Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Ankan Ghosh Dastider]

Thank you very much, Katherine, for your tremendous contribution over the
years.

I can remember meeting you for the first time at Wikimedia Conference 2018
and then interviewing you at Wikimania 2019 for WikiBarta
.
Apart from your contribution to the movement, I shall always remember your
amicable approach and encouraging words.

Hope to meet you again. Best wishes for your future life and advance
Welcome to the new ED and CEO. :)


Kind regards,
Ankan

On Thu, Feb 4, 2021 at 11:48 PM Katherine Maher 
wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of
>the 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Christophe Henner]

Tl;dr

This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

Thank you for everything!

Now the longer version...

That was quite a run! A lot of your accomplishments have been shared here
but one is missing. One that is capturing how brilliant you are, how
facetiously crazy you are and, well, how very wikimedian to the core you
are.

The Selfie Monkey communication campaign.

That was quite a run, I am proud I got to work closely with you when I was
chair and vice-chair. It was a blessing to be able to work with someone
bold, smart and had a great vision of what Wikimedia should be.

But the real feat is that you turned a vision into reality.

Under your leadership we scaled up. Not only in resources but in openness,
inclusiveness and ambition. Let's not forget you also took head on the
challenge of healing the Foundation after a crisis and rebuilding trust and
dialogue with the entire movement. This thread is proof you succeeded :)

Things are never perfect and there is still so much to fix and to do. But
also so much less than five years ago thanks to you.

We have had global, open and inclusive conversations about who we are. Our
footprint has globally improved. But more than our footprints, you have
made room for leaders outside of the US and Europe to emerge.

We have a Universal Code of Conduct! If it was only for that your track
record would be amazing.

Those are deep changes. And there are so many more, I let others contribute
and list them!

And there are those things that are discreet but instrumental (yay API
project, Abstract etc.) that you and the teams you lead turned from ideas
to actual projects. Not forgetting your strong commitment to Wikidata from
day one. All will be structural to the future of open knowledge.

Your legacy speaks louder for you than any word I could write.

But enough with praising the professional you. You are an amazing
professional but you also are a stellar human being.

You are a very approachable and relatable leader. You care and that changed
everything.

Plus, you were a great companion to play  "who leaves the party last", "how
close to boarding time can I arrive at the airport and not miss my flight",
"can you open a bottle of wine with a shoe in Buenos Aires without spilling
any" and "Wikimedian terrible singers 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019".

I hope our paths will cross again, and preferably before the restaurant at
the end of the universe.

Farewell and keep changing the world.



Le jeu. 4 févr. 2021 à 6:48 PM, Katherine Maher  a
écrit :

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Strainu]

Thank you for all your work Katherine! You will be missed.

Strainu

În joi, 4 feb. 2021 la 19:48, Katherine Maher  a
scris:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of
>the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
>- We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since
>2019 as a matter of best practice, and the organization is well-prepared
>for a thoughtful search for the next phase of our mission. The Board has
>decided to work with Kathleen Yazbak of Viewcrest Advisors[1] for the
>executive search: I’ve worked closely with Kathleen on a number of
>occasions, and she is a true Wikimedian at heart.
>- I’ll be 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Natacha Rault via Wikimedia-l]

Dear Katherine,

Thank you for your engagement and support to our movement, to which you have 
brought so much. We will miss you but we hope you will stay connected in some 
way or another. 

Particularly, I want to thank you for your commitment to diversity and 
inclusion, and for being one of those leaders that one can easily reach out to. 

I join the others in wishing you all the best for the future in your personal 
and professional endeavours.

Warm regards,

Natacha Rault
Envoyé de mon iPhone

> Le 5 févr. 2021 à 11:47, Olushola Olaniyan  a 
> écrit :
> 
> 
> Dear Katherine, 
> 
> I never saw this coming! 
> 
> You have done so well as the CEO of Foundation and I believe you will 
> continue to be an ambassador of the movement, wherever you go. 
> 
> You are such a special person and we all shall miss you!!! 
> 
> Stay blessed. 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Thu, Feb 4, 2021, 6:48 PM Katherine Maher  wrote:
>> Hi everyone,
>> 
>> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my 
>> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last 
>> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the movement. 
>> This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now, I want to 
>> share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save the 
>> customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later this 
>> spring!
>>   
>> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s never 
>> exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some rough edges 
>> -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is strong, and before 
>> you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a good, strong place. Our 
>> communities are growing, our readership is too. Our 20th birthday, the 
>> launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the movement strategy 
>> recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and strength. I have 
>> great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for strategy 
>> implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and interim 
>> global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>> 
>> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we 
>> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and 
>> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation, collaboration, 
>> and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade of our work. We 
>> have a deep and stable financial position that will help us grow and protect 
>> us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never been higher. Our 
>> communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities of governance, 
>> accountability, and leadership, populating a rich, representative, and 
>> leaderful movement for free knowledge. 
>> 
>> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned 
>> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of 
>> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on 
>> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with our 
>> movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning, sustainable 
>> programs to support technical communities and tooling, co-development and 
>> consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming newcomers, 
>> cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic data, and 
>> human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work to come. 
>> Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance, continue to 
>> bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>> 
>> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and 
>> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from 
>> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and 
>> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done 
>> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my 
>> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime, 
>> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of so much dancing, 
>> from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh. 
>> 
>> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a place 
>> to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when you’re 
>> fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully present 
>> for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges such as 
>> polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as opportunities for 
>> generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I lean toward optimism, 
>> and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>> 
>> What’s next
>> We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications channels 
>> during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>> A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Olushola Olaniyan]

Dear Katherine,

I never saw this coming!

You have done so well as the CEO of Foundation and I believe you will
continue to be an ambassador of the movement, wherever you go.

You are such a special person and we all shall miss you!!!

Stay blessed.



On Thu, Feb 4, 2021, 6:48 PM Katherine Maher  wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of
>the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
>- We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since
>2019 as a matter of best practice, and the organization is well-prepared
>for a thoughtful search for the next phase of our mission. The Board has
>decided to work with Kathleen 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Bobby Shabangu]

Dear Katherine,

It's actually sad to see people that we've grown to love who have also
contributed so much in the movement go. It was great working with you,
having those interactions and conversations with you in different parts of
the world, seeing your growth and maturity as well was interesting.

Congratulations on your achievements and wish you success in your future
endeavours.

Kind regards,
Bobby Shabangu

On Thu, 4 Feb 2021 at 19:48, Katherine Maher  wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of
>the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
>- We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since
>2019 as a matter of best 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Gnangarra]

Thank you Katherine, I  think it is a tribute to all you have done that
many people will not have even realised you had been here for 7 years and
many more would not have expected you to move on so soon.  The WMF is far
place than was when you started to move forward in conjunction with the
community.

Boodarwun

On Fri, 5 Feb 2021 at 13:50, Risker  wrote:

> Thank you, Katherine, for all of your work to help the Wikimedia
> Foundation and the Wikimedia movement grow and strengthen.  I know there
> have been many challenging times, and you stepped into this role at a time
> when a new type of leadership was needed - and you provided it admirably
> well.  You will be missed.  I wish you the best in your future endeavours.
>
> All the best,
>
> Risker/Anne
>
> On Thu, 4 Feb 2021 at 12:48, Katherine Maher  wrote:
>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation
>> my intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my
>> last day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
>> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
>> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
>> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
>> this spring!
>>
>> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
>> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
>> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
>> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
>> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
>> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
>> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
>> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
>> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
>> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>>
>> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
>> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
>> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
>> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
>> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
>> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
>> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
>> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
>> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>>
>> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
>> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
>> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
>> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
>> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
>> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
>> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
>> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
>> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
>> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
>> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>>
>> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
>> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
>> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
>> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
>> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
>> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
>> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
>> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>>
>> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
>> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
>> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
>> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
>> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
>> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
>> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>>
>> *What’s next*
>>
>>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>>Raju Narisetti, and María 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Risker]

Thank you, Katherine, for all of your work to help the Wikimedia Foundation
and the Wikimedia movement grow and strengthen.  I know there have been
many challenging times, and you stepped into this role at a time when a new
type of leadership was needed - and you provided it admirably well.  You
will be missed.  I wish you the best in your future endeavours.

All the best,

Risker/Anne

On Thu, 4 Feb 2021 at 12:48, Katherine Maher  wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of
>the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
>- We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since
>2019 as a matter of best practice, and the 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[effe iets anders]

Thanks Katherine,

it was always a good feeling to see you at work navigating the complexities
of our movement and trying to bring people together with your words. I'm
curious to see what will be your next challenge.

Warmly,
Lodewijk

On Thu, Feb 4, 2021 at 2:58 PM Patricio Lorente 
wrote:

> Thank you, Katherine! You did an amazing job. Wish you all the best.
>
> Un gran abrazo,
>
>   Patricio
>
> El jue, 4 feb 2021 a las 18:13, Florence Devouard ()
> escribió:
>
>> Hello Katherine,
>>
>>
>> I like to thank you very much for all what you have achieved, stepping in
>> the role at complicated time and really doing the job beautifully.
>> I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. I will definitely miss
>> you. I think many feel a bit orphans after the announcement.
>>
>> Florence
>>
>>
>>
>> Le 04/02/2021 à 18:47, Katherine Maher a écrit :
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation
>> my intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my
>> last day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
>> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
>> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
>> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
>> this spring!
>>
>> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
>> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
>> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
>> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
>> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
>> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
>> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
>> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
>> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
>> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>>
>> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
>> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
>> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
>> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
>> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
>> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
>> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
>> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
>> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>>
>> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
>> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
>> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
>> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
>> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
>> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
>> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
>> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
>> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
>> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
>> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>>
>> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
>> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
>> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
>> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
>> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
>> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
>> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
>> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>>
>> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
>> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
>> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
>> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
>> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
>> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
>> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>>
>> *What’s next*
>>
>>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>>chair of HR Committee, 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Patricio Lorente]

Thank you, Katherine! You did an amazing job. Wish you all the best.

Un gran abrazo,

  Patricio

El jue, 4 feb 2021 a las 18:13, Florence Devouard ()
escribió:

> Hello Katherine,
>
>
> I like to thank you very much for all what you have achieved, stepping in
> the role at complicated time and really doing the job beautifully.
> I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. I will definitely miss
> you. I think many feel a bit orphans after the announcement.
>
> Florence
>
>
>
> Le 04/02/2021 à 18:47, Katherine Maher a écrit :
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of
>the 2021-2022 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Florence Devouard]

Hello Katherine,


I like to thank you very much for all what you have achieved, stepping 
in the role at complicated time and really doing the job beautifully.
I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. I will definitely miss 
you. I think many feel a bit orphans after the announcement.


Florence


Le 04/02/2021 à 18:47, Katherine Maher a écrit :

Hi everyone,

Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia 
Foundation my intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 
15th will be my last day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the 
Foundation and the movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is 
the right one. For now, I want to share with you why I’m moving on, 
and what comes next. I’ll save the customary email with deeper 
reflections, memories, and thanks for later this spring!


In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s 
never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some 
rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is 
strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in 
a good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is 
too. Our 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, 
and the movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of 
solidity and strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the 
upcoming plans for strategy implementation, particularly the work on 
the movement charter and interim global council. We are healthy and 
thriving.


While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that 
we want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of 
renewal and regeneration. We have deepened our practices of 
consultation, collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation 
of the next decade of our work. We have a deep and stable financial 
position that will help us grow and protect us from any storm, and the 
trust in our projects has never been higher. Our communities are 
poised to take on deeper responsibilities of governance, 
accountability, and leadership, populating a rich, representative, and 
leaderful movement for free knowledge.


The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, 
values-aligned leaders at every level of the organization, deeply 
committed to the work of our movement and mission. Although we don’t 
always all perfectly agree on absolutely everything, we are working 
more openly and cooperatively with our movement than ever before. 
Collaborative strategic planning, sustainable programs to support 
technical communities and tooling, co-development and consultation on 
transformative new experiences welcoming newcomers, cooperative 
partnerships on public health data, bibliographic data, and human 
rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work to come. 
Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance, continue 
to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.


Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, 
and compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest 
challenges, from editor and readership growth, technical debt, 
representation and participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am 
proud of what we’ve done together and grateful for all the ways in 
which this movement has made my life immeasurably richer: friendships 
that will last a lifetime, intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so 
many memories of */so much dancing/*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.


As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a 
place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future 
when you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve 
been fully present for this movement. But as I look around, I see 
global challenges such as polarization, inequality, and climate 
change, as well as opportunities for generational renewal and 
optimism. As a Wikimedian, I lean toward optimism, and plan to apply 
myself in that direction!


*What’s next*

  * We announced this planned transition publicly on our
communications channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
  * A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who
is chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit
Committee, Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will
launch the search for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the
executive Transition Team on organizational operations, and with
the broader board on an open candidate call. The Board is working
with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of the 2021-2022
fiscal year.
  * We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since
2019 as a matter of best practice, and the organization is
well-prepared for a thoughtful search for the next phase of our
mission. The Board has decided to work with Kathleen Yazbak of
Viewcrest 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Samuel Klein]

Those are some edificial shoes to fill.

Thank you for all you have done for the Foundation + projects,
and for the collective sense of our place in the world's dance.

SJ

On Thu, Feb 4, 2021 at 1:36 PM Brad Patrick  wrote:

> Congratulations on a remarkable run! Good luck with the transition and
> we’ll be watching what happens next!
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
>
> Brad Patrick
>
>
>
>
>
> *From: *Wikimedia-l  on behalf
> of Katherine Maher 
> *Reply-To: *Wikimedia Mailing List 
> *Date: *Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 12:48 PM
> *To: *Wikimedia Mailing List 
> *Subject: *[Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15
>
>
>
> Hi everyone,
>
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Erik Moeller]

On Thu, Feb 4, 2021 at 9:48 AM Katherine Maher  wrote:
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation
> my intention to step down as CEO later this spring.

You did amazing work for the movement. Like others who have moved on
from WMF, it has felt great knowing that the organization is in great
hands under your leadership, and has accomplished major new
milestones. Congratulations as well on the UCoC, which I also agree is
incredibly important for the reasons that have been well-articulated
by others in the related thread. Getting Wikipedia unblocked in Turkey
was huge, and I was thrilled to read about the UN partnership. There's
too much other stuff to list, but exciting projects kicked off under
your leadership include your support for Wikidata and Abstract
Wikipedia -- as will be no surprise, I'm especially excited about
following those developments. :)

You took the helm at a time when WMF was going through a rocky period
(to say the least), and these and other achievements are especially
remarkable in light of how far the organization had to come to make
them possible. I'm genuinely excited about what's next for you, and
know that you'll bring your passion for Wikimedia's values with you.
Thank you, Katherine, for your service.

Warmly,

Erik

___
Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org
Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Rajeeb]

Hi Katherine,

I like to thank you for all you have done for the movement. I wish you all
the best in your future endeavors. We will definitely miss you.

Namaste,
Rajeeb.


On Thu, 4 Feb 2021 at 23:18, Katherine Maher  wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of
>the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
>- We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since
>2019 as a matter of best practice, and the organization is well-prepared
>for a thoughtful search for the next phase of our mission. The Board has
>decided to work with Kathleen Yazbak of Viewcrest Advisors[1] for the
>executive search: I’ve worked closely 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Philippe Beaudette]

Katherine,

The WMF will be less without you in it. One of the things that made me
comfortable with my own departure so many years ago was the certain
knowledge that you would keep the wheels on and keep the WMF pointed in the
right direction.  But I know you must be exhausted, and drained, so it’s
only right for you to now take some time to refocus and figure out where
next to apply your formidable talents to make the world a better place.

I’m very proud to call you a friend.

Philippe

On Thu, Feb 4, 2021 at 12:37 PM Brad Patrick  wrote:

> Congratulations on a remarkable run! Good luck with the transition and
> we’ll be watching what happens next!
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
>
> Brad Patrick
>
>
>
>
>
> *From: *Wikimedia-l  on behalf
> of Katherine Maher 
> *Reply-To: *Wikimedia Mailing List 
> *Date: *Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 12:48 PM
> *To: *Wikimedia Mailing List 
> *Subject: *[Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15
>
>
>
> Hi everyone,
>
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Katie Chan]

Thanks Katherine for all you have done. All the best and good luck with 
everything going forward.


Katie

On 04/02/2021 17:47, Katherine Maher wrote:

Hi everyone,

Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation 
my intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be 
my last day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and 
the movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. 
For now, I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes 
next. I’ll save the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, 
and thanks for later this spring!


In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s 
never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some 
rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is 
strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a 
good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. 
Our 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the 
movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity 
and strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans 
for strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement 
charter and interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.


While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that 
we want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of 
renewal and regeneration. We have deepened our practices of 
consultation, collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation 
of the next decade of our work. We have a deep and stable financial 
position that will help us grow and protect us from any storm, and the 
trust in our projects has never been higher. Our communities are poised 
to take on deeper responsibilities of governance, accountability, and 
leadership, populating a rich, representative, and leaderful movement 
for free knowledge.


The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, 
values-aligned leaders at every level of the organization, deeply 
committed to the work of our movement and mission. Although we don’t 
always all perfectly agree on absolutely everything, we are working more 
openly and cooperatively with our movement than ever before. 
Collaborative strategic planning, sustainable programs to support 
technical communities and tooling, co-development and consultation on 
transformative new experiences welcoming newcomers, cooperative 
partnerships on public health data, bibliographic data, and human rights 
data -- all of these are signals of much great work to come. Even 
difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance, continue to 
bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.


Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and 
compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, 
from editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and 
participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve 
done together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has 
made my life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime, 
intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of */so much 
dancing/*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.


As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a 
place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future 
when you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve 
been fully present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global 
challenges such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well 
as opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, 
I lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!


*What’s next*

  * We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
  * A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit
Committee, Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will
launch the search for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the
executive Transition Team on organizational operations, and with the
broader board on an open candidate call. The Board is working with
the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
  * We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since
2019 as a matter of best practice, and the organization is
well-prepared for a thoughtful search for the next phase of our
mission. The Board has decided to work with Kathleen Yazbak of
Viewcrest Advisors[1] for the executive search: I’ve worked closely
with Kathleen on a number of occasions, and she is a true Wikimedian
at heart.
  * I’ll be drawing back from day-to-day operational work to 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Butch Bustria]

Hi Katherine,

We greatly appreciate your work at the Foundation and we hope for the best
in your future endeavors.

Your term as ED, later as CEO, made significant changes on how we look at
the WMF. Your work made changes to many of us, on how we deal with issues
and opportunities to how we support each other.

We hope your successor would effectively implement the strategic plan and
maintain the openess of community conversations.

I hope that you consider visiting us here in Southeast Asia at
your convenience (add Wikimania) once the pandemic is over.



Kind regards,

Butch Bustria

On Fri, Feb 5, 2021, 2:36 AM Brad Patrick  wrote:

> Congratulations on a remarkable run! Good luck with the transition and
> we’ll be watching what happens next!
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
>
> Brad Patrick
>
>
>
>
>
> *From: *Wikimedia-l  on behalf
> of Katherine Maher 
> *Reply-To: *Wikimedia Mailing List 
> *Date: *Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 12:48 PM
> *To: *Wikimedia Mailing List 
> *Subject: *[Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15
>
>
>
> Hi everyone,
>
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[Brad Patrick]

Congratulations on a remarkable run! Good luck with the transition and we’ll be 
watching what happens next!

All the best,

Brad Patrick


From: Wikimedia-l  on behalf of 
Katherine Maher 
Reply-To: Wikimedia Mailing List 
Date: Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 12:48 PM
To: Wikimedia Mailing List 
Subject: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

Hi everyone,

Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my 
intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last 
day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the movement. 
This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now, I want to 
share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save the customary 
email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later this spring!

In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s never 
exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some rough edges -- 
but it’s always best to do so when the organization is strong, and before 
you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a good, strong place. Our 
communities are growing, our readership is too. Our 20th birthday, the launch 
of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the movement strategy recommendations are 
all milestone moments of solidity and strength. I have great hopes and 
confidence in the upcoming plans for strategy implementation, particularly the 
work on the movement charter and interim global council. We are healthy and 
thriving.

While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we want 
to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and 
regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation, collaboration, 
and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade of our work. We 
have a deep and stable financial position that will help us grow and protect us 
from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never been higher. Our 
communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities of governance, 
accountability, and leadership, populating a rich, representative, and 
leaderful movement for free knowledge.
The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned 
leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of our 
movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on 
absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with our 
movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning, sustainable 
programs to support technical communities and tooling, co-development and 
consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming newcomers, cooperative 
partnerships on public health data, bibliographic data, and human rights data 
-- all of these are signals of much great work to come. Even difficult topics, 
such as brand and movement governance, continue to bring people together in 
nothing less than feisty commitment.

Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and 
compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from 
editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and participation, 
safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done together and 
grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my life immeasurably 
richer: friendships that will last a lifetime, intellectual curiosity and 
kinship, and so many memories of so much dancing, from Accra to Berlin to 
Chandigarh.
As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a place to 
think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when you’re fully 
in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully present for this 
movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges such as polarization, 
inequality, and climate change, as well as opportunities for generational 
renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I lean toward optimism, and plan to 
apply myself in that direction!
What’s next

  *   We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications 
channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
  *   A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is chair 
of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee, Raju 
Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search for a new 
CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on organizational 
operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate call. The Board is 
working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of the 2021-2022 fiscal 
year.
  *   We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since 2019 as 
a matter of best practice, and the organization is well-prepared for a 
thoughtful search for the next phase of our mission. The Board has decided to 
work with Kathleen Yazbak of Viewcrest Advisors[1] for the executive search: 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[টিটো দত্ত Tito Dutta]

Hello,
That's a piece of sudden big news to me, and possibly to others also. Over
the last few years, I was reading your emails and posts on this mailing
list, and at other places.
Thanks for your service to the movement.

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


বৃহস্পতি, ৪ ফেব, ২০২১ তারিখে ১১:১৮ PM টায় এ Katherine Maher <
kma...@wikimedia.org> লিখেছেন:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on transformative new experiences welcoming
> newcomers, cooperative partnerships on public health data, bibliographic
> data, and human rights data -- all of these are signals of much great work
> to come. Even difficult topics, such as brand and movement governance,
> continue to bring people together in nothing less than feisty commitment.
>
> Together, we have rich resources of brilliant people, deep passion, and
> compassion. We are making progress on some of our greatest challenges, from
> editor and readership growth, technical debt, representation and
> participation, safety and knowledge equity. I am proud of what we’ve done
> together and grateful for all the ways in which this movement has made my
> life immeasurably richer: friendships that will last a lifetime,
> intellectual curiosity and kinship, and so many memories of *so much
> dancing*, from Accra to Berlin to Chandigarh.
>
> As for me, I’m going to take a break, and a research fellowship, as a
> place to think about what’s next. It’s hard to think about your future when
> you’re fully in your present, and for the past seven years, I’ve been fully
> present for this movement. But as I look around, I see global challenges
> such as polarization, inequality, and climate change, as well as
> opportunities for generational renewal and optimism. As a Wikimedian, I
> lean toward optimism, and plan to apply myself in that direction!
>
> *What’s next*
>
>- We announced this planned transition publicly on our communications
>channels during a Foundation all-staff meeting today.
>- A Board Transition Committee composed of Dariusz Jemielniak, who is
>chair of HR Committee, Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee,
>Raju Narisetti, and María Sefidari as Board Chair, will launch the search
>for a new CEO. They’ll work closely with the executive Transition Team on
>organizational operations, and with the broader board on an open candidate
>call. The Board is working with the goal of onboarding a new CEO by Q2 of
>the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
>- We’ve been working on succession planning for the CEO role since
>2019 as a matter of best practice, and the organization is well-prepared
>for a thoughtful search for the next phase of 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Thanks for all the fish! / Stepping down April 15

[María Sefidari]

Hi everyone,

As you can see, Katherine just said she will be stepping down from her
role. I am happy for Katherine, but it is impossible not to have some mixed
emotions given we have been working together for seven years, and quite
closely for almost five of them since she became the interim ED and I
became an officer of the Board. Almost half a decade of very intense
challenges and changes, of thinking about the future of the Movement and
how to best achieve our Mission. I am proud of our successes and yet we
have a ways to go. The work is never done, but we do strive to walk the
talk when we say we want to make the sum of human knowledge accessible to
everyone everywhere. As a Board, we thank Katherine for her leadership over
the last five years as CEO and ED, two years as CCO, and wish her the
greatest success in future endeavors. I have no doubt she will be brilliant
wherever she finally decides to go after her much deserved time to rest and
reflect, starting with her fellowship.

I would like to thank Katherine for an extraordinary job. As a leader, she
set a new standard for transparent, open engagement with our global
communities. She worked side by side with movement leaders with empathy and
collaborative participation in the wiki way. Thanks to her leadership we
created our Movement Strategy together. She walked the talk with resolve
and determination, and the Foundation and the Movement are in a better
place now than they’ve ever been.

Katherine and the Board have long had a plan in place in the case of a
succession. According to that plan, a Transition Committee of Wikimedia
Trustees has been selected to recommend to the Board Katherineʼs successor
and includes Trustees Dariusz Jemielniak, who is chair of HR Committee,
Tanya Capuano, who is chair of the Audit Committee, and Raju Narisetti,
along with me as Board Chair. The Wikimedia Foundation has retained
Viewcrest Advisors,[1] a leading search firm for nonprofit executives, to
assist the Board Transition Committee.

Until a new CEO is hired, the Board Transition Committee will work closely
with the Wikimedia Foundation executive Transition Team of General Counsel
Amanda Keton, Chief of Talent and Culture Robyn Arville, and Chief
Financial Officer Jaime Villagomez, ensuring the important work of the
Wikimedia Foundation in supporting Wikipedia and other Wikimedia
communities continues without any disruptions.

Kind regards,

María Sefidari

Chair of the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees, on behalf of the
Transition Committee.

[1] https://viewcrestadvisors.com/

El jue, 4 feb 2021 a las 18:48, Katherine Maher ()
escribió:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Earlier today, I announced to my colleagues at the Wikimedia Foundation my
> intention to step down as CEO later this spring. April 15th will be my last
> day, marking my seven-year anniversary with the Foundation and the
> movement. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one. For now,
> I want to share with you why I’m moving on, and what comes next. I’ll save
> the customary email with deeper reflections, memories, and thanks for later
> this spring!
>
> In some ways, this was the easiest hard decision I’ve ever made. It’s
> never exactly a good time to step away -- transitions always have some
> rough edges -- but it’s always best to do so when the organization is
> strong, and before you’ve overstayed your welcome. The movement is in a
> good, strong place. Our communities are growing, our readership is too. Our
> 20th birthday, the launch of our Universal Code of Conduct, and the
> movement strategy recommendations are all milestone moments of solidity and
> strength. I have great hopes and confidence in the upcoming plans for
> strategy implementation, particularly the work on the movement charter and
> interim global council. We are healthy and thriving.
>
> While we will always have more work to do to become the Wikimedia that we
> want to be, our movement and our organization is in a phase of renewal and
> regeneration. We have deepened our practices of consultation,
> collaboration, and inclusion that will be the foundation of the next decade
> of our work. We have a deep and stable financial position that will help us
> grow and protect us from any storm, and the trust in our projects has never
> been higher. Our communities are poised to take on deeper responsibilities
> of governance, accountability, and leadership, populating a rich,
> representative, and leaderful movement for free knowledge.
>
> The Foundation is also strong, and filled with passionate, values-aligned
> leaders at every level of the organization, deeply committed to the work of
> our movement and mission. Although we don’t always all perfectly agree on
> absolutely everything, we are working more openly and cooperatively with
> our movement than ever before. Collaborative strategic planning,
> sustainable programs to support technical communities and tooling,
> co-development and consultation on