For three years, I reported to Geoff, along with my team. I knew he was a
brilliant lawyer, even before I went into it. I did not know that he was a
brilliant manager. and he is. He challenged me and taught me skills that I
use daily. He set an exceptionally high standard and accepted nothing less.
But he always smiled and cared about each of us deeply.
YouTube is very lucky to get him. This movement will never be quite the
same. Stay in touch, my friend.
Philippe
(Former minion and lackey)
On Wednesday, July 13, 2016, Kat Walsh <kat(a)mindspillage.org> wrote:
Geoff,
I remember having the great pleasure of welcoming you to Wikimedia and
helping introduce you to the culture and challenges of a very unusual
organization, and later having the great pleasure of working with you
as you served as a keystone of its leadership.
It would be impossible to thank you enough for everything you've
done--all of the public work that has been justly recognized and
applauded, and the iceberg of invisible work that comes with the role
that will never be publicly recognized, but which deserves the
recognition just as much. (And a particular thanks for all of your
work with the board, which I know came with its own set of
challenges!) The legal department is not always greatly loved in any
organization, and frequently not one that gets to be a champion of the
mission itself, but you have made this happen at WMF. Your insight and
guidance, your legal experience, your leadership, and your dedication
to the people and the principles of the movement have all been
invaluable. And your commitment to building the organization and the
people in it means you leave the legal department in good hands;
congratulations to Michelle and Stephen on their new roles.
And finally, for me personally, you have been a great mentor and a
great friend. Best of luck in your new position; they are lucky to
have you.
-Kat
On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 2:25 PM, Geoff Brigham <gbrigham(a)wikimedia.org
<javascript:;>> 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.brigham(a)gmail.com <javascript:;>.
With respect, admiration, and gratitude,
Geoff
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