Founder • Chair of the Board • Co-Executive Director
Isla has been working as a Wikipedian since 2011, activating Africa’s collective voice and experiences on the Wikimedia and Open movements. She co-leads ground-breaking Africa-focused projects such as Wiki Loves Africa, Wiki Loves Women, WikiAfrica Hour, African Environment WikiFocus, ISA Tool, WikiFundi, and WikiChallenge Écoles d’Afrique. She also works part-time as Director of Communications for Open Education Global.
Isla is a project and communications strategist, a Zimbabwean by birth and a Capetonian (South Africa) by adoption. She is passionate about open access to Africa’s knowledge and facilitating the growth of previously under-represented or ‘invisible’ communities to share their stories, experiences, creativity, and heritage with the world. Prior to her involvement in Wikimedia, she worked to promote Africa’s filmmakers, writers, poets, musicians, and artists.
In 2019, Isla was a member of the Advocacy Working Group for the completed Wikimedia Movement Strategy 2030. In 2020, she researched, wrote, and published an analytical report on the motivations, needs, expectations, and philosophical intentions of Creative Commons’ Global Network members. The report is compiled from the thoughts and experiences of 188 Creative Commoners members.
Prior to working within the WikiAfrica movement, she was the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Africa Centre, raising the brand and national profile of event-based arts brands. Prior to that, she worked as a writer to accelerate and support the growth of Africa’s film industry both as a skilled destination and a burgeoning creative force.