Kristen Tcherneshoff, cv, 2025.
Work Experience
Wikitongues - Brooklyn, New York, United States (remote)
Programs Director, 2020-present
Director of Community, 2018-2020
Wikitongues is the largest non-profit of its kind, championing language diversity and downstream social justice movements by safeguarding endangered languages, increasing global access to critical linguistic resources, and directly supporting language revitalization projects. Joining Wikitongues as a volunteer in 2017, I progressed to full-time roles, serving first as the Director of Community, then as the Programs Director. In these capacities, I oversee our archival, documentation, and volunteer programs, which now operate across 145+ countries. Under my guidance, our archive has more than doubled in size, expanding documentation and resources to encompass 724 different languages, representing over 10% of the world's total languages.
In 2018, UNESCO enlisted my assistance to co-lead a core media coalition aimed at guiding their communication strategy and social media campaign for the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages. Additionally, I have co-created and continue to expand the Language Sustainability Toolkit, a comprehensive, freely accessible resource designed to assist individuals in initiating and sustaining language revitalization projects. This toolkit provides step-by-step guidance across various thematic areas. What I am most proud of is piloting a groundbreaking fellowship program, the first public cohort that supports language revitalization projects in any part of the world with funding, volunteer support, technical assistance, and trainings. Since its inception in 2021, this program has facilitated support for more than 50 language projects in 20 countries.
Kielikoulu Masto - Helsinki, Finland
English teacher, 2020
Kielikoulu Masto offers English and German language teaching and hobby clubs to students in the Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa region, aged 3-10. I directed three weekly groups, located at primary schools in Helsinki and Espoo. Utilizing the innovative Moomin Language Learning method, I facilitated engaging English language instruction through a creative, hands-on approach. This not only fostered linguistic proficiency but also ignited a passion for learning among the students, contributing to their overall academic and social development.
Africa Center for Strategic Studies - Washington, D.C., United States (remote)
Violent extremism research intern, 2018
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies is a government affiliated think-tank renowned for its advice and expertise based on analytical analysis. My responsibilities included crafting weekly news briefs focusing on current events in the Horn of Africa and East Africa, a task which often involved leveraging diverse sources including newspapers in Swahili and French. Each week, I presented an overview and personal thoughts on the implications and future trends to the ACSS research team. Additionally, I undertook substantial projects throughout the duration of my internship, such as conducting an in-depth analysis of the Niger/Tuareg peace treaties and formulating strategies for combatting violent extremism in East Africa. This internship highlighted rigorous research, critical analysis, and strategic thinking.
Tcherneshoff Consulting, Inc. - Gadsden, Alabama, United States
Accessibility assistant consultant, 2013-2018
My passion for human rights law was ignited during my formative years, influenced profoundly by my father, a quadriplegic, who instilled in me the values of equal access for all. As an assistant accessibility consultant, I advocated for these principles across a diverse range of clients, including plaintiffs and defense teams, large corporations, small businesses, and various organizations. My mission was to ensure compliance with key legislative acts such as the 1991 and 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Fair Housing Act. In this capacity, I co-conducated Rule 34A inspections to assess accessibility compliance, reviewed civil plans, and contributed to the development of CAD diagrams for architectural and structural modifications. Collaborating closely with our team, I played a pivotal role in researching and authoring the first-ever manual tailored specifically to ensuring accessibility compliance within dental offices.
Creative Campus - Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
Intern, 2012-2013
Creative Campus served as a dynamic hub for arts advocacy, centered around empowering students and fostering innovative engagement within the University of Alabama and Tuscaloosa communities. Throughout my internship with Creative Campus, I collaborated with students, faculty, and local residents to conceptualize and execute a variety of impactful projects.
Projects I spearheaded included:
Pioneering a weekly creative series at the Tuscaloosa Farmer’s Market, aimed at stimulating community members' thinking through unconventional means (we had a painting with baby goats session, long before baby goat yoga!); and,
Partnering with Faythe Freese, organist, to curate a series of three interdisciplinary concerts, uniting new organ compositions with dance performances by the Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre, inspired by visual artist Nall's works.
Other projects I closely worked on:
A two-day residency with Marc Bamuthi Joseph, a National Slam Poetry champion renowned for his thought-provoking exploration of social issues and cultural identity, during which I also served as the photographer;
A hands-on workshop and speaking engagement in Selma, Alabama featuring Charlie Lucas, a seventh-generation folk artist sculptor, where I provided photography services;
The closing event for the Sonic Frontiers ensemble, featuring renowned NYC composer Aaron Seigel, where I continued to capture memorable moments as the event photographer; and,
The Druid City Arts Festival, a cornerstone of the region's cultural landscape originally initiated by Creative Campus interns in 2010. In 2013, we expanded the festival to include free musical performances, drawing over 7,500 attendees per day. Moreover, we established a partnership with Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports to ensure the festival's continued success for years to come. Subsequently, the festival transitioned fully to city management while maintaining its vibrant legacy. During the 2013 festival I also had the opportunity to work as an artist, with a booth showcasing my photography work.
Education
Master of Arts in African Studies and Linguistics
University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, 2019
Thesis: Na nyingine kutoka nje ya Tanzania: Discussions of Tanzanian Sign Language within a demissionizing context
Bachelor of Arts in Photography
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States, 2013
Minors: Art History and Italian
Magna cum laude, President's list, Dean's list
Centro Linguistico Italiano Dante Alghieri
Semester abroad, Italian language studies, 2012
Publications
Tcherneshoff K, Friday T, Bögre Udell D. Revitalizing Endangered Languages through Community-Led Design: The Wikitongues Approach to Preserving Linguistic Diversity and Cultural Heritage. In: Jiang J, C.K. Tham J, eds. Designing for Social Justice: Community-Engaged Approaches in Technical and Professional Communication. Routledge; 2025.
Tcherneshoff, K. & Udell, D. (2019) 'Clearing space: Language reclamation, decolonization and the Internet', Book 2.0, 9:1+2, pp. 105–19.
Moseley, C. & Tcherneshoff, K. (2019) 'The UNESCO World Atlas of Languages and Its Response to Sustainable Development', CIP. Biblioteca Universitaria, pp. 62-72
Interviews and Press
The Schwa, Podcast (2023) ‘Language Revitalization w/ Kristen Tcherneshoff’, https://open.spotify.com/episode/76Dnqd0Oh33HJL96WzXUBH?si=e8908e19be4942cb.
Superpowers for Good, Podcast (2022) 'Wikitongues Fights Cultural Genocide by Revitalizing Threatened Languages', https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZuckUOt3LumBJL527rNSn?si=7f16b3e8022348fe.
Der Standard (2021) 'Wie das Internet Sprachen auslöscht - und wie es sie rettet', https://www.pressreader.com/austria/der-standard/20210521/281736977352261?fbclid=IwAR1TiPoBIrmC2DLVcWZd-JYIm083FG0f51aKH8dKfjSCoMPO_ZlwBzJd5KE.
U-Lingua (2021) 'Keeping Languages Alive: An Interview with Kristen Tcherneshoff', https://issuu.com/u-lingua/docs/u-lingua_issue_5_v6.
Wired (2019) 'Bridging the Internet's Digital Language Divide', https://www.wired.com/story/internet-digital-language-divide/.
Babel Magazine (2018) 'Meet the Professionals: Kristen Tcherneshoff', https://babelzine.co.uk/issue25/.
The Independent (2018) ‘How Wikitongues is Saving the World from Linguisticide’, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/wikitongues-world-languages-linguicide-a8398551.html.
Uma Leht (2018) 'Tcherneshoffi Kristen: Võromaal omma olnu pikä ja sõbraligu jutu', https://umaleht.ee/article/tcherneshoffi-kristen-voromaal-omma-olnu-pika-ja-sobraligu-jutu/.
Fellowships and Awards
J.M.K. Innovation Prize, Fellowship awardee 2021-2024, $175,000
Windgate Fellowship, University of Alabama, Film and Screen Printing, 2013
Winner of the Annual Piano Arts Competition, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 2010
Winner of the Music Teachers Association Piano Competition, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 2008
Winner of the Music Teachers Association Piano Competition, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 2007
Conferences and Speaking Engagements
Wikimania, 2024, Panelist, ‘Supporting minority languages and Wikimedia's global community’
Interpreting and Translation Linguists Collective Conference & Celebration of International Mother Language Day, 2024, Guest speaker, ‘Supporting Language Revitalization Efforts in the 21st Century’
University of Arizona Human Rights Department, 2023, Guest Lecturer
MozFest, 2022, Invited Panelist, ‘GLAM Together: Digitizing Cultures and Languages’
Sámi University of Applied Sciences, 2019, Guest Lecturer
Northwestern University CHR, 2019, Keynote Speaker, 'The Right to Speak: Examining Language in the Framework of Human Rights'
Wikimania Stockholm, 2019, Invited Panelist, ‘Why indigenous languages matter more (now) and what we can do for them’
UNESCO IFAP International Conference, Yakutsk, Russia, 2019, Guest Speaker, 'Preservation of Languages and Development of Linguistic Diversity in Cyberspace: Context, Policies, and Practice'
RightsCon Tunisia, 2019, Invited Panelist, ‘The Digital Language Divide: Why Prioritizing Underrepresented Languages Matters’
IYIL Opening Ceremony UNESCO Headquarters, 2019, Invited Panelist
UNESCO International Conference, Changsha, China, 2018, Keynote Presentation, 'The Role of Linguistic Diversity in Building a Global Community with a Shared Future'
The Bedford School, United Kingdom, 2018, Guest Residency
Board and Committee Experience
Wikimedia Language Diversity Hub, Global (remote)
Steering committee member, 2022-present
As a member of the steering committee for the Wikimedia Language Diversity Hub, I play a vital role in advancing its mission to support and connect affiliates and volunteers with new and smaller language versions of Wikimedia projects. The Hub serves as a facilitator for sharing experiences, expertise, and resources, empowering minority and indigenous language communities to actively engage and thrive within the Wikimedia ecosystem. Our efforts focus on addressing the unique challenges faced by underserved language communities, including fragmented support structures and a lack of necessary technical skills. To tackle these obstacles, we are establishing a "Linguist Guild" to guide new communities through projects like the Incubator, while also providing technical and human support, assisting in finding funding, and advocating for the needs of underserved language communities. Through these initiatives, we aim to create a pathway for the sustainable growth and inclusion of new languages in the Wikimedia ecosystem, fostering a more diverse and representative platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
AvoinGLAM, Helsinki, Finland
Advisory board member, 2021-2023
During my advisory board tenure with AvoinGLAM, I helped advance its mission of promoting open culture and enhancing access to cultural materials. Our focus was on fostering collaborations among Finnish GLAM institutions to open up cultural content and data for creative reuse. Operating at the nexus of Wikimedia, Creative Commons, and Open Knowledge, we advocated for inclusive, diverse, and equitable GLAM activities. In my role, I provided strategic guidance to expand cultural heritage modalities, especially in terms of language documentation and access, and advocated for ethical sharing practices.
International Human Rights Art Movement
Board of Directors, 2021-2023
During my tenure on the board of directors at IHRAM from 2021 to 2023, I played a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction and growth of the organization. As part of the governing board, I not only provided strategic advice for the organization, but also supported operations and development by leading the recruitment process for a new programs director and creating a membership program. As part of the launch of the membership program, I established the platform for bidding and streamlined the process for sending auctioned items, maximizing efficiency and impact. Additionally, I facilitated the hiring of an editor for a newly launched publication, enhancing our capacity to amplify the voices of artists and highlight critical issues across the globe.
RightsCon
Program Planning Committee, 2021
For the 2021 edition of RightsCon, I had the privilege of serving on the program planning committee, entrusted with the task of evaluating project proposals and selecting presenters aligned with the summit's overarching themes. RightsCon, a pivotal annual event, brings together a diverse array of stakeholders, including business leaders, policymakers, technologists, academics, and human rights advocates, to address critical issues at the intersection of human rights and technology.
Volunteer Service
Various organizations (remote)
Support various start-up non-profit organizations by providing feedback on their strategic plans, giving recommendations for growth and fundraising, and so on.
Partners for Justice, United States (remote)
Database developer, 2021
Partners for Justice provides collaborative support services to people facing criminal charges, while helping public defenders protect people from incarceration and other criminal penalties. As Partners for Justice grew to nationwide-operating levels, they quickly needed assistance in collecting and analyzing data in real-time, so that they could inform their programmatic decision making and improve their services. Previously, there were manually entering and analyzing data using Excel spreadsheets. Over the course of a few months, I set up relational Airtable databases with real-time updates, custom fields, and views, so that all Partners for Justice teams can instantly - and easily - access the information they need. I also trained team leaders on how to use the database, in order to make their management roles more efficient.
International Human Rights Art Movement
Volunteer, 2020
During my time as a volunteer with IHRAM, I work on developing the organization's infrastructure and operational efficiency. One of my key achievements was creating a new website and organizational structure from scratch, enhancing IHRAM's online presence and accessibility to stakeholders. Additionally, I developed a streamlined QuickBooks tagging and schema system, optimizing financial tracking and reporting processes, and I created an internal CRM for IHRAM on Airtable, ensuring clarity for team members.
Wikitongues, Brooklyn, New York, United States (remote)
Community manager, 2017-2018
When I first joined Wikitongues as a volunteer, I moved into a community leader role to help manage the Eurasia volunteer pool. I coordinated onboarding meetings and trainings and worked with hundreds of volunteers to collect language documentation. From there, I moved into a role of managing a worldwide network of volunteers, developing a community leader program that tapped people into overseeing different networks.
Tanzania Women Lawyers Association - Arusha, Tanzania
Women’s rights legal team, 2016
TAWLA is a non-profit, non-governmental, and human rights organization based in Tanzania. TAWLA’s objectives include providing legal aid to vulnerable women and children, promoting women’s land rights, and raising awareness of the plight of juvenile detainees and child labor. During my time with TAWLA, I researched court cases that were brought to our branch and assisted with drafting and filing plaints. This work was primarily conducted via Swahili. Later in my time with TAWLA, I developed a training course on Tanzanian law and the court system, focusing on women’s impact areas: primarily the rights of women and children, including juvenile detention, sexual harrassment and rape, divorce, inheritance, and female genital mutilation. I led a team of instructors who visited women’s groups daily in the region, teaching the women and children how to navigate a complex legal system.
Professional Development Courses
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States (remote)
Fundamentals of Grant Writing, 2021
Codecademy
Command Line Course, 2021
Qalam wa Lawh, Rabat, Morocco
Intensive B1 Arabic course, 2017
L’Alliance, Paris, France
Intensive French writing and conversation course, 2017
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Principles of Microeconomics, continuing education course, 2015
Certificates
National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI), Finnish, 2023
American Sign Language Endorsement, Signing Online, 2021
200-hr Yoga Teacher Training, Aura Wellness, 2015
Certified Cicerone, 2014
Computer Skills
Database development: Airtable
Film and sound editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Audition
Graphic design platforms: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Canva
Website: Basic HTML and CSS, Squarespace Circle Member
Agile methodology: Scrum framework
Professional Memberships
Linguistic Society of America, active member
Committee on Endangered Languages and Their Preservation
Linguistics Beyond Academia Special Interest Group
Societas Linguistica Europaea, active member