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.

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.

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.

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.

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 in outreach and communications at Vanderbilt University for nearly seven years, 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. 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.

Danielle supports Wiki Education’s financial sustainability and growth by building a portfolio of new institutional funders, including corporations, foundations, and cultural and academic institutions. A writer by temperament and a scientist by training, Danielle eventually decided she didn’t want to pursue science as a career and went in search of something else. Along the way, she accidentally discovered that institutional giving gave her ample opportunity to use her communications and analytical skills in equal measure, and never looked back. She holds a B.A. in English Literature and an M.S. in Biological Sciences, both from Smith College. In her free time, Danielle likes to write, lift weights, and see how long her cat will tolerate belly rubs.

Andrés, as the Equity Outreach Coordinator, 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.