[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Florence Devouard]

Welcome Maryana

I am pleased to hear about your joining us and I would like to send my 
thanks to the board and the transition committee.
We have indeed a lot of expectations and hope. I look forward to have 
the opportunity to discuss with you during the Listening Tour ;)



Florence / Anthere


Le 14/09/2021 à 17:35, Maryana Iskander a écrit :


Dear All,

Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.

When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia 
Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple 
statement: “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a 
striking statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, 
one in which almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that 
knowledge /must /belong to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention 
and imagination – certainly mine.


My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us 
free. Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for 
the United States. During my time at university, graduate school, and 
law school, I was consistently pulled towards some of society’s 
toughest issues – women’s rights, civil rights, and the rights of 
prisoners. I was equally pulled by the need to be effective in making 
change – seeking out leadership positions and raising my hand and 
voice to change the institutions of power, not just protest against 
them. I learned that the opportunity to make meaningful impact often 
sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres: in-between research and 
teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare delivery and 
advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and the 
private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at 
all of these organisations required listening to and learning from 
many diverse stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my 
position of leadership to champion often unheard voices.


In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated 
society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite 
the resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a 
country with one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. 
A new organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close 
this opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and 
then for many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common 
space of trust for the collective assets of the society – from 
government, the private sector, civil society, and millions of young 
people – to work in a coalition to tackle one of the most daunting 
challenges of our time. To do this, we relied on an inclusive, 
multi-channel platform that leverages all forms of technology as a way 
to serve communities still riddled by a basic lack of access. Our 
successes came from the power of connection, partnership, and a 
collective belief that young people are the solution, not the problem. 
As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space for new 
leaders.


Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are 
many reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is 
perhaps the most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. 
I am excited to add my time and talents to this vision. What will it 
take to create – not just imagine – a world in which every single 
human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have 
experienced first-hand that distributed leadership models can usually 
achieve more than any group of people can do on their own. I am eager 
to support processes that will make this even more true for our 
movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with people of integrity and 
commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I can already see that 
I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the world.


My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by 
culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and 
inclusion in all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has 
informed an organisational humility in working with others and a 
relentless focus on getting things done the right way – while doing 
the right thing.


During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the 
United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school 
teacher asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have 
an encyclopedia at home. She was one of those students, and it made 
her feel, for the first time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access 
to the resources needed for her education.  The work of this 
collective community, should we achieve our vision, will make it 
unnecessary for a teacher to ever ask that question again. I then 
returned to South Africa and spoke to another Rebecca. This young 
woman grew up in a rural area where it was a struggle to afford text 
messaging, never mind any meaningful access to the digital world. She, 
too, did no

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Natacha Rault via Wikimedia-l]

Welcome to the wikimedia movement Maryana ! 

Thank you for your statement making the issues of diversity a strong and 
central point of your endeavour. 

You wrote « I will of course first ask you what you think: about our vision, 
mission, impact, strategy, how we relate to the rest of the world, as well as 
our current and future ways of working and achieving our aspirations. « 

These questions are interesting, as a wikipedian  what matters to me most is to 
ensure that any person can contribute safely to our projects, whatever their 
age, origin, gender identity, religion and language, and that people in the 
movement make a significant effort recognizing and stopping harassement and 
microaggressions affecting minorities (which includes women in our movement 
because there are so few).

There can be no « knowledge belongs to all » without « knowledge can be built 
by all in our movement », and so we need a strict enforcement of the UCOC. As 
has been shown in the open source and free software community there is nothing 
worse than a code of conduct which is not applied because it sends a wrong and 
ambiguous message. If people belonging to minorities face micro aggressions, « 
capture » , osctracisation and rejection by prominent and influent members of 
the OSS community, there can be no free knowledge for all. 

These are my two cents, welcome to our wikimedian communities which are so rich 
and diverse !

Warm regards, 

Nattes à chat, les sans pagEs (francophone Wikipedia)








> Le 15 sept. 2021 à 07:16, Ivan Martínez  a écrit :
> 
> Welcome on board Maryana!
> All the best,
> 
> El mar, 14 sept 2021 a las 17:43, Camelia Boban ( >) escribió:
> Welcome to our movement Maryana.
> 
> Il giorno mar 14 set 2021 alle ore 17:42 Galder Gonzalez Larrañaga 
> mailto:galder...@hotmail.com>> ha scritto:
> Welcome: https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryana_Iskander 
> 
>  
> You will have time to get to know the wikimedians, but writing or improving 
> someone's biography in Wikipedia
> is perhaps one of the most heartfelt and sincere welcome that a Wikipedian 
> can give.
> 
> 
> Camelia & WikiDonne UG
> 
> 
> --
> Camelia Boban (she/her)
> | Java EE Developer |
> 
> WikiDonne | Wikimedia Diversity Ambassador | AffCom
> 
> M. +39 3383385545
> camelia.bo...@gmail.com 
> Wikipedia  | WikiDonne UG 
>  | WikiDonne Project 
>  | WikiDonne APS 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Il giorno mar 14 set 2021 alle ore 23:17 Risker  > ha scritto:
> Welcome, Maryana.  We can all look forward to getting to know you better, and 
> for you to get to know us, too.
> 
> Feel free to reach out to people with your questions, your ideas, and your 
> concerns. 
> 
> Risker/Anne
> 
> On Tue, 14 Sept 2021 at 11:36, Maryana Iskander  > wrote:
> Dear All, 
> 
> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.  
> 
> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia Foundation, 
> I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement: “Knowledge 
> belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking statement. In an 
> increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which almost nothing 
> belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge must belong to all is enough to 
> capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly mine. 
> 
> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free. 
> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United 
> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I was 
> consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s 
> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by 
> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership positions 
> and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of power, not just 
> protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to make meaningful 
> impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres: in-between research and 
> teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare delivery and advocacy at 
> Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and the private sector at 
> Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all of these organisations 
> required listening to and learning from many diverse stakeholders – including 
> volunteers – and using my position of leadership to champion often unheard 
> voices.
>  
> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated society 
> – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the resilience 
> of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with one of the 
> highest you

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Ivan Martínez]

Welcome on board Maryana!
All the best,

El mar, 14 sept 2021 a las 17:43, Camelia Boban ()
escribió:

> Welcome to our movement Maryana.
>
> Il giorno mar 14 set 2021 alle ore 17:42 Galder Gonzalez Larrañaga <
> galder...@hotmail.com> ha scritto:
>
>> Welcome: https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryana_Iskander
>>
>
> You will have time to get to know the wikimedians, but writing or
> improving someone's biography in Wikipedia
> is perhaps one of the most heartfelt and sincere welcome that a Wikipedian
> can give.
>
>
> Camelia & WikiDonne UG
>
>
> --
> *Camelia Boban (she/her)*
>
> *| Java EE Developer |*
>
> WikiDonne | Wikimedia Diversity Ambassador | *AffCom*
>
> M. +39 3383385545
> camelia.bo...@gmail.com
> *Wikipedia  **| 
> **WikiDonne
> UG * | *WikiDonne Project
>  *| *WikiDonne APS
> *
>
> [image: File:WDG - Wikipedia20 background Cake slim.jpg]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Il giorno mar 14 set 2021 alle ore 23:17 Risker  ha
> scritto:
>
>> Welcome, Maryana.  We can all look forward to getting to know you better,
>> and for you to get to know us, too.
>>
>> Feel free to reach out to people with your questions, your ideas, and
>> your concerns.
>>
>> Risker/Anne
>>
>> On Tue, 14 Sept 2021 at 11:36, Maryana Iskander 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Dear All,
>>>
>>> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>>>
>>> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
>>> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
>>> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
>>> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
>>> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
>>> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
>>> mine.
>>>
>>> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
>>> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
>>> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
>>> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
>>> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
>>> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
>>> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
>>> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
>>> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
>>> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
>>> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
>>> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
>>> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
>>> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
>>> to champion often unheard voices.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
>>> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
>>> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
>>> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
>>> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
>>> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
>>> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
>>> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
>>> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
>>> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
>>> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
>>> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
>>> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
>>> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
>>> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
>>> for new leaders.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
>>> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
>>> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
>>> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
>>> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
>>> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
>>> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
>>> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
>>> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
>>> people of integrity and commitment, who also

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Camelia Boban]

Welcome to our movement Maryana.

Il giorno mar 14 set 2021 alle ore 17:42 Galder Gonzalez Larrañaga <
galder...@hotmail.com> ha scritto:

> Welcome: https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryana_Iskander
>

You will have time to get to know the wikimedians, but writing or improving
someone's biography in Wikipedia
is perhaps one of the most heartfelt and sincere welcome that a Wikipedian
can give.


Camelia & WikiDonne UG


--
*Camelia Boban (she/her)*

*| Java EE Developer |*

WikiDonne | Wikimedia Diversity Ambassador | *AffCom*

M. +39 3383385545
camelia.bo...@gmail.com
*Wikipedia  **| **WikiDonne
UG * | *WikiDonne Project
 *| *WikiDonne APS
*

[image: File:WDG - Wikipedia20 background Cake slim.jpg]









Il giorno mar 14 set 2021 alle ore 23:17 Risker  ha
scritto:

> Welcome, Maryana.  We can all look forward to getting to know you better,
> and for you to get to know us, too.
>
> Feel free to reach out to people with your questions, your ideas, and your
> concerns.
>
> Risker/Anne
>
> On Tue, 14 Sept 2021 at 11:36, Maryana Iskander 
> wrote:
>
>> Dear All,
>>
>> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>>
>> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
>> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
>> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
>> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
>> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
>> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
>> mine.
>>
>> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
>> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
>> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
>> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
>> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
>> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
>> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
>> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
>> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
>> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
>> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
>> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
>> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
>> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
>> to champion often unheard voices.
>>
>>
>>
>> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
>> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
>> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
>> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
>> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
>> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
>> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
>> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
>> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
>> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
>> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
>> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
>> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
>> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
>> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
>> for new leaders.
>>
>>
>>
>> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
>> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
>> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
>> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
>> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
>> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
>> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
>> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
>> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
>> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
>> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
>> world.
>>
>>
>>
>> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
>> culture: one that is founded on accounta

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Risker]

Welcome, Maryana.  We can all look forward to getting to know you better,
and for you to get to know us, too.

Feel free to reach out to people with your questions, your ideas, and your
concerns.

Risker/Anne

On Tue, 14 Sept 2021 at 11:36, Maryana Iskander 
wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>
> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
> mine.
>
> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
> to champion often unheard voices.
>
>
>
> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
> for new leaders.
>
>
>
> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
> world.
>
>
>
> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>
>
>
> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
> teacher asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an
> encyclopedia at home. She was one of those students, and it made her feel,
> for the first time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access to the
> resources needed for her education.  The work of this collective community,
> should we achieve our vision, will make it unnecessary for a teacher to
> ever ask that question again. I then returned to South Africa and spoke to
> another Rebecca. This young woman grew up in a rural area where it was a
> struggle to afford text messaging, never mind any meaningful access to the
> digital world. She, too, d

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Paulo Santos Perneta]

Welcome Maryana!

The first thing I've done after knowing the name of the new CEO was
stalking the history of your Wikipedia entry, to see when it was created.
And now I've red how it happened first hand 😂 About your other Wiki
experience - I also had the privilege of participating in an AfroCuration
event in Mozambique the weekend before the last with the Macua students and
teachers of Rovuma University, promoted by the Moleskine Foundation, and it
was beyond fantastic.

I strongly concur that if you are about to begin your own editing and
volunteer journey, do it under a non identifiable name, and see for
yourself what newbies have to endure to be part of our movement. It will
certainly be a very valuable experience.

Wishing all the best in this new journey of your professional life,
Paulo

Maryana Iskander  escreveu no dia terça,
14/09/2021 à(s) 16:37:

> Dear All,
>
> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>
> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
> mine.
>
> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
> to champion often unheard voices.
>
>
>
> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
> for new leaders.
>
>
>
> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
> world.
>
>
>
> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>
>
>
> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
> teacher asking the studen

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[George Herbert]

Welcome Maryana!  This is a challenging organization but an important one.
It sounds like you're leading with an understanding of the importance and
context.  Good luck.

On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 8:36 AM Maryana Iskander 
wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>
> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
> mine.
>
> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
> to champion often unheard voices.
>
>
>
> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
> for new leaders.
>
>
>
> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
> world.
>
>
>
> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>
>
>
> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
> teacher asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an
> encyclopedia at home. She was one of those students, and it made her feel,
> for the first time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access to the
> resources needed for her education.  The work of this collective community,
> should we achieve our vision, will make it unnecessary for a teacher to
> ever ask that question again. I then returned to South Africa and spoke to
> another Rebecca. This young woman grew up in a rural area where it was a
> struggle to afford text messaging, never mind any meaningful access to the
> digital world. She, too, did not have equal access to the resour

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Jan-Bart de Vreede]

HI Maryana,

Welcome to the movement in your new role!  While we have to be patient a bit 
longer I look forward to seeing you learn about and improve upon the role of 
the Foundation within movement so that together we can tackle the complex 
challenges ahead of us.

Thank you to all the board members and staff members involved in completing 
what is the  incredibly challenging proces of finding us a  new CEO!

Warm greetings

Jan-Bart de Vreede
Wikimedia Nederland


> On 14 Sep 2021, at 17:35, Maryana Iskander  wrote:
> 
> Dear All, 
> 
> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.  
> 
> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia Foundation, 
> I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement: “Knowledge 
> belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking statement. In an 
> increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which almost nothing 
> belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge must belong to all is enough to 
> capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly mine. 
> 
> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free. 
> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United 
> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I was 
> consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s 
> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by 
> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership positions 
> and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of power, not just 
> protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to make meaningful 
> impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres: in-between research and 
> teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare delivery and advocacy at 
> Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and the private sector at 
> Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all of these organisations 
> required listening to and learning from many diverse stakeholders – including 
> volunteers – and using my position of leadership to champion often unheard 
> voices.
>  
> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated society 
> – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the resilience 
> of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with one of the 
> highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new organisation had just 
> been formed with a big vision to close this opportunity gap. I signed up, 
> first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for many years as the CEO. My job has 
> been to cultivate a common space of trust for the collective assets of the 
> society – from government, the private sector, civil society, and millions of 
> young people – to work in a coalition to tackle one of the most daunting 
> challenges of our time. To do this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel 
> platform that leverages all forms of technology as a way to serve communities 
> still riddled by a basic lack of access. Our successes came from the power of 
> connection, partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the 
> solution, not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to 
> make space for new leaders.
>  
> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many 
> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the most 
> important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to add my 
> time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not just 
> imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share in the 
> sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that distributed 
> leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of people can do on 
> their own. I am eager to support processes that will make this even more true 
> for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with people of integrity and 
> commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I can already see that I will 
> meet new colleagues like this from all over the world.
>  
> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by culture: 
> one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in all its 
> forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an organisational 
> humility in working with others and a relentless focus on getting things done 
> the right way – while doing the right thing.
>  
> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the United 
> States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school teacher 
> asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an encyclopedia 
> at home. She was one of those students, and it made her feel, for the first 
> time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access to the resources needed for her 
> education.  The work of this collective community, should we achieve our 
> v

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Erik Moeller]

Dear Maryana,

Welcome! What a wonderful, varied background in mission-driven work. I
can't wait to read more of your perspective on this list and on the
wikis. Wishing you all success in the role!

Warmly,

Erik
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Steven Walling]

On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 11:30 AM Andreas Kolbe  wrote:

> Hi Maryana,
>
> Welcome, great opening letter.
>
> You mention that you want to do some of your own volunteer editing in the
> months before you officially start, which is great.
>
> Here is an idea: between now and then, tell absolutely no one what your
> user account is called, and what articles, projects or language versions
> you are working on. I think you might find the experience invaluable.
>

This is a great suggestion. The average Wikipedia editor starts their
editing anonymously or pseudonymously with no reputation attached to their
contributions. Doing the same would give you an honest perspective on the
new contributor experience.

Good luck,
>
> Andreas
>
> On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 4:36 PM Maryana Iskander 
> wrote:
>
>> Dear All,
>>
>> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>>
>> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
>> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
>> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
>> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
>> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
>> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
>> mine.
>>
>> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
>> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
>> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
>> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
>> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
>> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
>> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
>> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
>> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
>> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
>> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
>> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
>> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
>> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
>> to champion often unheard voices.
>>
>>
>>
>> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
>> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
>> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
>> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
>> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
>> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
>> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
>> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
>> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
>> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
>> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
>> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
>> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
>> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
>> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
>> for new leaders.
>>
>>
>>
>> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
>> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
>> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
>> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
>> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
>> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
>> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
>> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
>> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
>> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
>> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
>> world.
>>
>>
>>
>> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
>> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
>> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
>> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
>> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>>
>>
>>
>> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
>> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
>> teacher asking the st

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Andreas Kolbe]

Hi Maryana,

Welcome, great opening letter.

You mention that you want to do some of your own volunteer editing in the
months before you officially start, which is great.

Here is an idea: between now and then, tell absolutely no one what your
user account is called, and what articles, projects or language versions
you are working on. I think you might find the experience invaluable.

Good luck,

Andreas

On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 4:36 PM Maryana Iskander 
wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>
> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
> mine.
>
> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
> to champion often unheard voices.
>
>
>
> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
> for new leaders.
>
>
>
> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
> world.
>
>
>
> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>
>
>
> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
> teacher asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an
> encyclopedia at home. She was one of those students, and it made her feel,
> for the first time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access to the
> resources needed for her education.  The work of this collective community,
> should we achieve our vision, will make it unnecessary for a teacher to
> ever ask that question again. I then returned to South 

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Butch Bustria]

Hi Maryana,

Welcome. We hope for the best and we love to reach out to you in one of our
East, Southeast Asia & the Pacific (ESEAP) virtual meetings.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Butch Bustria




On Tue, 14 Sep 2021, 11:36 pm Maryana Iskander, 
wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>
> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
> mine.
>
> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
> to champion often unheard voices.
>
>
>
> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
> for new leaders.
>
>
>
> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
> world.
>
>
>
> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>
>
>
> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
> teacher asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an
> encyclopedia at home. She was one of those students, and it made her feel,
> for the first time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access to the
> resources needed for her education.  The work of this collective community,
> should we achieve our vision, will make it unnecessary for a teacher to
> ever ask that question again. I then returned to South Africa and spoke to
> another Rebecca. This young woman grew up in a rural area where it was a
> struggle to afford text messaging, never mind any meaningful access to the
> digital world. She, too, did not have eq

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Mohammed Bachounda]

مرحبا Welcome!
Happy to see you with our great community, to walk with us to build the
best future of knowledge, looking for better for 2030

Welcome again :)

Mohammed BACHOUNDA
leader WIKIDZ Algeria

Le mar. 14 sept. 2021 à 16:52, Shani Evenstein  a
écrit :

> Welcome, Maryana!
> So happy to have you join the Wikimedia family.
> Exciting times!
> Shani.
>
> On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 6:43 PM Dariusz Jemielniak <
> dar...@kozminski.edu.pl> wrote:
>
>> Let me be one of the first ones to say "welcome"! I'm so delighted to see
>> you take the helm!
>>
>> best,
>>
>> dj
>>
>> On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 5:37 PM Maryana Iskander 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Dear All,
>>>
>>> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>>>
>>> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
>>> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
>>> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
>>> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
>>> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
>>> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
>>> mine.
>>>
>>> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
>>> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
>>> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
>>> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
>>> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
>>> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
>>> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
>>> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
>>> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
>>> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
>>> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
>>> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
>>> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
>>> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
>>> to champion often unheard voices.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
>>> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
>>> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
>>> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
>>> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
>>> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
>>> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
>>> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
>>> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
>>> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
>>> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
>>> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
>>> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
>>> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
>>> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
>>> for new leaders.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
>>> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
>>> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
>>> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
>>> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
>>> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
>>> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
>>> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
>>> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
>>> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
>>> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
>>> world.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
>>> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
>>> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
>>> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
>>> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
>>> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
>>> teacher asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an
>>> encyclopedia at home. She wa

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Shani Evenstein]

Welcome, Maryana!
So happy to have you join the Wikimedia family.
Exciting times!
Shani.

On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 6:43 PM Dariusz Jemielniak 
wrote:

> Let me be one of the first ones to say "welcome"! I'm so delighted to see
> you take the helm!
>
> best,
>
> dj
>
> On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 5:37 PM Maryana Iskander 
> wrote:
>
>> Dear All,
>>
>> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>>
>> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
>> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
>> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
>> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
>> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
>> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
>> mine.
>>
>> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
>> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
>> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
>> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
>> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
>> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
>> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
>> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
>> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
>> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
>> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
>> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
>> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
>> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
>> to champion often unheard voices.
>>
>>
>>
>> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
>> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
>> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
>> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
>> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
>> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
>> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
>> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
>> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
>> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
>> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
>> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
>> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
>> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
>> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
>> for new leaders.
>>
>>
>>
>> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
>> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
>> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
>> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
>> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
>> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
>> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
>> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
>> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
>> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
>> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
>> world.
>>
>>
>>
>> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
>> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
>> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
>> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
>> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>>
>>
>>
>> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
>> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
>> teacher asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an
>> encyclopedia at home. She was one of those students, and it made her feel,
>> for the first time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access to the
>> resources needed for her education.  The work of this collective community,
>> should we achieve our vision, will make it unnecessary for a teacher to
>> ever ask that question again. I then returned to South Africa and spoke to
>> another Rebecca. This young woman g

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Dariusz Jemielniak]

Let me be one of the first ones to say "welcome"! I'm so delighted to see
you take the helm!

best,

dj

On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 5:37 PM Maryana Iskander 
wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.
>
> When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
> Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
> “Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
> statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
> almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
> to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
> mine.
>
> My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
> Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
> States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
> was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
> rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
> the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
> positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
> power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
> make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
> in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
> delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
> the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
> of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
> stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
> to champion often unheard voices.
>
>
>
> In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
> society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
> resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
> one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
> organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
> opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
> many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
> for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
> sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
> coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
> this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
> forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
> lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
> partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
> not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
> for new leaders.
>
>
>
> Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
> reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
> most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
> add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
> just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
> in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
> distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
> people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
> this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
> people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
> can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
> world.
>
>
>
> My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
> culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
> all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
> organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
> getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.
>
>
>
> During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the
> United States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school
> teacher asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an
> encyclopedia at home. She was one of those students, and it made her feel,
> for the first time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access to the
> resources needed for her education.  The work of this collective community,
> should we achieve our vision, will make it unnecessary for a teacher to
> ever ask that question again. I then returned to South Africa and spoke to
> another Rebecca. This young woman grew up in a rural area where it was a
> struggle to afford text messaging, never mind any meaningful access to the
> digital world. She, too, did not have equal access to the resources she
> needed. Despite their starkly different circumstances, I

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Galder Gonzalez Larrañaga]

Welcome: https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryana_Iskander
[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Maryana_Iskander.jpg/1200px-Maryana_Iskander.jpg]<https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryana_Iskander>
Maryana Iskander - Wikipedia, entziklopedia 
askea.<https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryana_Iskander>
eu.wikipedia.org


From: Tito Dutta 
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2021 5:40 PM
To: Wikimedia Mailing List 
Cc: Maryana Iskander 
Subject: [Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

Hello,
Good to know about the update Nataliia. Thanks to the Transition team for 
working on this. Good wishes (and welcome) to Maryana Iskander in the new role. 
Hope to work with you on Movement Strategy and other Wikimedia projects/areas 
from January onwards.

ইতি,/Thanks(a
টিটো দত্ত/User:Titodutta
(মাতৃভাষা থাক জীবন জুড়ে)


মঙ্গল, ১৪ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০২১ তারিখে ৯:০২ PM টায় এ Nataliia Tymkiv 
mailto:ntym...@wikimedia.org>> লিখেছেন:
Dear all,

I am pleased to announce that the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees has 
appointed Maryana Iskander as the new CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation [1] [2].

Since 2013, Maryana has served as the CEO of Harambee Youth Employment 
Accelerator [3], a South African non-profit social enterprise focused on 
building African solutions for the global challenge of youth unemployment. 
Prior to this, she spent six years as Chief Operating Officer of Planned 
Parenthood Federation of America [4], a volunteer-led social movement focused 
on access to women’s healthcare. Maryana has also worked in academia as the 
Advisor to the President of Rice University [5], an international research 
university based in the United States.

Her professional career has been motivated by breaking down systemic barriers, 
creating opportunities for collaborative solution-building, and community 
empowerment. She has a proven track record for leading complex organisations 
shaped by shared decision-making.

In looking for the next CEO, we on the Board convened a Transition Committee 
[6], primarily to guide us in finding the right person for this critical role 
and secondly to oversee the executive Transition Team. The Transition Committee 
conducted a far-reaching and competitive global search, receiving around 400 
recommendations and speaking to about 50 potential candidates. Throughout this 
selection process, Maryana impressed us as someone who is deeply inspired by 
the Wikimedia vision and who embodies the values of equity and community that 
inform all Wikimedia work. She has extensive leadership experience working with 
volunteer-led initiatives and building partnerships across public, private and 
social sectors. Maryana also brings expertise in technology-led innovation to 
accelerate meaningful social change. She does this with a global perspective: 
Maryana was born in the Middle East, educated in the United States and the 
United Kingdom, and has spent the last decade living and working on the African 
continent.

Maryana joins the Wikimedia Foundation at a crucial time. The movement is 
larger than ever, and it has never been more relevant or more trusted. This is 
an inflection point, as decisions need to be made to execute a shared vision 
for where the Movement wants to be in 2030. We believe that Maryana is the 
right person to help lead the Foundation at this moment.

As Maryana begins, her priorities will include supporting movement efforts to 
implement the Wikimedia 2030 recommendations, such as the development of a 
Movement Charter and the finalization of a Universal Code of Conduct. She will 
continue the Foundation’s focus on knowledge equity and exploring ways to 
address the gaps in content and the diversity of contributors to Wikimedia 
projects. She will be supported by the Board in this journey.

Maryana will officially start at the Wikimedia Foundation on January 5, 2022, 
as she transitions from her current job. Until then, the Foundation will 
continue to be led by the Transition Team, with guidance from the Board. In my 
conversations with her, I have seen that Maryana is a fan of direct 
communication and excited to learn from the movement. In the coming weeks, she 
will share ways to connect. Please join me in welcoming Maryana (CCed) to the 
Foundation!

PS. For translations of this message, or to help translate it into more 
languages, please visit Meta-Wiki [7]

[1] 
https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2021/09/14/wikimedia-foundation-appoints-maryana-iskander-as-chief-executive-officer/

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryana_Iskander

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harambee_Youth_Employment_Accelerator

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_Parenthood

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_University

[6] 
https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Creating_a_CEO_Transition_Committee_and_Transition_Team,_2021

[7] 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Tito Dutta]

Hello,
Good to know about the update Nataliia. Thanks to the Transition team for
working on this. Good wishes (and welcome) to Maryana Iskander in the new
role. Hope to work with you on Movement Strategy and other Wikimedia
projects/areas from January onwards.

ইতি,/Thanks(a
টিটো দত্ত/User:Titodutta
(মাতৃভাষা থাক জীবন জুড়ে)


মঙ্গল, ১৪ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০২১ তারিখে ৯:০২ PM টায় এ Nataliia Tymkiv <
ntym...@wikimedia.org> লিখেছেন:

> Dear all,
>
> I am pleased to announce that the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees
> has appointed Maryana Iskander as the new CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation
> [1] [2].
>
> Since 2013, Maryana has served as the CEO of Harambee Youth Employment
> Accelerator [3], a South African non-profit social enterprise focused on
> building African solutions for the global challenge of youth unemployment.
> Prior to this, she spent six years as Chief Operating Officer of Planned
> Parenthood Federation of America [4], a volunteer-led social movement
> focused on access to women’s healthcare. Maryana has also worked in
> academia as the Advisor to the President of Rice University [5], an
> international research university based in the United States.
>
> Her professional career has been motivated by breaking down systemic
> barriers, creating opportunities for collaborative solution-building, and
> community empowerment. She has a proven track record for leading complex
> organisations shaped by shared decision-making.
>
> In looking for the next CEO, we on the Board convened a Transition
> Committee [6], primarily to guide us in finding the right person for this
> critical role and secondly to oversee the executive Transition Team. The
> Transition Committee conducted a far-reaching and competitive global
> search, receiving around 400 recommendations and speaking to about 50
> potential candidates. Throughout this selection process, Maryana impressed
> us as someone who is deeply inspired by the Wikimedia vision and who
> embodies the values of equity and community that inform all Wikimedia work.
> She has extensive leadership experience working with volunteer-led
> initiatives and building partnerships across public, private and social
> sectors. Maryana also brings expertise in technology-led innovation to
> accelerate meaningful social change. She does this with a global
> perspective: Maryana was born in the Middle East, educated in the United
> States and the United Kingdom, and has spent the last decade living and
> working on the African continent.
>
> Maryana joins the Wikimedia Foundation at a crucial time. The movement is
> larger than ever, and it has never been more relevant or more trusted. This
> is an inflection point, as decisions need to be made to execute a shared
> vision for where the Movement wants to be in 2030. We believe that Maryana
> is the right person to help lead the Foundation at this moment.
>
> As Maryana begins, her priorities will include supporting movement efforts
> to implement the Wikimedia 2030 recommendations, such as the development of
> a Movement Charter and the finalization of a Universal Code of Conduct. She
> will continue the Foundation’s focus on knowledge equity and exploring ways
> to address the gaps in content and the diversity of contributors to
> Wikimedia projects. She will be supported by the Board in this journey.
>
> Maryana will officially start at the Wikimedia Foundation on January 5,
> 2022, as she transitions from her current job. Until then, the Foundation
> will continue to be led by the Transition Team, with guidance from the
> Board. In my conversations with her, I have seen that Maryana is a fan of
> direct communication and excited to learn from the movement. In the coming
> weeks, she will share ways to connect. Please join me in welcoming Maryana
> (CCed) to the Foundation!
>
> PS. For translations of this message, or to help translate it into more
> languages, please visit Meta-Wiki [7]
>
> *[1]
> https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2021/09/14/wikimedia-foundation-appoints-maryana-iskander-as-chief-executive-officer/
> *
>
> *[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryana_Iskander
>  *
>
> *[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harambee_Youth_Employment_Accelerator
> *
>
> *[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_Parenthood
> *
>
> *[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_University
>  *
>
> *[6]
> https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Creating_a_CEO_Transition_Committee_and_Transition_Team,_2021
> 
>  *
> *[7]
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_notic

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Welcoming the new Wikimedia Foundation CEO

[Maryana Iskander]

Dear All,

Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to you.

When I read the job position [1] for the next leader of Wikimedia
Foundation, I noticed that it opened with a seemingly simple statement:
“Knowledge belongs to all of us.” Does it, really? It’s a striking
statement. In an increasingly unequal and polarizing world, one in which
almost nothing belongs to all of us, the idea that knowledge *must *belong
to all is enough to capture anyone’s attention and imagination – certainly
mine.

My story is shaped by a twin belief that knowledge can also set us free.
Shortly after I was born in Cairo, Egypt, my parents left for the United
States. During my time at university, graduate school, and law school, I
was consistently pulled towards some of society’s toughest issues – women’s
rights, civil rights, and the rights of prisoners. I was equally pulled by
the need to be effective in making change – seeking out leadership
positions and raising my hand and voice to change the institutions of
power, not just protest against them. I learned that the opportunity to
make meaningful impact often sits ‘in-between’ traditional spheres:
in-between research and teaching at Rice University, in-between healthcare
delivery and advocacy at Planned Parenthood, and in-between government and
the private sector at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. My time at all
of these organisations required listening to and learning from many diverse
stakeholders – including volunteers – and using my position of leadership
to champion often unheard voices.



In 2012, I followed my heart to South Africa and its very complicated
society – a legacy of apartheid perpetuating deep inequality despite the
resilience of communities full of potential and hope, and a country with
one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A new
organisation had just been formed with a big vision to close this
opportunity gap. I signed up, first as an unpaid volunteer, and then for
many years as the CEO. My job has been to cultivate a common space of trust
for the collective assets of the society – from government, the private
sector, civil society, and millions of young people – to work in a
coalition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of our time. To do
this, we relied on an inclusive, multi-channel platform that leverages all
forms of technology as a way to serve communities still riddled by a basic
lack of access. Our successes came from the power of connection,
partnership, and a collective belief that young people are the solution,
not the problem. As I began my tenth year, I felt it was time to make space
for new leaders.



Why am I joining the Wikimedia Foundation at this moment? There are many
reasons: (1) this collective of projects is growing what is perhaps the
most important commons infrastructure of our modern world. I am excited to
add my time and talents to this vision. What will it take to create – not
just imagine – a world in which every single human being can freely share
in the sum of all knowledge? (2) I have experienced first-hand that
distributed leadership models can usually achieve more than any group of
people can do on their own. I am eager to support processes that will make
this even more true for our movement; and (3) I am drawn to working with
people of integrity and commitment, who also appreciate humor and joy. I
can already see that I will meet new colleagues like this from all over the
world.



My former colleagues will say that I believe progress is enabled by
culture: one that is founded on accountability, diversity and inclusion in
all its forms, and a way of working led by values. It has informed an
organisational humility in working with others and a relentless focus on
getting things done the right way – while doing the right thing.



During the recruitment process, I met with a leading academic in the United
States named Rebecca. She told me a story of her primary school teacher
asking the students to raise their hands if they did not have an
encyclopedia at home. She was one of those students, and it made her feel,
for the first time, that maybe she didn’t have equal access to the
resources needed for her education.  The work of this collective community,
should we achieve our vision, will make it unnecessary for a teacher to
ever ask that question again. I then returned to South Africa and spoke to
another Rebecca. This young woman grew up in a rural area where it was a
struggle to afford text messaging, never mind any meaningful access to the
digital world. She, too, did not have equal access to the resources she
needed. Despite their starkly different circumstances, I believe that each
Rebecca can find her own point of entry into our vision and impact as we
look ahead to 2030.

*What have been my prior experiences with the wikiverse?*

I have had two past interactions with the people behind Wikipedia, in
addition to being a reader and admirer.



First, I attended a conference