[Wikimedia-l] Re: WMF Board of Trustees: Board Selection Process Update

-- Owen Blacker, Cardiff GB @owen.blacker.me.uk https://bsky.app/profile/owen.blacker.me.uk, he/him @owenblacker@dataare.cool https://dataare.cool/@owenblacker User:OwenBlacker (meta https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User%3AOwenBlacker , enwiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:OwenBlacker, frwiki https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilisateur:OwenBlacker) Chair, Wikimedia LGBT+ User Group (meta https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_LGBT%2B/Portal ) Recognised on the Pinc List 2026 https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/gallery/pinc-list-2026-wales-most-33907108 On Sun, 19 Jul 2026 at 22:09, Victoria Doronina via Wikimedia-l < wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote: > Hello Sam, > > You say bureaucracy, I say governance. Please forgive me for stating the > obvious, but WMF is a very large international organisation. It's much > easier to scale up the experience from a smaller Wikimedia organisation > than to start from scratch. > > And people who have Wikimedia governance experience usually have > experience with outreach campaigns and education in some form. > > I also agree that knowing several languages is valuable, but I don't think > we should discriminate against "English as a native and only language" > speakers - it's our working language. > > Lastly, while I don't have time to gather the statistics about the current > and past candidates, I know that I would've qualified when I first ran - as > a former member of the Russian Wikipedia ArbCom and a former member of the > Funds Dissemination Committee - note that I've never been on a board of an > affiliate. > > And lastly, I hope that the current criteria will encourage people to > serve on the global committees such as AffCom, U4C etc, and people who > serve on them to participate in the Board elections as candidates - we need > all the talent we can get. > > > > On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 1:06 PM Samuel Klein via Wikimedia-l < > wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote: > >> Thanks so much Margo. The base requirements seem good. >> >> The Categories of Governance or Community Experience seem to trend mostly >> towards bureacratic experience, not related to experience with knowledge >> work (like education or contribution), or outreach (like partnerships or >> campaigns), or multilingualism (including translation and multinational >> initiatives). It also singles out incorporated affiliates with paid staff >> over all other forms of community organizing and project work, as >> demonstration of community experience; can you say more about that? >> >> Have you analyzed which current and past trustees / candidates would have >> fit these proposed criteria? That might be a useful appendix for the >> discussion. >> >> Sam >> >> >> On Fri, Jul 17, 2026 at 10:40 PM Margo Lee via Wikimedia-l < >> wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> wrote: >> >>> Hello everyone, >>> >>> Following the 2025 elections, the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees >>> committed >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/October_2025_update#c-LLosa_(WMF)-20251015213400-Additional_perspectives_on_current_and_future_board_selection_processes >>> to reviewing the selection process of new Trustees, soliciting and >>> receiving feedback and suggestions and proposing changes. The Board >>> received extensive comments posted on Meta >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2025/Debrief, >>> which helped inform this approach. >>> >>> The Board has discussed the following goals for reforms: >>> >>> - >>> >>> Clarity and consistency of the electoral process >>> - >>> >>> Clarity of roles and responsibilities >>> - >>> >>> Transparent communications and timeline >>> - >>> >>> A slate of candidates who strengthen the board through the >>> experience they bring >>> - >>> >>> Reduced need for shortlisting >>> - >>> >>> Strong voter participation >>> >>> >>> The Board is now ready to publish its draft eligibility requirements for >>> feedback from the community. The requirements are more specific and >>> detailed than in years past, to both inform the community of what the Board >>> needs and to create multiple pathways to the Board for Wikimedians. They >>> are also presented as requirements for candidates, not desirable qualities. >>> >>> The Board is also emphasising the need for previous governance >>> experience, including these key elements of experience: >>> >>> - >>> >>> Understanding the role of oversight vs. governance vs. management >>> - >>> >>> Understanding Fiduciary Duties >>> https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Legal_and_Fiduciary_Duties_for_Wikimedia_Foundation_Trustees_Public_Version.pdf >>> >>> >>> - >>> >>> Understanding the "Group Dynamics" of a board or committee (and >>> other collective decision-making bodies): working well with others to ask >>> probing questions, voice different views and contribute to informed >>> decisions for the good of the whole, not an individual agenda >>> >>> >>> The Board is now looking for specific feedback on the proposed >>> eligibility criteria >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2027/Proposed_eligibility_criteria >>> . >>> >>> Regards, >>> >>> The Board Governance Committee >>> >>> Margo Lee on behalf of the Governance Committee >>> >>> *Margo Lee* (she/her) >>> Deputy Chief of Staff >>> Wikimedia Foundation https://wikimediafoundation.org/ >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines >>> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >>> Public archives at >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/... >>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org >> >> >> >> -- >> Samuel Klein @metasj w:user:sj +1 617 529 4266 >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines >> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l >> Public archives at >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/... >> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > -- > Kind regards, Victoria > Victoria Doronina > https://wikimediafoundation.org/profile/dr-victoria-doronina/ (she/her), > UTC > Wikimedia Foundation Trustee > Community and Affiliates Liaison > Human Rights Liaison > > Wikimedia Foundation https://wikimediafoundation.org/ > > "Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the > sum of all knowledge. Please help us make it a reality." > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines > at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > Public archives at > https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/... > To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.org