TEAM
Board of Directors
Laura Fiorucci
President
She began her journey with Wikimedia projects in 2006, primarily dedicating herself to the Spanish Wikipedia, although she also contributes to Wikimedia Commons and Wikiquote. Over the years, she has been a key figure in the creation and improvement of content, promoting the visibility of topics related to culture and art.
In addition to her work on Wikipedia, Laura was a founder of Wikimedia Venezuela, a member of Latin American Women in Wikimedia, and a partner of Wikimedia Argentina and Wikimedians of Bolivia. Her passion for the dissemination of free knowledge is also reflected in her role as a librarian, where she contributes to the organization and documentation of Wikimedia projects.
In her current role, Laura fosters active participation within the Wikimedia community, acting as a bridge between members and the team, and helping to strengthen the organization and its activities
José Emilio Mori
Vicepresident
He began his involvement in Wikimedia projects in 2006, initially correcting errors, and over time, he has become a key member of the community, taking on various roles. Currently, he is a librarian, bureaucrat, and bot operator on the Spanish Wikipedia, as well as an occasional contributor to other projects.
With a background and experience in computing, programming, and operating systems, José Emilio has been responsible for the IT Department of the Archdiocese of Valladolid since 2002. His passion for free knowledge led him to get involved in the creation of Wikimedia España, where he played a fundamental role in the founding board and later served as treasurer, secretary, and board member until 2021.
His commitment to the advancement of Wikimedia España remains strong, and he is currently dedicated to improving regulations and leading technical projects within the organization. With his expertise, José Emilio continues to be a key figure in enhancing tools and increasing the efficiency of Wikimedia projects.
Mentxu Ramilo Araujo
Secretary
Her passion for free knowledge began in 2004, thanks to Josu Aramberri, when she started using wikis. She has been a member of Wikimedia España since 2015 and has become an active editor on Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. She holds a PhD in Political Science and Administration and has worked as an interdependent professional since 2013.
With a particular focus on women’s issues, linguistic diversity, local heritage, and GLAM, Mentxu is a symbol of perseverance within the Wikimedia community. Her journey began with challenges, serving as an example of what not to do on Wikipedia due to a lack of prior knowledge. However, with the support of the community, she has transformed her experience, and today, she leads and has driven projects such as WikiEmakumeok, ConMiWiki, Wiki Takes La Raya, and Wiki Takes San Francisco, as well as contributing to the reactivation of the Güiquipedia in Extremaduran.
In her current role, Mentxu aims to support and facilitate collaboration among members, the team, and the Board to enhance collective intelligence and encourage active participation within the community.
Javier Igal
Treasurer
For over a decade, Javier has been actively involved in Wikimedia projects, being a member of Wikimedia España for more than seven years. During this time, he has participated in organizing Wikimedia España meetings in Pamplona and has been a key contributor to the community’s growth.
With a degree in Philosophy and Letters, he has had a diverse professional career, including 25 years as an IT specialist, Quality and Information Security technician, and travel agent in a family business. Currently, he is the coordinator and contributor to the magazine Pregón Siglo XXI, among other projects.
In his current role, Javier continues working on various projects within Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata, using his expertise in IT and his passion for free knowledge to improve and expand the content on these platforms.
Gustavo Candela
Heritage and GLAM Vocal
Since 2016, Gustavo has been an editor on Wikidata, contributing to the enrichment of data through collaborations with prestigious institutions such as the Virtual Library Miguel de Cervantes, the National Library of Scotland, and the European Literary Bibliography. His involvement includes organizing editing events with Wikimedia España, teaching activities, and attending international events like WikidataCon and WikidataDays in Lisbon. He has also published works exploring the use of Wikidata in areas such as data quality, visualization, and content enrichment.
An expert in Semantic Web, open data publishing, and data spaces, Gustavo has over 10 years of experience in research and development at the Virtual Library Miguel de Cervantes. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Languages and Systems at the University of Alicante. His work has been deeply linked to promoting the digitization and accessibility of information, and he actively participates in the International GLAM Labs Community and the digitization competence center, Impact.
As an active member of Wikimedia, Gustavo also serves as a liaison between cultural heritage institutions and the association, promoting the use of Wikidata and facilitating collaboration agreements to expand the database’s reach.
Israel Salcedo
Technology Vocal
He has been actively contributing to Wikipedia for over a decade, where he has stood out for his dedication to maintaining and improving edits. Raúl is a key member of the editing community and actively participates in Wikipedia’s mentoring program, helping new editors integrate into the project. His experience also includes tasks related to verification and reverting, ensuring the quality and accuracy of information.
With extensive professional experience in the planning and development of construction projects, Raúl applies the same discipline to his work on Wikipedia, contributing to the optimization and strengthening of the project’s technical infrastructure. As a partner of Wikimedia España and a regular donor, his commitment to free knowledge and the continuous improvement of the Wikimedia ecosystem remains steadfast.
Staff
Wikimedia Spain has a small salaried staff. The rest of the members of the association participate on a voluntary basis, including those who make up the Board of Trustees.
Rubén Ojeda
Project Manager
Editor of Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects since 2008, he worked as Wikipedian in Residence in three state museums in 2015, and since 2016 he has been planning and coordinating the different activities and projects of Wikimedia Spain. He establishes relationships with cultural and educational groups and institutions and provides support to members and volunteers.
Sara Santamaría
Communications Manager
Master in Organisational Communication specialising in corporate communication, both internally and externally. She has more than twelve years of experience in corporate communication, strategic planning, reputation management, crisis prevention and management, and digital strategy, working in the education, health, NGO, energy, consulting and mass consumption sectors.
Monserrat Pablo
Administration
Over 25 years of professional experience in the administrative and accounting field, with expertise in recording journal entries, bank reconciliations, financial closings, among other tasks. Extensive experience in the fiscal area and in grant-related matters, including project submissions for both private and public sector calls, as well as European project submissions.
