Our Impact
The RightsCon program is the pillar of our Summit Series. Expansive in scope, the program supports 400+ sessions and 15+ tracks focused on the intersection of human rights and technology. Join us in San José, Costa Rica and online from June 5 to 8, 2023.
“The RightsCon community is really busy with the work of changing the world.
It’s really busy with the work of changing each other.“
Mutale Nkonde, AI for the People
Network
Meet and connect with the RightsCon community
Social Spaces
Creative Spaces
Community Village
Learn
Debate ideas, share lessons, and ask questions
Dialogues
Lightning Talks
Tech Demos
Take Action
Build solutions, coalitions, and strategies
Workshops
Roundtables
Private Meetings
First introduced in 2022, the RightsCon Studio invites prominent and trusted speakers from around the world to reflect on critical issues and interact with our community. Confirmed speakers for RightsCon Costa Rica include Amandeep Singh Gill, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, Meredith Whittaker, the President of Signal, and Timnit Gebru, the Founder and Executive Director of the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (DAIR).
Meet our Studio Host: Melissa Chan

Melissa Chan is our RightsCon Studio Host and an Emmy-nominated journalist based between Los Angeles and Berlin. She has reported everywhere from Cuba to Canada, Mongolia to Moscow, North and South Korea. These days she focuses on transnational issues, often involving China’s influence beyond its borders, as well as the rise of global authoritarianism and ebb of democracies.
Program timeline
RightsCon Costa Rica Program Committee
The Program Committee is composed of Access Now staff and external experts who review and advise on the selection of sessions for our program. Co-chairs play a crucial role in ensuring the program reflects the interests and experiences of our community, and forms the core of the summit experience, whether online or in-person.

Mary Annunziata
Mary Annunziata
Development Manager, Grants and Institutional Giving, Access Now
Wai Phyo Myint
Wai Phyo Myint
Asia Pacific Policy Analyst, Access Now
Priscilla Ama Addo
Priscilla Ama Addo
President, Young Health Advocates Ghana
Namrata Maheshwari
Namrata Maheshwari
Asia Pacific Policy Counsel, Access Now
Sanjana Srikumar
Sanjana Srikumar
Legal Fellow, Access Now
Xiaowei Wang
Xiaowei Wang
Research Fellow, Logic Foundation, Center on Race and Digital Justice
Ángela Alarcón
Ángela Alarcón
Campaigner, Latin America and the Caribbean, Access Now
Laura O’Brien
Laura O’Brien
Senior UN Advocacy Officer, Access Now
Tetiana Avdieieva
Tetiana Avdieieva
Legal Counsel and Project Manager on AI and Digital Rights, Digital Security Lab Ukraine
Abir Ghattas
Abir Ghattas
Information Security Director, Human Rights Watch
Mher Hakobyan
Mher Hakobyan
Advocacy Advisor on AI Regulation, Algorithmic Accountability Lab (AAL), Amnesty Tech
Cindy Regidor
Cindy Regidor
Journalist, Editor and Founder, El Confidencial, Nicas Migrantes
Bridget Andere
Bridget Andere
Africa Policy Analyst, Access Now
Tarcizio Silva
Tarcizio Silva
Fellow, Mozilla Foundation
Jochai Ben-Avie
Jochai Ben-Avie
Co-Founder and CEO, Connect Humanity
Emmanuel Vargas Penagos
Emmanuel Vargas Penagos
Project Coordinator: Social Media 4 Peace in Colombia, UNESCO
Mercy Mutemi
Mercy Mutemi
Nzili & Sumbi Advocates/MS Law
Igor Campos
Igor Campos
RightsCon Design and Multimedia Lead, Access Now
Isabel Ebert
Isabel Ebert
Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Business Ethics, Adviser, University St Gallen (HSG), UN Human
Alina Radu
Alina Radu
CEO, Ziarul de Garda
Marine Uldry
Marine Uldry
Human Rights Policy Coordinator, European Disability Forum
Estelle Massé
Estelle Massé
Europe Legislative Manager and Global Data Protection Lead, Access Now
Sage Cheng
Sage Cheng
Head of Design and Creative Production, Access Now
Keren Weitzberg
Keren Weitzberg
Senior Lecturer and Fellow, Queen Mary University of London
Michael Caster
Michael Caster
Asia Digital Programme Manager, ARTICLE 19
Patricia Cruz Marín
Patricia Cruz Marín
Lawyer and Advocacy Officer, Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
Fanny Hidvégi
Fanny Hidvégi
European Policy Manager, Access Now
Anastasiya Zhyrmont
Anastasiya Zhyrmont
Campaigner, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Access Now
Caterina Rodelli
Caterina Rodelli
EU Policy Analyst, Access Now
Willmary Escoto
Willmary Escoto
U.S. Policy Analyst, Access Now
Wojtek Bogusz
Wojtek Bogusz
Head of Digital Protection, Front Line Defenders
Luis Márquez Garrido
Luis Márquez Garrido
RightsCon Program Coordinator, Access Now
Laura Okkonen
Laura Okkonen
Investor Advocate, Access Now
Felicia Anthonio
Felicia Anthonio
#KeepItOn Campaign Manager, Access Now
Riana Pfefferkorn
Riana Pfefferkorn
Research Scholar, Stanford Internet Observatory
Amanda Meng
Amanda Meng
Research Scientist, Internet Intelligence Lab, Georgia Tech
Isedua Oribhabor
Isedua Oribhabor
Business and Human Rights Lead, Access Now
Zach Rosson
Zach Rosson
#KeepItOn Data Analyst, Access Now
Nancy Reyes
Nancy Reyes
Accessibility Lab Founder, Web Accessibility Consultant
Katitza Rodriguez
Katitza Rodriguez
Policy Director for Global Privacy, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Marwa Fatafta
Marwa Fatafta
Middle East and North Africa Policy Manager, Access Now
Izak C. Rosenfeld
Izak C. Rosenfeld
Associate General Counsel, Access Now
Alex Argüelles
Alex Argüelles
Holistic Security Lead, Access Now
Tiernan Morgan
Tiernan Morgan
Development Manager, Institutional Knowledge, Access Now
Dhevy Sivaprakasam
Dhevy Sivaprakasam
Asia Pacific Policy Counsel, Access Now
Mag Mach
Mag Mach
Security Incident Handler, Access Now
Gayatri Khandhadai
Gayatri Khandhadai
Head of Technology and Human Rights, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
Reine Zahreddine
Reine Zahreddine
Grants Program Officer, Access Now
Agneris Sampieri
Agneris Sampieri
Policy Analyst, Access Now
Jaimee Kokonya
Jaimee Kokonya
Africa Campaigner, Access Now
Alan Clark
Alan Clark
Ontological Mechanic, Futurist, Graphic Novelist, Super Villain
Chérif El Kadhi
Chérif El Kadhi
MENA Policy Analyst, Access Now
Marianne Díaz Hernández
Marianne Díaz Hernández
#WhyID Campaigner, Access Now
Victor Kapiyo
Victor Kapiyo
Trustee, KICTANet
Vrinda Bhandari
Vrinda Bhandari
Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Of Counsel, Internet Freedom Foundation
Daniel Leufer
Daniel Leufer
Europe Policy Analyst, Access Now
Rand Hammoud
Rand Hammoud
Surveillance Campaigner, Access Now
Mohamed Kimbugwe
Mohamed Kimbugwe
Digitalisation and Human Rights Technical Advisor, GIZ Uganda
Nikki Gladstone
Nikki Gladstone
RightsCon Program and Community Manager
Enrique Julian Gasteazoro Elizondo
Enrique Julian Gasteazoro Elizondo
Communications and Engagement Director, Access Now
Kassem Mnejja
Kassem Mnejja
Middle East and North Africa Campaigner, Access Now
Thobekile Matimbe
Thobekile Matimbe
Partnerships and Engagements Manager, Paradigm Initiative
Sarah Harper
Sarah Harper
RightsCon Program Manager, Access Now
Lina Alhathloul
Lina Alhathloul
Head of Monitoring and Communication, ALQST For Human Rights
Luis Fernando García
Luis Fernando García
Executive Director, Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales (R3D)
Bishakha Datta
Bishakha Datta
Executive Director, Point of View
Raman Jit Singh Chima
Raman Jit Singh Chima
Asia Policy Director, Senior International Counsel, Access Now
Luca Belli
Luca Belli
Professor and Director of the Center for Technology and Society, Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)Keep up to date with the RightsCon Rundown
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