’s experience leading creative communications campaigns for good causes. He has a track record of reaching and mobilising audiences around issues including economic and environmental sustainability, mis- and disinformation, and social inequality. He’s passionate about the power of digital tools, products and platforms to make and measure impact, and an experienced press and brand strategist.
Heather Nicholson
Senior Digital Strategist
Heather has over eight years of experience in digital strategy and communications for charities and international organisations. She loves finding creative ways to engage audiences and especially enjoys storytelling through film, multimedia articles and data visualisation.
Jasmine Chinasamy
Associate - Digital
Jasmine is a passionate communicator, writer and campaigner with experience from a wide range of not for profits including Greenpeace, Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation and the National Literacy Trust.
Advocacy and campaigns team
The advocacy and campaigns team helps clients understand the targets they want to reach, and develop strategies to influence them - drawing on a broad range of tactics. They help translate complex policy into actionable asks, and often lead work with coalitions or where stakeholder management or campaign planning is key.
Jon Date
Managing Director and Director of Advocacy
Jon has over 10 years’ experience in communications, advocacy and campaigning across a range of issues including international development, humanitarian emergencies, tax justice and women’s rights. He has led a number of campaigns which have led to significant changes in government policy and corporate practice, as well as generating substantial public support and media coverage.
Charlie Zajicek
Head of Campaigns and Insights
Charlie is an experienced communications specialist with a track record in engaging policymakers on climate and environment issues. He is adept at taking dry, complex policy and making it relevant and accessible, while respecting the nuance and quality of the original content. His approach involves understanding key audiences, what they want, and how they will be most receptive to information or messaging. He’s in his element working across a range of media – from online, to film, to print.
Katie Dominy
Senior Associate - Advocacy & Campaigns
Katie is an experienced writer, communicator and policy analyst. Before joining di:ga, Katie worked as a Researcher on Foreign Affairs, Defence, International Trade, and International Development issues in the UK Houses of Parliament. Before that, she worked as a Middle East Correspondent for the monthly current affairs outlet The International. She also has experience working in Hong Kong and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, delivering NGO programmes on educational inclusion, gender equality and youth democratic engagement.
News team
The news team helps di:ga’s clients develop media strategies that drive change. They know what makes a story and how to frame content for different publications and audiences. They work with journalists across markets, including the U.K., Europe, U.S. and Africa, to secure great coverage and shape reporting of major global issues.
Cora Bauer
Director of News
Cora Bauer has over fifteen years of experience in media and strategic communications for non-profits across a wide range of issues, including human rights, humanitarian aid, social affairs and health policy. She is an experienced campaigner, skilled at developing high-impact communications strategies spanning news, brand, campaigns and digital in fast-paced and mission-critical environments. She particularly enjoys building creative and collaborative coalitions, bringing energy and enthusiasm to motivate teams and inspire a sense of common purpose.
Nick Colwill
Senior Consultant - News
Nick Colwill has over a decade of experience in policy, communications and political campaigning. He has specific expertise in strategic communications, media relations and crisis communications and extensive experience in the humanitarian and development sector.
Our network
In addition to our core UK-based staff we have a network of friends and associates we can call on for jobs that are bigger than we can service, or that require certain skills or knowledge we don't have. We have freelancers and agencies we work with regularly in Brazil, China, the US and France who have excellent contacts with the media in their countries and wider regions. Amongst our regular collaborators are people who speak Chinese, French, Swedish, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic and German.
Our address book also includes hugely talented graphic designers, digital whizzes, political operators, filmmakers, and branding gurus and we’re happy to facilitate an intro or manage the relationship ourselves. (Either way, we don't layer on finder's fees or unjustified additions to their standard rates). This means that we can build the team to fit your brief and you can get all the benefits of a big global agency, without the hefty price tag.