New face joins Wikimedia board

Stephen Withers
Friday, 09 July 2010 11:05

IT People - People

The new lineup of the Wikimedia Foundation board of trustees was announced at the Wikimania conference this week.

Ting Chen was appointed chair of the board, Stuart West was appointed Vice-chair (and continues as board treasurer), and Samuel Klein was appointed board secretary.

The remaining board seats are held by Jimmy Wales (founder), Phoebe Ayers, Bishakha Datta, Matt Halprin, Arne Klempert, Jan-Bart de Vreede, and Kat Walsh.

Ayres replaces Michael Snow. "Michael has been a loyal and devoted leader in the Wikimedia movement. I am grateful to count him as a colleague and a friend, and I know he will continue to make important contributions," said Ting Chen. "I am also pleased to welcome Phoebe Ayers, on behalf of the entire board."

Snow received the board's thanks for his years of service, and will join the Wikimedia Foundation advisory board.

"This is an exciting and hugely important time in the history of Wikimedia," said Ayers. "I'm thrilled to play a greater role, and I'm honoured to have been chosen by the Chapters. It's a time of flux and change and important decisions, and I can't think of a better place to put my energy," she added.

Ayers is a librarian at the University of California, Davis. She became a Wikipedia editor in 2003, and has co-authored a book about the English-language Wikipedia called 'How Wikipedia Works: and How You Can be a Part of It'.