Bernadette Meehan

Bernadette Meehan is an American diplomat and public servant with a career spanning finance, national security, international development, and the global knowledge commons. Meehan began her professional life in the private sector as a vice president at J.P. Morgan Chase and later at Lehman Brothers, gaining experience in global markets, financial strategy, and technology. She transitioned to public service as a career Foreign Service Officer, serving in multiple roles at the National Security Council, including senior advisor, special assistant to the president, National Security Council spokesperson, and director for strategic communications. The Department of State recognized her as one of its promising future leaders.

Meehan's diplomatic assignments included serving as special assistant to the president and spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, special assistant to the secretary of state, and as a dean and Virginia Rusk resident fellow at Georgetown University Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. Her field assignments took her to Colombia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates. Meehan worked with Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes to develop the White House's strategy for public communication on the Iran nuclear deal and U.S. relations with Cuba. She later served as executive vice president for global programs at the Obama Foundation, where she led international leadership programs across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and South Asia.

Meehan served as U.S. ambassador to Chile, where her work included the passage of a bilateral tax treaty and advancement of technology and scientific infrastructure initiatives, such as the first subsea cable connecting South America and Asia and astronomical research projects. Her tenure as ambassador was marked by translating complex policy priorities into tangible outcomes and fostering community relationships.

The Wikimedia Foundation appointed Meehan as its chief executive officer, making her the sixth CEO in the Foundation's history. Meehan brings international leadership experience, policy expertise, a background in community engagement, and a commitment to mission-driven work aligned with Wikimedia's vision of free knowledge for all. Her focus includes advancing the Foundation's product and technology initiatives, addressing issues related to artificial intelligence and content regulation, strengthening relationships with global Wikimedia communities, and supporting Wikimedia's financial sustainability. Meehan holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Boston College, speaks Spanish and Arabic, and has served on advisory boards for Georgetown University Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and Hostage US.