2008-2009 AGM/Secretary/Sarah Ewart

Hi all, I'm Sarah Ewart and most of you guys will know me by that name on the WMA and Foundation mailing lists, as User:Sarah on English Wikipedia, Meta, and English Wikinews and as User:Sarah Ewart on various other Foundation projects. I became an administrator on the English Wikipedia on International Talk Like A Pirate Day (19 September) 2006. :) I have OTRS access and I moderate the English Wikipedia's unblock mailing list - unblock-en-l@wikimedia.org. I grew up in Canterbury in Victoria, finished my schooling in the US and now live on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. I've spent of my working life in various nursing-related jobs. I also have a Diploma in Ministry in Youth and Community Work and a Certificate in Children's Ministry, both of which I completed with the Melbourne College of Divinity and the Evangelical Theological Association, an association between Whitley College:The Baptist College of Victoria (a college of the University of Melbourne) and the Churches of Christ Theological College, graduating in 1995. I completed my student ministry under the Rev Tim Costello in outreach programs at St Kilda Baptist Church. I no longer work for the church but I gained a tremendous amount of experience working in and with committees and small groups. I have also completed a major in journalism as part of an Arts degree and I have professional journalist accreditation with the Australian Journalists Association (part of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance) and the International Federation of Journalists.

There are several areas of Wikimedia Australia that particularly interest me.

  • I think it's important for the in-coming committee to find ways to mobilise and empower the membership and I'm encouraged by the general interest the chapter has generated and I hope we will be a participatory chapter.
  • I'm particularly interested in media-related work within the chapter - providing information and support for members who are talking with the media and providing material in the form of press kits and such for journalists.
  • I think the chapter has a critical role to play in education and I support exploring opportunities to work with the state education departments.
  • Over the last year I have worked with MPs and the library at Australian Parliament House and I think the chapter should continue to pursue opportunities in this area, to work with members and staffers to secure release of material like images, information, etc.

I am deeply committed to the goals of the chapter and I am excited about the opportunities the chapter provides for members and Australians generally. I have enjoyed serving on the chapter's interim committee and have taken the responsibility seriously. I look forward to seeing the chapter grow in the future and becoming a strong, professional voice regarding Free Culture Works in Australia.

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