I’m excited to announce that the Wikimedia Foundation’s new Public Policy Initiative is underway. We have hired four new staff members to get the project going: Annie Lin, LiAnna Davis, Sage Ross, and Amy Roth.
Annie, LiAnna, Sage, and Amy are already hard at work on the initiative that will help inform how to best engage new contributors in the improvement of subject-specific articles on Wikipedia. We’re in the process of lining up additional professors to participate in the program for the fall semester and preparing materials to make the pilot project (funded generously by the Stanton Foundation) a success.
As the Campus Team Coordinator, Annie Lin will work closely with university professors, students, and Wikipedia Campus Ambassadors to facilitate our outreach and in-classroom training efforts. Annie has a degree in Sociology from the University of California at Berkeley, and brings her diverse teaching and team development experiences to her new Public Policy Initiative role.
LiAnna Davis steps into the Communications Associate role with a background in online writing and editing, including experience in university communications and nonprofit issue advocacy. LiAnna will be the voice of the Public Policy Initiative, responsible for communication with professors and the Wikipedia community, including on this blog. She has an undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from the University of Puget Sound and a master’s degree in Communication, Culture, and Technology from Georgetown University.
As the former editor-in-chief of the Signpost and a longstanding contributor to Wikipedia, Sage Ross joins the team as the Online Facilitator. He has been campaigning for academic experts to get more involved with Wikipedia since joining, and he has led several Wikipedia assignments for courses at Yale University. He is an avid photographer and Wikimedia Commons contributor as well. Sage is bringing his extensive knowledge of the platform and community to recruit volunteers and facilitate communication between the existing editors and stakeholders in the project. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Oklahoma and master’s degrees in History and in the History of Science and Medicine from Yale University.
As the Research Analyst, Amy Roth will take the lead role in evaluating the process and outcomes of the project, suggesting areas for improvement along the way. Amy’s extensive experience in data analysis will enable her to ensure the initiative develops best practices through feedback from students, professors, and Wikipedia’s volunteer community. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology and Animal Science from California Polytechnic State University and her master’s in Public Policy and Administration from California State University at Sacramento.
We look forward to keeping you updated on what we learn from the Public Policy Initiative. Keep checking the blog for regular updates on our progress.
Rod Dunican, Education Programs Manager
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