I am sad to let you know that Luis Villa, our lead for the Community Engagement department, will be leaving the Wikimedia Foundation. A year ago, Luis took on a big challenge, transitioning from the Legal Department to lead the newly created Community Engagement organization. In that role, Luis and our teams were tasked with many recent community initiatives, such as the creation of the Community Tech team, gender-related and anti-harassment programs, and improved alignment of WMF annual planning with the Funds Dissemination Committee. Prior to that, as Deputy General Counsel he was responsible for a number of legal initiatives, including licensing, contracts, and product counseling. I’m grateful for his counsel, and his leadership in the WMF movement throughout these years.

Later this month, Luis will transition out of his current position with the Wikimedia Foundation to pursue other opportunities. He will remain in a consulting role with the Foundation over the next few months, continuing to support our ongoing strategy and annual planning processes.

[...]

Maggie Dennis [a.k.a. Moonriddengirl] will step in as the interim director for the CE team effective immediately. Her deep community background, passion for our mission, and outstanding teamwork are great assets in this transition. She will also continue to serve as Director of Support and Safety. Maggie is a respected leader, colleague, and community member. I am confident she will bring critical insights, especially now as we plan for our next year.