Nicolas Pinault is a senior program officer for Civil Society and Media - Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND). In this role, he provides strategic and managerial leadership for all CSM-STAND programs. 

Prior to joining IREX, Nicolas worked for Equal Access International and managed a U.S. Government funded project on countering violent extremism in the Sahel with journalists from Sub-Saharan Africa and MENA regions. Before that, Nicolas was a journalist, trainer, and digital expert for more than 15 years in the United States, Europe, and Africa. He managed staff, provided operational and editorial guidance, and trained local counterparts in media creation and misinformation awareness in multiple francophone African countries. 

Nicolas holds a master's in Political Sciences from Sciences Po Aix and a master's in journalism from the French Press Institute in Paris. He speaks English, French and Spanish.