Jay Walsh, Head of Communications

jwalsh@wikimedia.org

JayAnsonVV (that's two v's) IRC

Planning Priorities

Enhanced use of the comcom and other highly capable volunteers
Revisit comproj and comcom capacity
- volunteers as pitch drivers for stories
Environmental analyses to support planning and speaking
Long-view communications planning calendar
Apply social media-friendly announcement techniques
Messaging and strategic comms support for Wikimania 09
Review language use - new guidelines
- plain language
- easy to translate
- short, basic, functional

Technical Priorities

RSS feeds on the WMF news/info feeds
Strategic announcement packages (i.e. Kaltura_announcement)
- backgrounds, Q/A, audience, timing
detailed list of WMF-wide media activity, media calls, invus etc. (on meta)
review and establish announcement checklist

Substantive Activities

press relations overview and management
co-ordination of volunteers
writing/editorial management for WMF comms products
communications guidance to WMF staff, board
media relations training
development of communications systems and processes

About me

I suppose there's something to learn about me in my del.icio.us bookmarks.

I join the WMF after spending just over two years in Issues Management and Public Relations with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - the national, English public broadcaster in Canada (Radio Canada is the French equivalent). I worked closely with programming heads, admin folks, and our fairly huge communications staff to ensure effective and transparent internal and external communications. Essentially, that means helping senior management talk about major change issues (new shows, end of shows, labour issues, government decisions etc), and providing strategic (there's word you'll see me overuse) analyses about our media/public environment to aid in decision making. I spent a lot of time at CBC helping senior management and executives build up a tolerance and comfort level with the emerging world of social media and interactivity.

Previously I worked in a string of Canadian federal government communications management roles. Working mostly out of Ontario regional offices in Toronto I worked for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (ministry that manages programs, policy and financing for Canada's First Nations people), Health Canada, National Defence (specifically the Land Force/Army in Ontario), and Justice Canada (the Attorney General's office). Previous to my time in government I worked in communications and development with Halifax's Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, probably Canada's oldest and most respected school for art study, and the birthplace of conceptual art in the great north.

In the "if only it paid, but I'm glad it doesn't" department I've also done a lot of pro-bono and leadership with the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation, primarily as a team leader and PR head for their major annual fundraiser, the Friends for Life Bike Rally. I've spent over four years working with the foundation and the event - it's where I had my eyes opened to the power of driven, smart, and compassionate people with a goal in their targets.

When I'm not at work, and probably sometimes when I am, I dream about marathons, distance cycling, and hiking. I take pictures when I remember my camera, and I build an ever-mounting pile of unpublished story/novel/script pitches. I don't have the brain nor patience to be one, but I'm a fanatic of contemporary art and will always direct my attention to galleries and big movements. In June 2007 I joyfully slogged through the Grand Tour pilgrimage of the Venice Bienalle, Documenta, and Muenster Sculpture Projekte.