Language capabilities (language and level of proficiency): fr-Native en-5 de-3 es-3 it-2
Regional experiences: Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia Latin America and the Caribbeans Northern America (US and Canada) Northern and Western Europe Sub-Saharan Africa
What experience do you have participating on committees, within or outside the Wikimedia movement?
I was in the team that founded the Chapters Committee, precursor to the Affiliations Committee. I was also one of the first elected members of the FDC the Funds Dissemination Committee, before supporting that committee as a Program officer, employed by the Wikimedia Foundation, from 2016 to 2020. I also have been part for several years of the German UWC selection committee, a committee that recruits young people on merit to attend one of the 18 international schools of the UWCs movement.
What skills, experience, or perspective would you bring or contribute to the committee, if appointed?
For the past 18 years, I have been an organizer in Wikimedia and have concentrated on governance and organizational development. Both as a volunteer and as staff, I have been committed to making sure that Wikimedia is representative of the world and the knowledge we aspire to gather and make available to all. I am bringing a thorough understanding and experience of non-profit governance, but also a curiosity for new ways of organizing and doing good work that we may but have explored yet. I also have a good knowledge of community building and support, acquired as I worked with many user groups and chapters in our movement to develop their strategy and programs. I have board experience and have served on the board of Wikimedia France and Wikimedia Deutschland in the past, I am currently serving as treasurer on the board of Wikifranca, the francophone Wikimedia association. I am also an adviser to the CEE hub, where I advise the steering committee and the hub coordinator on various matters, from conflict resolution to grant writing to organizational development or HR matters. I have moved to human resources 3 years ago and have a good understanding of that part of organizational development: How does a community and an organisation evolve and thrive. I am currently studying Change Management at INSEAD and bring the knowledge of accompanying organizations and systems through uncertain and challenging times, but also through natural evolution and change.
Is there any other pertinent information that you would like us to take into account when reviewing your application?
I was a staff member at the Wikimedia Foundation twice. I was the chapters coordinator from 2007 to 2008 and worked as Program Officer and then as an HR manager from 2016 to 2022. I now work for a non-profit as the People and Culture Manager (HR) and I'm responsible for HR matters for 60 people located in more than 20 countries. I have a good understanding of the role hubs could play in our movement and how, having been involved from the get go in the one being piloted at the moment (CEE) and working on researching one of the next potential hubs (Wikifranca). I have a clear vision that hubs should not be the next kind of affiliates but that they could act as the glue needed to bring affiliates together in more streamlined and cohesive approaches around a region or a theme. I believe my experience with so many Wikimedia groups over the years has given me a sound understanding of the different forms communities may take and how to recognize their potential. I also do not shy from making sure that rules are followed and that the slate of affiliates is as healthy as possible to leave room for motivated and new communities wanting to organize. On the other hand, I have been involved in conflict resolution both in the Wikimedia world (as a program officer with Wikimedia organizations, as a staff member supporting various committees - FDC and simple grants) and outside (my HR role has a lot of conflict resolution). I also have been trained as an intercultural communication trainer. I am happy to be where I am most needed, but think I might be of good use in the recognitions sub-committee, as the Affcom is looking to streamline the recognition work and potentially hand it over to a new decision-making body.
Which sub-committee are you interested in working with (Conflict Intervention, Recognitions)?: Recognitions sub-committee
What do you think are the benefits and responsibilities of functioning as formal affiliates, and when is a group of Wikimedians ready to form an affiliate?
I believe in the true spirit of why affiliates were formalized in the first place: make it easy for anyone who wants to organize, at whatever level of formality or informality, to feel they are a part of Wikimedia overall. I also think that we often forget that the benefits of having affiliates is not one way, ie. not just good for the people who organize, but it is especially good for the movement, as it allows our mission to be disseminated through the world and is a tremendous help to achieve it, in short, affiliates are not a liability but a chance for Wikimedia. There is however great work to be done in streamlining the role affiliates play in our overall governance, and in making clear what roles and responsibilities we want to give to different kind of affiliates, as well as how their status relates to how the movement supports them (financially or otherwise). I think that depending on where people are located, their context matters immensely to decide whether or not they are "ready" to form an affiliate. In my years in the movement, I have seen really big mature groups crumble or become inactive and very small groups thrive to become really important actors of our movement. I think that we need to make sure that we understand not only how people can serve us when they become an affiliate, but how our projects can serve them and the causes and local knowledge they bring with them.
Please describe your experience working with conflict resolution, and how you have helped build consensus and support diversity.
I was elected as a member of the FDC and then became support staff for that committee and later on for the simple APG committee, so I have a good experience of conflict resolution in small groups. As a program officer, I have had to work on a number of conflicts between affiliates, within affiliates, and between affiliates and community, so I have experience with that. As an intercultural trainer and HR manager I have acquired specific skills in conflict resolution. As an HR manager, I have worked on adoption of new processes and procedures in the organization, ensuring that those have been socialized and adopted by all stakeholders through consultation and discussion before they are rolled out, which require consensus building skills. I am aware of my privilege and I am working to use it to make sure that our movement represents the world and is not reproducing the existing oppressing structures of privilege. I think we're not always doing a great job at that, especially in pushing models of affiliations (membership, non profit) and volunteer, non-paid work that reflect a very Global North way of doing things. I am hoping to to work more to make sure that we meet people where they are rather than ask them to meet us where we are.
Strong support - Delphine is a wikimedian that knows our movement better than anyone. She has been here for 20 years, with a long-standing commitment, and a deep understanding of our ecosystem. She is the perfect fit for this job. Patricio.lorente (talk) 18:50, 13 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Strong support - No doubt that Delphine's many years of experience within the movement and leadership skills will be a big asset to the committee. Mahuton (talk) 18:57, 13 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Strong support - Delphine's experience and knowledge of the Wikimedia Movement are well established, and she will have a lot to contribute to this new challenge.--Geugeor Georges (talk) 19:05, 13 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Oppose I would very love to endorse Delphine, as she is maybe the most experienced wikimedian in the topic of affiliations. For now sorry, but I am not going to endorse anyone who applies for any role in WMF until they explicitly declare their commitment to the Wikimedia Foundation Guiding Principles (even if implicit commitment may be clear) or present a clear critique of them based on reasonable arguments and at least a basic proposal to improve the situation about the principles. If you answer my questions, I will wholeheartedly provide my best endorsement. Thanks for understanding ;-) --KuboF Hromoslav (talk) 22:35, 13 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you KuboF Hromoslav for pushing me to do more! I appreciate the nudge to look at those documents, yet I decided not to answer the questions because it would now feel like I am fishing for your support. The only one I will mention here is "Shared power", which I think is something our movement needs to revisit honestly. :) notafish}<';>14:20, 14 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I highly appreciate your explicit information! And I am sorry that you would feel like it is fishing for support. Please, remember, that they will be available also after the appoitment. --KuboF Hromoslav (talk) 18:51, 14 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Strong support For me, Delphine Ménard is a professional with a kind attitude. We need such people in most committees. If she is interested in this activity, I definitely support it. Juandev (talk) 00:19, 14 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Strong support Delphine brings experience, openess, strategic thinking, empathy and strong connection to the movement. She has skills and knowledge extremely relevant to this role. She would be a great asset to the commeettee. Magalia (talk) 12:22, 14 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Strong support --Michael David MILLER (talk) 01:41, 15 November 2023 (UTC) I have had the privilege to work with Delphine this past year on structuring and establishing the francophone hub, Wikifranca. In all our interactions and exchanges, her experience, empathy and leadership are always present and professional. I believe she would be extremely effective in this role and would be a perfect asset to the greater Wikimedia Movement. I am equally impressed by her multilingualism, a skill essential to intercultural communication, a core value of our global and multilingual movement.[reply]
Strong support. I am not eligible to talk about Delphine. She is one of the godfathers of the French-speaking community. --Csisc (talk) 15:20, 15 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Support, Delphine is a trusted and very experienced Wikimedian. We sometimes disagree, but there is no disagreement that she will be a perfect addition to AffComm! Nadzik (talk) 11:29, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Strong support This is a cruicial time for AffCom and the movement at large - we need to build resilient structures for the future to live up to our 2030 strategic vision and keep up with a fast changing world. Delphine will bring valuable experperience and expertise from inside and outside the Wikimedia movement into this process. --CDG (WMAT staff) (talk) 20:15, 25 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Strong support - Delphine is a wikimedian that knows our movement better than anyone. She has been here for 20 years, with a long-standing commitment, and a deep understanding of our ecosystem. She is the perfect fit for this job. Patricio.lorente (talk) 18:50, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Oppose I would very love to endorse Delphine, as she is maybe the most experienced wikimedian in the topic of affiliations. For now sorry, but I am not going to endorse anyone who applies for any role in WMF until they explicitly declare their commitment to the Wikimedia Foundation Guiding Principles (even if implicit commitment may be clear) or present a clear critique of them based on reasonable arguments and at least a basic proposal to improve the situation about the principles. If you answer my questions, I will wholeheartedly provide my best endorsement. Thanks for understanding ;-) --KuboF Hromoslav (talk) 22:35, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Support, Delphine is a trusted and very experienced Wikimedian. We sometimes disagree, but there is no disagreement that she will be a perfect addition to AffComm! Nadzik (talk) 11:29, 18 November 2023 (UTC)
