Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements
Please put your candidate statements in the appropriate section below. Feel free to add a new section to the bottom if you do not already have one.
Tango
I declare and agree that I have read and agree with Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements/Declaration. --Tango 01:48, 2 September 2008 (UTC)
I'm Thomas Dalton, I made my first (signed in, at least) edit to the English Wikipedia in December 2002 and became properly active in 2006 (I've not been the most active contributor ever recently apart from the reference desks, but I'm still very much around). I became active in the UK community about a year ago, have attended one meetup (in Birmingham) and am very active on the UK mailing list, as well as the Foundation mailing list. I fought hard to get those running the previous incarnation to either move things forward, or hand over control to those that could, and when that failed I immeadiately started working on this new attempt. My hope is to help the chapter become a functioning tool for the use of the UK community, and intend to concentrate on behind the scenes stuff and fundraising (I'll lend a hand with some of the chapter's actually activities as well, I'm sure).
In real life, I am in the 4th and final year of a Master of Mathematics degree (an undergraduate masters) at the University of Durham. I have some experience of meetings and committees from my positions as Secretary of the School Council and Deputy Head Boy at secondary school, although I have no direct experience of running companies or charities. I am, however, a quick study and have learned a lot about the subject over the past few months (and the past few days in particular).
Cfp
I declare and agree that I have read and agree with Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements/Declaration. --cfp 17:58, 1 September 2008 (UTC)
Bio and on-wiki history
I'm currently doing a doctorate in economics at the University of Oxford, and you can see my full CV here. I'm not an ultra-massive WP editor, but I fix things when I notice a problem and have the occasional flurry of compulsive editing (I have around 1000 edits on WP and 500 across the other projects). My first edit on WP under this account was in Feb 2004 and my first edit on Meta was July of the same year (I've been interested in WMF's governance and community relations since I started out pretty much). Also while working at EA I did quite a bit of media-wiki-ing on their internal documentation wiki. I arranged for Jimmy Wales to give a talk at the Oxford Internet Institute, and I like to think I may have played some small causal role in WMF getting OSI funding.
Why you should vote for me
There are two main reasons why you should vote for me. The first is that I've been involved in the discussions around WMUK from pretty much day one. (Here I am in amongst the eventual board members of WMUK 1.0 on the very first sign up list.) I've been closely involved in the discussions around the reform of WMUK 1.0 and when they fell through, with the discussions around setting up WMUK 2.0 (see, e.g. the edit history of Wikimedia UK v2.0). I'm absolutely committed to getting this organisation off the ground and doing useful work for the UK Wikimedian community.
The second is to do with our bid to host the 2010 Wikimania in Oxford, which I seem to be leading. Being on the board of WMUK would greatly help my work in getting sponsorship through enhanced reputation etc.. Also, since one of the best ways for me to ensure that the Oxford bid is successful is to ensure that WMUK 2.0 is up and running by the close of bidding, I have an added incentive to keep pushing things to happen quickly. Finally, if we are successful in our bid (and this is obviously longer term) large amounts of Wikimania money would be passing through WMUK accounts, and so it would make sense to be on the board to keep an eye on them.
I think most if not all my fellow candidates could do the required jobs as well as I could, so I will not be at all offended if you vote for them instead. --cfp 17:58, 1 September 2008 (UTC)
Skenmy
I declare and agree that I have read and agree with Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements/Declaration. It should be noted that I was recently (End of August) CRB checked for my current job. --Skenmy 19:08, 11 September 2008 (UTC)
Hi! I am Paul Williams, otherwse known as "skenmy". I'm an 18 year old ICT technician from Essex (giving me easy access to London and other southern locations). I have more descriptive bios lining my userpages (meta | wikinews), so please do look there for any more information about me as a person!
As for me as a candidate, I beleieve that my enthusiasm in getting involved in and getting WMUK v2.0 off the ground will be a valuable asset to the initial board, and possibly off into the future. I have a basic background in business accounting (through my A-level in Accounting) - but not significant enough to rely on me to manage the books. I have significant experience in running and managing meetings and discussion groups, being Chair of the Student Council and Head Boy for the 2007-2008 school year. I have experience in public speaking to both large and small groups, of strangers, peers, and managers.
I also have an interest in seeing the Oxford bid for Wikimania 2010 succeed, and a functioning WMUK would aid that greatly. I also see potential for WMUK to expand and grow - things that I can see benefiting the UK Wikimedia communities. --Skenmy 18:17, 2 September 2008 (UTC)
KTC
I declare and agree that I have read and agree with Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements/Declaration. -- KTC 00:26, 13 September 2008 (UTC)
My name is Kwan Ting Chan, and I have edited the English Wikipedia since December 2004, with some minor number of edits on other Wikimedia's wiki along the way. I was a member of the 2008 WMF's board elections committee, and as such had my identity confirmed with the foundation. I have developer access to MediaWiki, mainly as a result of updating the BoardVote extension for the 2008 board elections.
Off wiki, my experiences include being a volunteer for 4 years in a children's charity, and served on the committees of a number of societies and sport club while I was at university, including one which was a registered charity. With the Edinburgh University Students' Association, I was highly active on all sides of things, including serving as a member of its finance committee, Union committee of management, and societies' disbursement sub-committee. As a result of being on its finance committee, I was a elected trustee of the students' association, and director of its wholly owned public trading subsidiary.
While the primary objective for the initial board is in setting up the company, getting it accepted as a chapter, and registering for tax exempt status (and charitable status once that is required), it is important for the organisation to start off from day one operating with the right ethos and procedures. I believe in transparency and inclusiveness for the chapter in both its running and decision making process, and if elected, will focus my effort in ensuring the resulting chapter adopt that attitude.
And of course, I will be ensuing the resulting chapter give 100% support to our Oxford Wikimania bid! :) -- KTC 00:26, 13 September 2008 (UTC)
Kate
I declare and agree that I have read and agree with Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements/Declaration. Kate 03:28, 2 September 2008 (UTC)
Hi. I'm River Tarnell, a sometime Wikipedia editor, Wikimedia sysadmin/developer and Toolserver admin. I've been an editor and developer since 2004. I didn't have much to do with Wikimedia UK 1.0, mainly since I figured it couldn't be all that difficult to get the chapter going. Well, it turns out it's harder than it looks. I've been following the WMUK 2.0 discussion on IRC from the start, and contributed a little bit. While I don't plan to stand for the "real" board, I very much want to see a proper UK chapter happen, and I believe I can help with that.
I don't have any experience with running a company or a charity. I don't think this is an import prerequisite for the initial board, whose only task is to set things up and then hand over control to the next board.
I enjoy drinking coffee and listening to music. I live in Oxford and can easily get to Birmingham or London for board meetings.
Mike Peel
I declare that I have read and agree with Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements/Declaration (this version). Mike Peel 19:57, 3 September 2008 (UTC)
I'm currently studying for a PhD in Astronomy at Jodrell Bank / the University of Manchester, and I previously did a combined Bachelors/Masters course in Physics and Astronomy at the same university. My first edit on the English Wikipedia was on 17 March 2005 ("got irritated by a few grammar errors"); I now have made over 14,000 edits (eek), and am an administrator. I'm also active on the Commons, which I started editing on 25 July 2006, uploaded my first image on 17 August 2006, and have now uploaded close to 350 photos. I'm in for the long haul: I want to see Wikipedia or its like exist for centuries (or at least as long as I'm around for...).
I view the fundamental aim of WMUK(2) to be supporting Wikimedia activities in the UK - both a mix of home-grown ideas and ideas from other uk-based editors. I recognize that the most important thing right now is to get the chapter up and running, and want to aid that as much as possible, but think that the longer term aims should be thought about now and set in process as soon as possible.
I don't have any special knowledge of charities, but I am highly organised, with good management skills (albeit underexercised). I'm very computer literate, complete with programming and web design skills. My approach to collaborations in general is to make sure that information is widely disseminated to all involved / relevant people. I'm based in Manchester, but have a car (and access to trains!) so can easily get around. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks for reading. Mike Peel 19:57, 3 September 2008 (UTC)
Warofdreams
I declare and agree that I have read and agree with Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements/Declaration. Warofdreams 10:29, 2 September 2008 (UTC)
I am keen to see Wikimedia UK up and running as soon as possible, for the benefit of Wikimedians in the UK, the Wikimedia projects in general, and in support of the Oxford Wikimania bid. I see the board's initial priorities as setting up a functioning, open organisation with the widest possible participation.
I have been contributing to Wikipedia for five years, and have been an administrator and bureaucrat on the English language edition for much of that time. I have also contributed sporadically to Wikimedia Commons and am familiar with the range of Wikimedia projects, having seen them develop. Recently, I have been working on the bid to hold Wikimania 2010 in Oxford. I have attended various Wikipedia meetups in London and Birmingham, including the first ever.
I currently live in Sheffield, working at the University of Sheffield, and can easily attend meetings in Birmingham or northern cities. I am in London every few months and could attend meetings in the city given sufficient notice. I have worked as an administrator for the Community Media Association and for a local community radio station. Both were not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee. I attended board meetings in an administrative capacity and through this became familiar with the workings and structures of such companies, the process of appointing directors, the general requirements and process for applying for charitable status, and good practice in running board meetings. I was active in the University of Sheffield Union of Students, encouraging student participation in welfare activities, and ran unsuccessfully for the Finance Officer position, for which I became familiar with the structures of a larger, campaigning organisation and the legal framework within which it operated.
There are many excellent candidates standing for the board, and I would encourage voters to look for a variety of skills and experience in whichever combination of candidates they choose to vote for.
I am happy to.
Andrew Turvey
I declare and agree that I have read and agree with Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements/Declaration, except with regard to Criminal Records Bureau checks: I agree that if I am elected or appointed to a position which the Board decides requires a CRB check (or equivalent) I will either agree to the check or resign from the said position. AndrewRT 18:45, 11 September 2008 (UTC)
About me on wikimedia: I started editing under the name AndrewRT on the english Wikipedia in October 2005 and as you can see by this graph here I have been doing about 100 edits a month pretty much ever since! I have created over 100 articles - mostly small articles on Iraqi politicians. Most of my edits are on my pet interests including the International Criminal Court, the European Union and Politics of Iraq. On the policy side I've contributed to quite a few AFD debates, got involved in warning vandals and reporting to AIV and played a part developing some guidelines including this and this. I've also done a small amount of editing on other wikimedia projects - loading images into Commons, editing a bit on wikisource and wiktionery and a few translations on the French and German wikipedias.
About me in real life: I'm in my 30s and live in Nottingham. I work as a Chartered Accoutant, mostly doing contract work for the banking industry but also running my own accountancy practice preparing accounts and tax returns. I have a little bit of experience with charities - I was a trustee-director and secretary of an incorporated charity for a few years, and was the secretary of another for a year. I currently prepare accounts professionally for one charity as part of my accoutancy practise. I have also formed three limited companies (all for commercial enterprises), and act as Company Secretary for three more.
My focus, if elected to the initial Board will be:
- Adopting the timetable and doing our best to keep to it
- Making all Board decisions as open, transparent and consultative as possible, in particular making sure we explain all decisions we take to the community
- Using my professional experience to help the company form, register as a charity with HMRC and the Charity Commission and open a bank account.
Beyond the initial Board, I have an open mind as to what our focus should be. Two things spring to mind where I would like to contribute: first, continuing with the on-going admin that goes with being a Charitable Company. Second, lobbying the government, universities and others (in conjunction with like minded organisations) to persuade them to release more data online in free licensing so that we can use it on wikimedia projects. Thirdly, supporting the Oxford bid which sounds very exciting! I can host physical meetings here in Nottingham if that's needed.
Any questions you are welcome to put a message on my talk page here.
AndrewRT 22:02, 2 September 2008 (UTC)