Geoff!

At some point in the past that feels like a million years ago (but
actually was about five years ago), I was at a party in Berlin
watching you have enthusiastic, lengthy discussions about copyright
over a beer with Wikipedians from many countries.

Afterwards, I told someone "you know, our new lawyer is going to be great."

And of course you were and are. Thanks for putting out a thousand
fires, some of which we didn't even realize were burning. Thanks for
bringing rigor to our board processes and managing our chaos. Thanks
for building a stable and respected and immensely talented legal team.
Thanks for helping us all think about policy, and bringing open
internet advocacy to the forefront as an important part of our
movement. Thanks for your endless, endless patience, commitment to
explaining things, and strong sense of morality.

We've been in some tough conversations over the years -- and some fun
joyous times too -- and I appreciated your being there in all of them.
I hope YouTube realizes what a fantastic hire they just made -- and I
hope that we turned you into a lifelong Wikimedian, and will see you
again from time to time. You will be so missed.

With all my best, and all my respect,
Phoebe



On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 5:25 PM, Geoff Brigham <gbrig...@wikimedia.org> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Over the past five years, I’ve been honored to serve as the General Counsel
> and Secretary of the Wikimedia Foundation. This job has been amazing, and
> I’m grateful to everyone who has made it so rewarding. It's now time for my
> next step, so, in the coming days, I will be leaving the Foundation to
> pursue a new career opportunity.
>
> I depart with such love for the mission, the Foundation, the Wikimedia
> communities, and my colleagues at work. I thank my past and present bosses
> as well as the Board for their support and guidance. I stand in awe of the
> volunteer writers, editors, and photographers who contribute every day to
> the Wikimedia projects. And I will hold special to my heart my past and
> current teams, including legal and community advocacy. :) You have taught,
> given, and enriched me so much.
>
> After my departure, Michelle Paulson will serve as interim head of Legal,
> and, subject to Board approval, Stephen LaPorte will serve as interim
> Secretary to the Board. I can happily report that they have the experience
> and expertise to ensure a smooth and professional transition.
>
> The future of the Foundation under Katherine's leadership is exciting.
> Having had the pleasure of working for her, I know Katherine will take the
> Foundation to its next level in promoting and defending the outstanding
> mission and values of the Wikimedia movement. Although I'm delighted about
> my next opportunity, I will miss this new chapter in the Foundation's
> story.
>
> My last day at the Foundation will be July 18th. After that, I will take a
> month off to recharge my batteries, and then I start my new gig at YouTube
> in the Bay Area. There, I will serve as Director of YouTube Trust & Safety,
> managing global teams for policy, legal, and anti-abuse operations. As with
> Wikimedia, I look forward to learning from those teams and tackling
> together a new set of exciting, novel challenges.
>
> For those who want to stay in touch, please do! My personal email is:
> geoffrey.r.brig...@gmail.com.
>
> With respect, admiration, and gratitude,
>
> Geoff
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-- 
* I use this address for lists; send personal messages to phoebe.ayers
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