SAN FRANCISCO, CA, June 20, 2014 – Karen Ostrum George has been elected to the board of directors of the Wiki Education Foundation. George has served on a number of other organizations’ boards and has a background in assisting start-ups.

An associate with Texas-based private investment firm Ralph S. O’Connor & Associates since 1987, George works primarily with closely held and start-up companies. She currently serves on the boards of the non-profits The Women’s Home and HSPVA Friends. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Resource of Greater Houston.  She is past Chair of the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast and a past Board Trustee of The Ensemble Theatre.

“Karen’s knowledge of getting new organizations off the ground and her experience as a board member for several other non-profits will be incredibly useful to me and the other Wiki Education Foundation board members,” 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.

George received a BA from Rice University and a Master of Accounting from the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice. A Certified Public Accountant, she began her career at Ernst & Young and served as Vice President and Controller of Highland Resources, Inc., before moving to Ralph S. O’Connor & Associates.  At Rice University, George is a Trustee Emerita, past president of the Association of Rice Alumni, and currently serves on the Council of Overseers of the Jones Graduate School of Business as well as a number of other boards on campus.  In 2002, she was honored with the Meritorious Service Award, given to members of the Rice community who have significantly contributed to the enrichment of Rice.

“I look forward to using my background in academia, nonprofits, and start-ups to further the mission of the Wiki Education Foundation,” said George. “The student editors at Rice University have dramatically improved coverage on Wikipedia, especially in articles about women’s issues, something that aligns with my personal interests and passions. I am eager to see the impact of this program spread to even more universities in the United States and Canada.”

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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, Head of Communications and External Relations
+1-415-770-1061
liannawikiedu.org