# Lila Tretikov

> Russian–American engineer, manager and former executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation

**Wikidata**: [Q16741739](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16741739)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lila_Tretikov)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lila-tretikov

## Summary
Lila Tretikov is a Russian-American engineer and former executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation who served from June 2014 to March 2016. She is a computer scientist and software engineer with expertise in machine learning who previously worked at major technology companies including Sun Microsystems, SugarCRM, and the Wikimedia Foundation.

## Biography
- Born: January 25, 1978 in Moscow
- Nationality: United States, Russia
- Education: University of California, Berkeley (Computer Science)
- Known for: Former executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation
- Employer(s): Wikimedia Foundation (CEO), SugarCRM (CIO), Zamurai Corporation (board director), Sun Microsystems
- Field(s): Machine learning, computer science, software engineering

## Contributions
Lila Tretikov served as the third executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation from June 1, 2014 to March 31, 2016, succeeding Sue Gardner. During her tenure, she led the nonprofit organization behind Wikipedia through strategic initiatives focused on technology advancement and organizational growth. Prior to joining Wikimedia, she worked as Chief Information Officer at SugarCRM from 2008 to 2014, where she oversaw technological infrastructure and operations. Her background includes early career experience at Sun Microsystems in 1999-2000. As a computer scientist specializing in machine learning, Tretikov brought technical expertise to the Wikimedia movement during a critical period of platform evolution. She participated in Wikimania 2014, demonstrating her engagement with the global Wikimedia community. Her leadership at Wikimedia coincided with ongoing efforts to improve Wikipedia's technology stack and expand its reach globally, though her term ended with her resignation in March 2016.

## FAQs
### Q: What was Lila Tretikov's role at the Wikimedia Foundation?
A: She served as the Chief Executive Officer (Executive Director) of the Wikimedia Foundation from June 1, 2014 to March 31, 2016, making her the third person to hold this position after Jimmy Wales and Sue Gardner.

### Q: Where was Lila Tretikov born and when did she move to the United States?
A: She was born in Moscow, Russia on January 25, 1978, and immigrated to the United States in 1994 at age 16.

### Q: What is Lila Tretikov's educational background?
A: She studied computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, which prepared her for her career as a software engineer and computer scientist specializing in machine learning.

## Why They Matter
Lila Tretikov represents a significant figure in the leadership of one of the world's most important collaborative knowledge platforms. As executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation during 2014-2016, she helped guide Wikipedia and its sister projects through a period of technological modernization and strategic planning. Her background as a Russian-American computer scientist brought international perspective and technical expertise to the organization. Her tenure occurred during discussions about Wikipedia's future direction, including debates about the platform's role in the broader internet ecosystem and its approach to knowledge accessibility. Though her term was relatively brief, she contributed to the ongoing evolution of how millions access free knowledge daily. Her career trajectory from major tech companies like Sun Microsystems to leading a nonprofit mission demonstrates the intersection of commercial technology experience with public interest technology leadership.

## Notable For
• Served as the third Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation from 2014-2016
• Russian-American immigrant who moved to the US in 1994 and became a naturalized citizen
• Computer scientist specializing in machine learning with experience at major tech companies
• Recipient of Stevie Awards in 2012 for achievements in technology
• Board director at Zamurai Corporation from 2013-2014 alongside her other executive roles

## Body
### Early Life and Immigration
Lila Tretikov was born Olga Alekseyevna Tretyakova on January 25, 1978, in Moscow, Russia. She immigrated to the United States in 1994 at age 16, becoming a dual citizen of both Russia and the United States. Her native language is Russian, though she also speaks English fluently.

### Education
She pursued higher education at the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied computer science. This educational foundation prepared her for a career in technology and software engineering.

### Professional Career
Her early career began at Sun Microsystems, where she worked from 1999 to 2000. She then joined SugarCRM as Chief Information Officer, serving in this role from 2008 until 2014. During this same period, she also served as a board director at Zamurai Corporation from 2013 to 2014.

### Wikimedia Foundation Leadership
From June 1, 2014 to March 31, 2016, Tretikov served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation, succeeding Sue Gardner. She was the third person to hold this position since the organization's founding. Her appointment marked a transition in Wikimedia's leadership following Gardner's departure.

### Technical Expertise
Tretikov specialized in machine learning and worked as both a computer scientist and software engineer throughout her career. Her technical background informed her approach to leading the Wikimedia Foundation's technology initiatives.

### Recognition
In 2012, she received the Stevie Awards, recognizing her achievements in the technology sector. She also participated in Wikimania 2014, the annual Wikimedia conference.

### Social Media Presence
She maintains a Twitter account (@lilatretikov) with over 2,000 followers as of 2021, and has professional profiles on LinkedIn and Quora under her name.

## Schema Markup
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  "birthDate": "1978-01-25",
  "birthPlace": {
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  "sameAs": [
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## References

1. [The executive director of the nonprofit behind Wikipedia just resigned](https://www.businessinsider.com/wikimedia-foundation-executive-director-lila-tretikov-resigns-wikipedia-knowledge-engine-2016-2)
2. LinkedIn
3. [Source](http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2012/11/27/women-engineers-facebook-yahoo-google-microsoft/1713835/)
4. [Source](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/02/business/media/open-source-software-specialist-selected-as-executive-director-of-wikipedia.html)
5. [Source](https://www.stevieawards.com/pubs/women/awards/414_2252_21756.cfm)
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. [Source](http://www.crunchbase.com/person/lila-tretikov)
8. Munzinger Personen
9. Google Knowledge Graph