Software Engineer & Open Knowledge Advocate

Sammy Fox they/them

Building tools for the communities that build knowledge - at the Wikimedia Foundation, and across the open web.

I'm a software engineer with over seven years of experience, currently working at the Wikimedia Foundation on the Community Tech team - where I help implement community-requested technical features across Wikipedia and its sister projects.

What makes that role particularly meaningful is that I've been part of the Wikimedia community as a volunteer for over 14 years. I've served as a global Steward and Wikipedia functionary, so I understand the community I'm building for in a way that goes beyond a job description.

Alongside engineering, I have a genuine applied interest in community governance, open source moderation, and the principle of radical transparency in organisations. I believe the voice of contributors should be dramatically louder than it currently is - and I'm fairly opinionated about it.

I'm also somewhat obsessed with foxes, if that's relevant to your decision-making process.

2022 - present
Current

Software Engineer

Wikimedia Foundation

Implementing community-requested technical features as part of the Community Tech team. Working closely with volunteers across Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects to understand, prioritise, and deliver meaningful improvements - drawn from the annual Community Wishlist Survey.

2023 - 2024
Past

Trustee / Board of Directors

Wikimedia UK

Elected to the board of trustees of Wikimedia UK, the charitable affiliate supporting the Wikimedia movement in the United Kingdom. Contributed to governance, strategy, and the organisation's mission of ensuring open access to knowledge.

until 2022
Past

Wikipedia Steward & Functionary

Wikimedia / English Wikipedia

Served as a global Steward across Wikimedia projects - one of a small group of trusted volunteers with cross-wiki administrative access - as well as a functionary on the English Wikipedia. Part of the broader Wikimedia community for over 14 years.

⚙️

Community-driven Engineering

Building software shaped by the people who use it - not just product managers or roadmaps. Deeply familiar with the Wikimedia wishlist and community feedback loops.

🏛️

Open Source Governance

Practical, opinionated thinking on how open source communities should be structured, heard, and represented - particularly within large organisations.

🔍

Radical Transparency

A strong advocate for organisations - charitable and otherwise - being genuinely open about how they make decisions and who they're accountable to.

🌐

Open Knowledge

14+ years as a Wikimedian. Deeply invested in the idea that freely accessible, community-maintained knowledge is one of the best things the internet has produced.

A selection of things I've built outside of work - tools, minisites, and libraries.

Let's work
together

I'm selectively available for freelance software engineering work alongside my role at the Wikimedia Foundation. I'm particularly drawn to projects where the work has genuine public benefit - but I'm happy to have a conversation if something doesn't fit neatly into that box.

Get in touch →
Especially interested in
  • 🌍  Open data & open knowledge projects
  • 🛠️  Digital public goods & civic tech
  • 🏛️  Non-profits, charities & affiliates
  • 📦  Open source tooling & infrastructure
  • 🌐  Wikimedia ecosystem projects
Availability

Short-term and project-based engagements preferred. Open to longer arrangements for the right project. Remote only.

I occasionally write about Wikimedia, open source communities, and governance - usually when I have something to say that I can't fit into a fediverse post. Community moderation, radical transparency, and the structural politics of open knowledge tend to be recurring themes.

Read the blog →
GitHub @theresnotime
Wikidata Q110242813