I'm Katie, and I'm a candidate for the Arbitration Committee. I have been an administrator since 2007 and a CheckUser and Oversighter since 2016. When I'm not involved with washing all the socks, I'm a catch-and-release editor. I find something to work on, I fix it up, and I move on. When I do create something these days, it's either a missing NRHP page or a Women in Red article.
I must admit that I'm here rather reluctantly. I have the time to commit to being an active member of the Committee, but I've always felt that there are more qualified, more competent, more appropriate members of the project who should be arbitrators. It's become clear to me over the last few months that, apparently, I am now one of those long-time editors who has a modicum of respect from her peers, and that I should probably serve the community by standing as a candidate.
I assure you that my hesitance to run will have no bearing on my enthusiasm or work ethic if I am chosen. I have no agenda; I'm not standing to advocate for or against any particular position on any issue, with the sole exception of making this project a collegial environment in which editors of all stripes and kinds can find a way to work together. That's a tall order, and the community decides how that should be done, not the Committee. Arbitrators are here to be of help.
We're all human and we're all volunteers. Working on the Committee is a tough job that takes careful thought, a considerable expense of time, and a willingness to hold everyone's feet to the fire when necessary. I believe that in order to be a good arbitrator, one must be firm and principled, but adaptable. I try very hard to be fair and flexible in all things and, above all, to be kind.
I am not here for selfish reasons. If you want me to serve the community in this manner, I will oblige to the best of my ability.
As a CheckUser and Oversighter, I have already identified to the WMF and I am compliant with the non-public information policy. I have one doppelganger, Krakatoa Katie.
I will be extremely busy from November 22 through the morning of November 27. I'm also in the middle of a cluster of headaches, but I hope and expect that will subside soon. I will answer your questions as soon as I can. :-)