Katherine Maher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katherine Maher
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Maher in 2016
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| 4th Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation | |
| In office March 2016 – 29 January 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Lila Tretikov |
| Succeeded by | Position disestablished |
| 1st Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation | |
| In office 30 January 2019 – April 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Maryana Iskander |
| President and CEO of NPR | |
| Assumed office 2024 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Katherine Roberts Maher
April 18, 1983 Wilton, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Ashutosh Upreti
(m. 2023) |
| Parents |
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| Education | New York University (BA) |
| Occupation | Non-profit executive |
Katherine Roberts Maher (born April 18, 1983) is an American leader in non-profit organizations. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Public Radio (NPR). Before joining NPR, she was the CEO of Web Summit and led the board of directors at the Signal Foundation. She also used to be the CEO and Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation, which is the group behind Wikipedia.
Maher is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a group that discusses international issues. She has worked for several important organizations like UNICEF, the National Democratic Institute, the World Bank, and Access Now. She also joined the Atlantic Council and advised the United States Department of State on foreign policy.
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Early Life and Education
Katherine Maher grew up in Wilton, Connecticut. She went to Wilton High School. Her mother, Ceci Maher, is also a non-profit leader and was elected to the Connecticut State Senate in 2022.
After high school, Maher studied Arabic at The American University in Cairo in 2003. She said this experience helped her become interested in the Middle East. She also studied in Syria and spent time in Lebanon and Tunisia. In 2005, she earned a bachelor's degree from New York University. Her studies focused on the Middle East and Islamic cultures.
Katherine Maher's Career Journey
From 2007 to 2010, Maher worked at UNICEF in New York City. She helped with new ideas and communication projects.
Between 2010 and 2013, she worked at the National Democratic Institute and the World Bank. Her work focused on how technology could help with international development and making countries more democratic. In 2012, her social media posts about the Middle East were noticed for their coverage of the Arab Spring events.
From 2013 to 2014, Maher was an advocacy director at Access Now. She worked on how laws about online safety and free speech affect people. She focused on preventing government censorship. Access Now was a supporter of the Declaration of Internet Freedom.
Leading the Wikimedia Foundation
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Katherine Maher became the chief communications officer of the Wikimedia Foundation in April 2014. This foundation supports Wikipedia and other free knowledge projects. In March 2016, she became the interim executive director. She was officially appointed as the executive director and CEO on June 23, 2016.
Maher left her roles at the Wikimedia Foundation on April 15, 2021. Maryana Iskander took over as her successor. Maher believes in making digital information available to everyone. She thinks this helps protect people's right to information through technology.
Other Leadership Roles
From 2022 to 2023, Maher was part of the US State Department's Foreign Affairs Policy Board. This group advises US officials. As of 2023, she leads the board of directors for the Signal Foundation. This foundation supports the Signal messaging app, known for its privacy features. She also chairs the board of Adventure Scientists, a non-profit organization. In October 2023, she was named the new chief executive of Web Summit, a large technology conference.
Leading National Public Radio
In January 2024, Katherine Maher was chosen to be the CEO of NPR. She started her new job in late March 2024. After this, she left the Foreign Affairs Policy Board but continued on the Signal Foundation board. She also became a non-executive chairperson at Web Summit in March 2024.
In April 2024, an NPR editor wrote an article that discussed concerns about NPR's news coverage. Following this, some people criticized Maher for comments she had made in 2018 and 2021. Maher defended NPR's work. She stated that her comments about the First Amendment were misunderstood. She also said she strongly believes in the First Amendment, which protects free speech.
In May 2024, a committee from the U.S. House of Representatives asked Maher to speak about NPR. They were looking into concerns about the organization. Maher could not attend due to another meeting. Later that month, Maher announced a new editing group for NPR called "the Backstop." Some employees were concerned about this new group. They worried it might make the news process less clear or slow things down.
In August 2024, Maher suggested that her gender might have played a role in some of the public attention she received after becoming NPR CEO.
Personal Life
Katherine Maher married Ashutosh Upreti in July 2023. He is a former lawyer for companies like Lyft and Apple.
Honors
- In 2013, The Diplomatic Courier magazine recognized Maher as one of 99 top foreign policy professionals under age 33.
See also
In Spanish: Katherine Maher para niños
- List of Wikipedia people
