[Wikimedia-l] [Wikimedia Announcements] Leaving the Wikimedia Foundation

[Steven Zhang]

Hi Barry,

It may not mean much, but I wanted to express my gratitude to you for all the hard work you've done over the past two years, both for the Foundation and for the entire Wikimedia movement. When you leave, I think your successor will have big shoes to fill.

As you know, I'm in Australia (though one day I may find myself relocating to the US if I was brought on permanently) and we have a strong community with the Australian chapter. Whereabouts in Australia are you moving to?

Steve Zhang
Community Fellow, Wikimedia Foundation
szhang at wikimedia.org

On 08/08/2012, at 4:41 AM, Barry Newstead <bnewstead at wikimedia.org> wrote:

> Dear Wikimedia friends and colleagues,
> 
> It is bittersweet for me to share with all of you that I will be leaving
> the Wikimedia Foundation at the end of August to relocate to Australia for
> personal reasons.
> 
> It is difficult for me to leave Wikimedia and particularly leave the Global
> Development team, which I’ve had the pleasure of building and leading over
> the past two years. I am proud of what we have accomplished in raising the
> priority of much of the globe within the Wikimedia movement, strengthening
> our mobile strategy and education program, globalizing communications, and
> tackling the difficult movement roles issues that I hope can be put in the
> past. It hasn’t been easy or uncontroversial, but I truly believe that we
> are heading in the right direction.
> 
> One of the great joys of my work has been the opportunity to travel and
> meet many amazing Wikipedians and to share the Wikimedia story with the
> world. It is so inspiring to hear first hand how much people love our
> projects and the amazing things that so many people do in support of the
> movement. This is what helped me survive the many long flights and
> jetlag-filled nights.  It was an honour representing the Wikimedia
> Foundation and often the Wikimedia movement in so many places.
> 
> I am confident that the Global Development work will thrive with the team
> in place and with all of the dedicated community members who see us as
> partners. I look forward to becoming a volunteer member of the movement and
> supporting the work in new ways. Sue will share plans for the transition
> shortly.
> 
> Many thanks to all who have supported me and our work.
> 
> Kind regards,
> Barry
> 
> -- 
> Barry Newstead
> Chief Global Development Officer
> Wikimedia Foundation
> 
> Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in
> the sum of all knowledge.  Help us make it a reality!
> 
> Donate to Wikimedia <https://donate.wikimedia.org/>
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