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Wikimedia hires open-source veteran as CTO

Danese Cooper, a former open-source community specialist at Sun and Intel, now will work on technology for Wikipedia and other projects.

Stephen Shankland Former Principal Writer
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
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Stephen Shankland
Danese Cooper Benjy Feen

The Wikimedia Foundation, publisher of Wikipedia and other online sites, has hired open-source veteran Danese Cooper as chief technology officer.

Cooper "will be responsible for developing and executing Wikimedia's technical strategy and leading its technology team. This includes ensuring the Wikimedia sites, including Wikipedia, operate smoothly as readership continues to grow, as well as driving the continuing innovation of Wikimedia's software platform to service Wikimedia readers and editors," the foundation said in a statement.

Cooper's open-source work took her to Sun Microsystems from 1999 to 2005, then to Intel until 2009, and most recently to REvolution Computing.

"In order to continue successfully serving hundreds of millions of readers in hundreds of countries and languages, Wikimedia depends on an active community of volunteers to develop and localize the software. I'm counting on Danese to grow and develop that network," said Sue Gardner, executive director at Wikimedia Foundation, in a statement.