I help people play, learn and work together in digital and physical media.

A multimedia innovator and social entrepreneur, I have worked in education, entertainment and journalism, helping launch a wide range of products and services. We created games and digital media services at Apple and Macromedia — and developed collaborative software for online communities at Wikipedia. I also led a TV production studio, a game development shop and a social news network.

I now teach ‘maker art‘ classes for adults and teens at Tam Makers, our new makerspace in Mill Valley. We help students create their own miniature worlds with animated characters, and bring them to life with motion, lights, sounds — and stories. In the process, they get deeply engaged and develop their creative, technical and social skills in a playful way. As co-founder, I also help manage the makerspace, focusing on community outreach and business development.

As an artist and activist, I am deeply involved in a variety of art and community projects that invite a deeper cross-cultural appreciation and help build a better world. Some of my recent creations include the Bamboodu Theatre, a political art float — and the MVCAN-Do Revue, a community celebration honoring people who took political action this year. I produced both of these events with MVCAN, our progressive action group in Mill Valley.

I am also a founder and active member of Pataphysical Studios, our art collective, where we created a variety of interactive art pieces over the years, such as the Pataphysical Slot Machine and Ubu’s Dreams. We are now building our own Time Machine, stay tuned for more.

When I’m not creating art, producing events or teaching classes, I deeply enjoy capturing the beauty in the world around me, as a prolific photographer and videographer.  Check out my photos here on Flickr, where I have featured over 40,000 images over the years. You can watch my videos here on Vimeo, which also cover a wide range of topics.

Previously, I worked at the Wikimedia Foundation from 2011 to 2015. In my first three years as product manager, I led the development of many new tools for Wikipedia: our Notifications help users stay informed; our Thanks feature lets them share positive feedback and grow a culture of kindness; and our Media Viewer provides a more immersive learning experience. In my last year, I served as movement communications manager and lead editor of the Wikimedia Blog, a global hub that connects our diverse communities and helps us communicate better as a movement (see my final report).

My previous ventures include:
• NewsTrust, a guide to good journalism;
• Handtap / GoComics, a multimedia content provider for mobile devices
• Shockwave.com, a web entertainment site we started at Macromedia
• Zenda Studio, award-winning multiplayer game developer
• Apple Computer’s Multimedia Lab, a research and development group
• Videowest, a producer of rock journalism and entertainment for young adults

Here are some of the strengths I bring to all my projects:
• Innovator with entrepreneurial spirit and passion for digital media
• Experienced team leader, focused on agile collaborations
• Good communicator, building trust between stakeholders
• Extensive background in multimedia production and journalism
• Strong software development experience, with a focus on quality

I am grateful for the recognition that our work has received over the years: I was elected an Ashoka Fellow for my contributions as social entrepreneur; I have earned four patents for my interactive TV work at Apple; and Hackers, my TV documentary about the heroes of the computer revolution, has received wide critical acclaim. Our projects have been covered by a wide range of publications such as the BBC, the Guardian, Le Monde, Newsweek, the New York Times, Scientific American, Time, the Washington Post, Wired and many more.

For more info, check my LinkedIn profile — and follow me on Facebook or on Twitter. You can contact me by email at ‘fabriceflorin-at-gmail-dot-com’.

I am married to Phyllis Florin, my sweetheart of 39 years — and we’re the proud parents of our son Adam Florin, a creative coder who never ceases to amaze us.