SAN FRANCISCO, CA, August 18, 2014 — The Wiki Education Foundation board today announced the election of its newest member, Lorraine Hariton. She brings more than 25 years’ experience in technology industry, including serving as the CEO of two companies, Beatnik and Apptera.

“Lorraine’s deep knowledge of the technology world and extensive business development experience will be extremely beneficial to our work,” said Dr. Diana Strassmann, Carolyn and Fred McManis Distinguished Professor in the Practice at Rice University and chair of the board of the Wiki Education Foundation. “Her commitment to bringing women into technology meshes well with the Wiki Education Foundation’s desire to close the gender gap on Wikipedia.”

Hariton received her B.S. in Mathematical Sciences from Stanford and her MBA from Harvard Business School. Her career includes thin-client computing, smart grid and street lighting controls, retail payment systems, Internet audio solutions, and speech applications. She spent five years as the Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs at the US Department of State. In this role, she led initiatives for the global business community, including the Ambassador’s Direct Line Program and the Global Entrepreneurship Program. She is currently Senior Advisor for Global Partnerships at the Transnational Strategy Group.

She has served on many non-profit boards, including serving as the Chairman of Watermark and Treasurer of the State of California Board of Accountancy. She also served on  the Entrepreneur’s Foundation; the Advisory Board of the Stanford Clayman Institute for Gender Research, and the Executive Committee of the National Center for Women and Information Technology and IODA. She currently serves on the board of Wave Systems and is senior vice president of Global Partnerships at the New York Academy of Sciences.

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About the Wiki Education Foundation
The Wiki Education Foundation supports innovative uses of Wikipedia and related projects in communities of teaching, learning, and inquiry in the United States and Canada. The Foundation aims to improve the breadth, scope, and quality of Wikimedia content; enhance student information fluency; and increase the number and diversity of contributors to the free knowledge movement by engaging educators, researchers, and students. The Wiki Education Foundation has applied for 501(c)(3) charity status.

Press Contact
LiAnna Davis
+1-415-770-1061
lianna@wikiedu.org