Wikimedia Foundation welcomes Rena Kokalari as new Chief People Officer

4 August 2026, San Francisco - The Wikimedia Foundation, the global nonprofit that operates Wikipedia, today announced the appointment of Rena Kokalari as its new Chief People Officer.

Rena brings more than 25 years of experience leading People and Culture teams across humanitarian, technology, finance, and media sectors. Most recently, Rena advised mission-driven organizations through RK People Strategy & Advisory, a management consultancy that specializes in human resources (HR) advising, organizational design, and talent strategy. Prior to this, Rena spent more than 13 years at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global nonprofit that supports people affected by conflict and disaster. There, she rose through the organization to lead People and Culture for 2,000 employees across 27 countries as its Head of People and Culture. In earlier roles at the organization, she led HR across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, overseeing people strategy across challenging global conflict and displacement contexts.

"At the Wikimedia Foundation, people are our greatest strength. For our next Chief People Officer, it was essential to find a leader who can recognize and invest in that strength, and I'm thrilled to say we've found it in Rena," said Bernadette Meehan, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation. "Rena has been a senior people and culture leader working across some of the most complex global environments, and I'm excited to bring her expertise and empathetic leadership to help steward this next chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation."

"I've spent my career supporting people to do their absolute best work, and I've seen the collective impact individuals can have when you equip them to succeed. I've long been an admirer of Wikipedia, and I'm eager to join an organization and mission that's a shining example of the incredible power of what humans can achieve together," said Rena.

Prior to her time at IRC, Rena built the people function at FTEN, a financial technology company, working directly with its founders through the company's acquisition by Nasdaq. Before this, Rena held HR roles at both Condé Nast and MeadWestvaco. She holds a Master of Science in Global Affairs from New York University and bachelor's degrees in political science and sociology from Ithaca College.

Rena succeeds Courtney Bass Sherizen, who announced in April 2026 that she was stepping down as Chief People Officer.

As Chief People Officer, Rena will be responsible for cultivating the Wikimedia Foundation's leadership culture, talent strategy, and employee experience, ensuring the organization's nearly 700 staff around the world have the support, clarity, and opportunities they need to succeed. She will join the organization officially on 1 September 2026.

About the Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation is the nonprofit that operates Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. We support the people, technology, and policies that enable reliable information to be shared with the world. The Wikimedia Foundation is a United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with offices in San Francisco, California, USA.