Sonja Ruetzel
About Sonja Ruetzel
Sonja Ruetzel serves as the ICT4D Partnerships & Conference Manager at Catholic Relief Services, where she leads the ICT4D Conference and specializes in data privacy, user-centered design, and digital capacity building. With over 15 years of experience in managing international events, she also facilitates a podcast series on digital development trends.
Work at Catholic Relief Services
Sonja Ruetzel serves as the ICT4D Partnerships & Conference Manager within the Global Knowledge and Information Management team at Catholic Relief Services. She has held this position since 2016, contributing to the organization's mission by leading the ICT4D Conference. This conference is a collaborative effort involving a consortium of partner organizations and attracts between 700 to 1000 senior executives and technical advisors. Her role focuses on enhancing partnerships and facilitating knowledge exchange in the field of digital development.
Education and Expertise
Sonja Ruetzel earned a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Management from the University of Konstanz, where she studied from 1999 to 2004. Her academic background supports her specialization in key themes such as data privacy, user-centered design, and digital capacity building. With over 15 years of experience, she has developed expertise in managing international event teams and platforms that focus on digital technology and data for development and humanitarian programs.
Background in Event Management
Sonja Ruetzel has a strong background in researching, developing, and executing mid to large scale conferences, exhibitions, workshops, and webinars across various industries. Her career includes significant roles in event management, such as serving as Senior Conference Producer at C5 Communications and Event & Programme Director at Aid & International Development Forum (AIDF). She has also worked as a Conference Producer at several organizations, including Marcus Evans and Infoline Conferences.
Podcast Series on Digital Development
In addition to her conference management responsibilities, Sonja Ruetzel facilitates a podcast series that focuses on digital development trends. This series provides insights and interviews with experts in the field, contributing to the broader conversation about digital technology's role in development and humanitarian efforts. The podcast serves as a platform for knowledge sharing and highlights emerging themes in the ICT4D sector.