About Us

Frank is leading the development of Wiki Education into a mature organization capable of delivering on its long term vision. He is responsible for the overall performance of Wiki Education and acts as the interface between the board and staff of the organization. In his free time, Frank enjoys writing Wikipedia articles, photographing wildlife, and cycling.

LiAnna oversees all of Wiki Education's programmatic activities, including development, implementation, and evaluation. She has been on our team since 2010, joining for the pilot of our program to support faculty who want to teach with Wikipedia. She has a master's degree in Communication, Culture, and Technology from Georgetown University, and a bachelor's in Communication Studies from the University of Puget Sound. When she's not working, LiAnna enjoys watching baseball, hiking, drinking craft beers, and traveling the world. She lives with her husband, twins, and dog in San Francisco.

As Chief Administration and Financial Officer, Jordan works directly with Senior Leadership to build budgets, create financial forecasts, and make strategic recommendations, ensuring financial sustainability for the organization. Jordan appreciates the collaborative role of teamwork, having owned two financial firms in addition to her experience serving over 500 businesses in and outside of the Bay Area and developing the next generation of accountants. Jordan holds a BFA from University of California, Santa Cruz - her focus was on Intermedia Arts with a penchant for Political Theory courses (particularly in the ethics of governing). In her off-time, you can find Jordan in beautiful natural spaces  - on around water - kayaking, sailing, swimming or beachside. She equally enjoys connecting with friends and helping build community by working with small businesses and upstarts to navigate the current economic climate.

Sage is responsible for developing technology that makes it easier to do Wikipedia classroom assignments and do them well. As User:Ragesoss, Sage has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2005. He’s written featured articles, served as editor of The Wikipedia Signpost, and joined the Wikimedia Foundation in 2010 for the pilot of the education program. Most recently, he’s been developing our Dashboards technology and developing the training modules for students and educators. He has a passion for acoustic music. Sage, his wife Faith, and their children Brighton and Everly, live in Seattle.

Lauren works on Wiki Education's institutional giving portfolio. This includes grant projects, foundation relations, and new strategic partnerships. Lauren previously led institutional giving work at nonpartisan nonprofit think tanks such as the Milken Institute. She holds a Bachelor's degree from The George Washington University and a Master's degree from the University of Southern California. Lauren lives in Los Angeles and enjoys fine arts, traveling, and following Formula 1 racing.

As Senior Program Manager, Wikipedia Student Program, Helaine develops relationships with instructors to deepen our support for program activities. Helaine is responsible for mentoring the instructors who teach Wikipedia classroom assignments. She ensures that instructors are well-supported throughout their Wikipedia assignment and helps them navigate Wiki Education's robust set of resources. Helaine has a Ph.D. in history and brings extensive experience in higher education and academia to Wiki Education. She has a passion for languages and sci-fi and fantasy novels and is an avid chef with “strong” feelings about food. True to her New York roots, she's determined that her daughters, Nina and Maxine, can spot a good bagel from a mile away.

As Executive Assistant Administrator, Sovannlyly supports the Executive Director and CFO in organizational needs and administrative tasks. In addition to her role at Wiki Education, she works full time at her family’s cafe as assistant manager and barista/baker. She helps hire, train employees, and set standards to maintain efficiency and high operational outputs. In 2022, Sovannlyly graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. During her time off, Sovannlyly likes to be with her friends and family, exploring nature. She also likes to go on walks in San Francisco to take photos of beautiful, interesting plants, birds, and architecture.

Kathleen helps ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Wiki Education's operations and programs. She builds new relationships, stewards ongoing engagement with all funders, and ensures that Wiki Education's supporters and partners receive timely ongoing communications, acknowledgment, and appropriate donor recognition opportunities. She brings many years of fundraising experience from the medical research non-profit world. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English and double minors in Environmental Studies and Economics from St. Mary's College of Maryland. Kathleen has a variety of passions including creative writing, traveling to new places, hiking with her husband, and caring for her three kitties.

Kelly collaborates with cultural heritage professionals to expand the representation of American history on Wikipedia. With over a decade of experience in the Wikimedia and GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) sectors, Kelly is deeply passionate about bridging gaps in the cultural narrative and ensuring that diverse voices are represented in the digital space. Prior to joining Wiki Education, Kelly worked at the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, where she focused on addressing Wikipedia's gender gap and amplifying the achievements of women in the US. Her expertise in digital equity and her commitment to inclusive knowledge-sharing have been central to her career. Outside of work, Kelly enjoys exploring new restaurants, crafting pottery in her garage studio, and spending time at the local beaches of Charleston, South Carolina, where she lives with her husband and daughter.

As Wikipedia Expert, Brianda supports students, faculty, and professionals as they learn to improve content on Wikipedia. Before Wiki Education, Brianda has worked in the education & nonprofit realm to support youth in historically marginalized communities in different capacities, starting with Cal State Fullerton’s Upward Bound program, and then at the Opus Project with the San Diego Youth Symphony. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and a minor in Latin American studies from UCLA. Brianda is based out of Los Angeles. In her free time, you can find her exploring the streets of LA on her 2-wheeled steed, tracking down the tastiest chicken in Ktown, or grooving to live music somewhere in the greater SoCal lands.

Melissa Joseph is serving as our part-time Scholars & Scientists Outreach Coordinator. She recruits subject matter experts to take part in a series of courses on Wikipedia and Wikidata. Melissa's honed her outreach skills in past work as a college affordability advisor for a nonprofit. When she's not working for Wiki Education, Melissa is a professional opera singer who recently made her debut at Opera Philadelphia as Musetta in La Boheme, then went on to cover the title role of Treemonisha at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and was a Steans Fellow at the Ravinia Music Festival in Highland Park, IL. She has bachelor's and master's degree in Music from Georgia State University. Outside of singing, Melissa enjoys spending time with friends and family, discovering new food/bubble tea spots, and traveling.

As the Scholars & Scientists Program Manager, Will runs online courses all about Wikipedia and Wikidata. The Wikipedia courses aim to address content gaps with subject specific knowledge from professors and other professionals. The Wikidata courses provide a foundation for new Wikidata community members as well as help those with projects to advance their work. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University in Anthropology and a masters degree from the University of Illinois in Library and Information Science. His past professional lives include working as a college access advocate and being a librarian among others. Will spends his free time scurrying around the bay area, exploring neighborhoods, cooking, and bridging the gap between real life and the internet. Please say hello if you see him.

Colleen supports communications across our departments, including outreach to partners, the Wiki Education blog and social media channels, and key projects for the Wikipedia Student Program’s Knowledge Equity initiative. Prior to Wiki Education, she held positions at Vanderbilt University in Latin American Studies and the Office of Undergraduate Education, working closely with faculty, students, and communities across the country. Colleen also taught public school in Spain and worked in hospitality in Australia – she’s always up for an adventure. She holds a bachelor's degree in International Studies and Spanish, a bachelor's degree in Integrated Strategic Communications, and an M.Ed in International Education Policy and Management. In her free time, Colleen enjoys traveling, kayaking, hiking, and dreaming up new DIY projects for her home in Nashville.

Ian work supports students, faculty, and professionals as they learn to improve content on Wikipedia. With more than 20 years of experience teaching in higher education and almost two decades of experience as a volunteer Wikipedia contributor, he found vocation and avocation intersect in his role at Wiki Education, where he supports learners and helps build curriculum and training resources to support them. As a Wikipedian since 2004 and an administrator since 2005, he is an expert on Wikipedia’s history, processes, and culture. His contributions to Wikipedia focus primarily on the history and culture of Trinidad and Tobago, and on topics related to biology, ecology, and sustainability. Ian is an ecologist by training with a Ph.D. from Michigan State University and a B.Sc. from the University of the West Indies. He is part of the leadership team of Wikimedians of the Caribbean. His hobbies include gardening and fish keeping.

Andrés oversees the targeted outreach for courses in equity content areas and the inclusion of diverse institutions in the Wikipedia Student Program. He uses our program's existing network of instructor advocates to encourage colleagues who teach courses related to race, gender, sexuality, disability, and other equity-related disciplines at other institutions to teach with Wikipedia. Andrés brings a unique perspective to Wiki Education. He has worked as a music teacher, a music ensemble manager, and a freelance community development professional. He holds a bachelor's degree, master's degree, and a professional diploma in Music performance and regularly performs around the world as a concert cellist.