Cecília Olliveira is a journalist, Atlético Minheiro fan, co-founder of Intercept Brasil and director of Instituto Fogo Cruzado. Investigative journalism is her obsession and over the last two decades she has sought to articulate this craft with the production of data on urban violence.

She is the founder and executive director of Instituto Fogo Cruzado, an innovative data journalism initiative that tracks armed violence in 34 Brazilian cities in order to keep users safe and provide journalists and researchers with the information they need. 

Cecília has led award-winning investigations into the dynamics of organized crime, state violence, and arms trafficking; written columns on a broad range of issues; hosted live video programs; and provided consulting for nonprofits. She is a director of the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism, a member of investigative news outlet Agência Pública’s Consultative Council, and an advisor to the United Nations on Security Sector Reform. 

Cecília is also a highly sought-after public speaker in English and Portuguese. She has given talks at the Creative Commons Global Summit, Harvard’s Brazil Conference, Brazil’s Supreme Court, TEDx, Reporters Without Borders, the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism’s conference, the Brazilian Forum of Public Security, and the Bienal do Livro Rio, among others. Her work has been profiled by international media outlets such as The Guardian, Bloomberg, DW, Marie Claire, and Wired UK.

Additionally, she has taught university courses in journalism and communications at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV) and the Brazilian Institute of Education, Development and Research (IDP).

Since 2020, Cecília is a fellow of the Shuttleworth Foundation. That same year, she was a finalist for Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Award for Impact. Cecília’s work has also been recognized by the Online Journalism Awards, Sigma Data Journalism Awards, One World Media Awards, Vladimir Herzog Prize for Amnesty and Human Rights, Gabo Award for Journalism, Claúdio Weber Abramo Prize for Data Journalism, Innovare Prize from the Federal Supreme Court, Republic Prize from the National Association of Federal Prosecutors, and Patrícia Accioli Prize for Human Rights from the Rio de Janeiro Association of Magistrates.

Cecília hails from the state of Minas Gerais, roots for the Atlético Mineiro soccer team, lives in Rio de Janeiro, and has more cats than you.