Kara Payne

Kara Payne is an Engineering Manager at Wikimedia Deutschland e. V. since June 2021, where responsibilities include leading a team of eight engineers and one data analyst focused on enhancing team processes and performance on Wikidata. Previous experience includes serving as Head of Operational Delivery at Aeria Games GmbH from February 2019 to May 2021, overseeing IT operations and team management to ensure business-critical system performance. Prior roles at Aeria Games GmbH also encompass Technical Project Manager and Product Manager, where Kara managed projects, promoted agile methodologies, and handled operational duties. A tenure as Senior Technical Project Manager at SOFTGAMES involved product ownership for game backend development. Earlier in the career, roles included Assistant English Teacher in Japan and Peer Advisor at the University of Wisconsin. Kara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Globalization and German Language and Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, complemented by studies at The University of Freiburg and Ironhack.