Re: [Wikimedia-l] General Counsel: Welcome Eileen Hershenov

-- *Lane Rasberry* Wikipedian in Residence Consumer Reports lrasberry@consumer.org (914) 378-2684 Cr.org http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.consumerreports.org%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFIjA7FeQNbdq3u4q8VO9STtLC_qg On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 9:33 AM, Katherine Maher kmaher@wikimedia.org wrote: > Hi all, > > I am writing to share some news about the leadership of our Legal > department at the Wikimedia Foundation. Over the last eight months, we’ve > worked to identify a permanent General Counsel for the Wikimedia > Foundation. I am delighted to share that we have found a new General > Counsel, Eileen Hershenov. I am sad to say that our respected colleague > and friend Michelle Paulson has decided this is a good time to move on to > something new. > > *Michelle moving on* > > Michelle Paulson, who has been serving as interim General Counsel, has > decided that after nine years it is time to move on from the Wikimedia > Foundation. Michelle has made her mark here: she served as interim General > Counsel twice; created our legal fellowship program, pushed to make key > policies more user-friendly and aligned with our core values; protected the > office, organization, and volunteers from threats; helped built a new > Foundation public policy program; vigorously and passionately defended the > privacy and security of our users; advocated for truly inclusive policies > and recruiting practices; and acted as a steadfast voice and advocate for > the values which make our movement possible. > > Michelle’s brilliance, humor, professionalism, and determination have > fundamentally shaped our organization and movement. We will miss her > immensely, and I look forward to seeing what she will achieve in the name > of justice, equity, openness, and opportunity. > > *Eileen Hershenov joining our movement* > > Today I would like to introduce you to Eileen Hershenov, who will join us > as General Counsel on May 8th. > > Eileen has nearly 30 years of experience in media and intellectual property > law, as well as in civil rights and civil liberties law, not-for-profit law > and governance, and privacy and cyber-security. She is passionately > committed to values that make our movement possible: free expression, > access to knowledge, freedom of association and an internet that embodies > the open-source movement and that resists censorship and surveillance. > Throughout her career, she has applied these values to her work with a > unique focus on grassroots organizing and advocacy. > > Previously, Eileen served as Vice President and General Counsel for > Consumers Union, the not-for-profit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine > and ConsumerReports.org, for 10 years. In that role, she worked with tens > of thousands of volunteers in the organization’s advocacy programs. Before > Consumer Reports she spent 11 years at the Open Society Foundations, where > she served as the General Counsel to the global foundation network, > overseeing the legal work of the foundations in close to 40 countries > across the globe. > > Eileen was also the founding general counsel for the Central European > University,[1] the first U.S.-accredited liberal arts university located in > a former Communist country. She has worked for the American Civil Liberties > Union and the NOW Legal Defense Fund. Most recently, she has been working > at Miller Korzenik Sommers Rayman LLP, a media law firm, and serving on the > boards of a number of public interest justice organizations. > > *Next steps* > > Eileen is based in New York City, and will relocate to San Francisco with > her family this summer. Until then, she will be commuting to the office > starting in May to begin work with the Legal team. > > Transitions can feel uncertain, but I know that this movement is one that > is welcoming and appreciative of what new colleagues bring to our efforts. > We had hoped Michelle would stay with us as Deputy General Counsel, but > after nine years I think we all can appreciate the desire for a wikibreak > (and rumors of a new puppy!). In the meantime, Eileen and Michelle are > working together to ensure that we have a smooth transition and no balls > get dropped. I am so grateful to Michelle for her generosity of time, > attention, and care in working to make sure this transition supports the > Legal team, the Foundation, and the movement. > > We will publish a formal public announcement closer to Eileen’s first day. > Until then, please join me in welcoming Eileen and thanking Michelle for > her years of commitment to our movement. > > Yours, > Katherine > > -- > Katherine Maher > > Wikimedia Foundation > 149 New Montgomery Street > San Francisco, CA 94105 > > +1 (415) 839-6885 ext. 6635 > +1 (415) 712 4873 > kmaher@wikimedia.org > _______________________________________________ > 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, > mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe -- Lane Rasberry user:bluerasberry on Wikipedia 206.801.0814 lane@bluerasberry.com