The Iconic Leader of an Iconic Platform - Maryana Iskander, CEO of Wikimedia
Trailblazing Woman - the force behind free knowledge!
One of my earliest memories of the internet is discovering Wikipedia—a huge treasure trove of knowledge I could access through our dial-up connection. If someone had told me back then that one day I’d not only meet but also get to host Maryana Iskander, the CEO of Wikimedia Foundation—the organization behind Wikipedia and other amazing projects—at NY Icons, I would’ve thought they were joking.
Within minutes of meeting Maryana, I felt like I’d known her my entire life—someone I could tell everything. The way she puts everyone at ease and makes them feel heard is truly remarkable. Meeting someone like Maryana reminds me how blessed I am—I must be doing something right in life 💫
Huge thanks to Maryana for joining us at NY Icons 🚀 🫶 Wanted to share a few takeaways from our insightful conversation:
👉 Having any say in the work you do is a privilege—something not everyone has—so it’s worth appreciating.
📕 The way we learn is changing so fast, the most important skill now is learning how to learn.
⚡ Find leaders who inspire you and let them guide your journey.
🪐 Sometimes, life takes you exactly where you need to be, even if it’s not where you planned.
🌊 Leave your role on a high note, with the organization thriving, to show it can succeed without you.
👂 Listening is a superpower that’s way too underrated.
💡 Real strength comes from the shared wisdom of an organization, not just its leaders.
👥 Culture isn’t what’s written on the wall; it’s what people actually do.
🎯 The better you know yourself, the easier it is to make the right decisions.
📍 Change happens from within—people are the most valuable part of any organization.
🌱 Think about how to get volunteers more engaged and excited, especially for those big behind-the-scenes roles.
🎈 Make sure volunteers feel seen and appreciated—it keeps them motivated and connected.
🔥 As AI becomes more prominent, it’s important to honor and encourage the contributions of real people.
🔎 When choosing work and leaders, focus on what brings you joy and lines up with your values.
📌 Stay humble, keep learning, and make choices that feel true to who you are and what you want.
Huge thanks to my best co-host - Ben Gusberg (a.k.a. my bestie) – I could not have asked for a better partner to build our community with, you da best! And shout out to our community organizers – Mehak Dinesh and Gabriel Casalduc – we have so many great plans for our NY Icons members! 🤩
Many thanks to our sponsor Airi Hammalov at Baker McKenzie for all her support and friendship which make these events possible ❤️
And last but not least, excited to see some of our loyal members, including Sonny Vo Albert Rodriguez Deborah Storz Jacob Pressman Asli Gulcur Megan W. Lu Marcos Casal Sevde Kaldiroglu Kenneth Wang Daniel Wu Yan Jin Dr. Marina Domracheva Noah Sheinbaum Ruchir Shah Frederico Padilha Leila Pirbay Rolland He Gelila Bekele Imani Parker-Fong Monique Malcolm-Hay
