This is fantastic news for WMF and the movement!! I am extremely grateful to Katherine for stepping up to take this very difficult role at a very challenging time.
Katherine is widely respected at WMF by staff and, in my opinion, is the perfect person to lead us right now. I have worked on the C-Team with Katherine for two years now. She is very smart and talented and has a great open leaderships style that is in line with our values. I think the board and the community will enjoy getting to know Katherine better over the next few months. I don’t expect her to just keep the seat warm . . . we can accomplish great things under Katherine’s leadership! Onward, Lisa Gruwell On Thu, Mar 10, 2016 at 7:23 PM, Rachel diCerbo <rdic...@wikimedia.org> wrote: > This is excellent news! Thank you to the C-levels and Board for making > this decision. Katherine, thank you for stepping up during this time. > Looking forward to improving trust and transparency! > > On Thu, Mar 10, 2016 at 7:14 PM, Anna Stillwell <astillw...@wikimedia.org> > wrote: > >> Katherine, >> >> You have my *full* support. So excited to build trust, a good vibe, and >> over achieve. :) >> >> Warmly, >> /a >> >> On Thu, Mar 10, 2016 at 7:05 PM, James Heilman <jmh...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> A very positive move. Thank you Katherine for agreeing to step up and >>> take >>> on this role. You have my full confidence :-) >>> >>> James >>> >>> On Thu, Mar 10, 2016 at 8:01 PM, Pharos <pharosofalexand...@gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>> > Congratulations, Katherine! >>> > >>> > She is an excellent choice to navigate us through for this difficult >>> time. >>> > >>> > Thanks, >>> > Pharos >>> > >>> > On Thu, Mar 10, 2016 at 9:55 PM, Patricio Lorente < >>> > patricio.lore...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> > >>> > > Hello all, >>> > > >>> > > I’m happy to announce that the Wikimedia Foundation leadership team >>> has >>> > > proposed an interim Executive Director, and the Board has given our >>> full >>> > > support. Starting on March 14th, current Chief Communications Officer >>> > > Katherine Maher ( >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Katherine_(WMF)) >>> > > will >>> > > step into the role of interim Executive Director. We thank the >>> C-levels >>> > for >>> > > their careful consideration in this process, and Katherine for >>> stepping >>> > up >>> > > during this period of transition. >>> > > >>> > > In choosing an interim ED, the C-levels started by identifying >>> immediate >>> > > priorities for the coming months, including building trust, improving >>> > > communications, and filling key leadership positions. They felt, and >>> we >>> > > agree, that Katherine is the right person to lead the organization >>> while >>> > it >>> > > addresses these and other important issues. Additionally, this will >>> allow >>> > > the rest of the executive team to focus on critical organizational >>> > > functions, including community and engineering management, >>> fundraising, >>> > and >>> > > strengthening our human resources function. You can read more about >>> our >>> > > process and thinking here: >>> > > >>> > > >>> > >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/March_2016_-_Leadership_Team_transition_planning >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > Katherine has been with the Foundation as Chief Communications >>> Officer >>> > for >>> > > about two years now. During that time, she has developed a versatile >>> and >>> > > effective team that serves the needs of the organization and >>> movement, >>> > > collaborating closely with other departments and the community. She >>> has >>> > > thoughtfully introduced new capacities and led her team through >>> > > transitions, and played a critical role in shepherding the strategy >>> > process >>> > > and the annual plan, in collaboration with other C-levels. She is >>> known >>> > for >>> > > listening to and empowering the people that she works with. >>> > > >>> > > For those who don’t know Katherine, she’s been a longtime advocate >>> for >>> > > global open communities, culture, and technology. She previously led >>> > > advocacy for the international digital rights organization Access >>> Now, >>> > > where she worked on freedom of expression, access to information, and >>> > > privacy. She has supported the efforts of citizens and governments >>> around >>> > > the world to deepen transparency and participation in her roles at >>> the >>> > > World Bank, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, >>> and >>> > > UNICEF (where her team built wikis for youth participation in major >>> > global >>> > > issues). She is a member of the advisory board of the Open Technology >>> > Fund. >>> > > >>> > > With interim leadership in place, our next step as the Board is to >>> move >>> > > quickly to plan and implement the search for a permanent Executive >>> > > Director. We will be working together over the coming weeks to >>> clarify >>> > > roles and responsibilities in this search, and identify the best way >>> for >>> > > community and staff to participate. We want this process to be >>> inclusive >>> > > and incorporate many voices. We look forward to sharing an update on >>> our >>> > > progress toward the end of next week. >>> > > >>> > > As interim Executive Director, Katherine will report to the Board. >>> Geoff >>> > > Brigham will continue serving as Board Secretary, and Jaime >>> Villagomez as >>> > > Board Treasurer, reporting to the Board in those capacities. As of >>> March >>> > > 14, Katherine's reports include the C-team: Geoff Brigham, Jaime >>> > > Villagomez, Maggie Dennis, Lisa Gruwell, Joady Lohr, and Wes Moran. >>> The >>> > > Communications team will continue to report to Katherine for the time >>> > > being, with support from the leadership of Juliet Barbara and Heather >>> > > Walls. >>> > > >>> > > Thank you, >>> > > >>> > > Patricio >>> > > >>> > > Translation notice - This message is available for translation on >>> > > Meta-Wiki: >>> > > >>> > > >>> > >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/10_March_2010_-_Wikimedia_Foundation_executive_transition_update >>> > > -- >>> > > _______________________________________________ >>> > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: >>> > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines >>> > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org >>> > > Unsubscribe: >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, >>> > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> >>> > _______________________________________________ >>> > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: >>> > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines >>> > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org >>> > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, >>> > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> >>> > >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> James Heilman >>> MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian >>> >>> The Wikipedia Open Textbook of Medicine >>> www.opentextbookofmedicine.com >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines >>> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org >>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, >>> <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Anna Stillwell >> Major Gifts Officer >> Wikimedia Foundation >> 415.806.1536 >> *www.wikimediafoundation.org <http://www.wikimediafoundation.org>* >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wmfall mailing list >> wmf...@lists.wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wmfall >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Wmfall mailing list > wmf...@lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wmfall > > _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
