Philippe Beaudette
Philippe Beaudette, Director of Community Advocacy
Philippe Beaudette
Director, Community Advocacy, Wikimedia Foundation
"Where else in the world can you have a job that lets you support the people who change the way that the world uses information? It's an amazing job."

About me

I first joined the Wikimedia Foundation staff as Facilitator of the Strategic Planning project in July 2009. At the completion of the strategic planning project, I became Head of Reader Relations, and led the 2010 Annual Giving campaign. In February 2012, I was promoted to Director of Community Advocacy and assigned to the Legal and Community Advocacy team. With my team, I transferred to the newly formed Community Engagement team in February, 2015.

Prior to becoming a staff member I was a three-year member of the Board of Trustees Election Committee, a two-year administrator for the English Wikipedia, and volunteered for the Volunteer response team.

Outside Wikimedia, I have a background in American electoral politics, where I have worked as Deputy Campaign Manager, Operations Manager and Technology Director on a number of state and federal campaigns, as well as for the non-profit Progressive Alliance Foundation. I have also worked as a technology consultant in the for-profit sector in the United States, Italy and the United Kingdom.

My username on the projects is "Philippe (WMF)" - so, for instance, on the English Wikipedia, I'm found here, in my professional capacity. My personal username is found here.

My work

My role is to serve as an advocate for and to the Wikimedia community. The natural question is "from whom", and I joke that the answer is "yes". Seriously, I like to engage myself in areas where I think selective and targeted staff interaction can make a difference. In addition to my own team, I previously also headed the Community Liaison team, until the Director of Community Engagement (Product) was hired. Of course, they're now part of the Community Engagement Department as well.

Disclaimer: I work for the Wikimedia Foundation, and this is the account I intend to use for edits or statements I make in that role. However, the Foundation does not vet all my activity, so edits, statements, or other contributions made by this account may not reflect the views of the Foundation.

Contact me