Access Now Welcomes Alejandro Mayoral Baños, New Executive Director

Access Now is excited to announce the appointment of Alejandro Mayoral Baños as the organization’s new Executive Director.

As an activist and academic, Alejandro brings 17 years of experience and passion for bridging the worlds of Indigenous Peoples and digital technologies. He will join over 140 colleagues from across the globe on October 1, 2024, taking the reins from Brett Solomon, co-founder and Executive Director for 15 years. Alejandro is the founder and current Executive Director of Indigenous Friends Association, founder and President of Magtayaní, and founding board member of Indigenous Tech Circle.

“I am honoured to be joining Access Now as Executive Director,” said Alejandro Mayoral Baños. “Taking on this new challenge as the world is navigating profound shifts in digital technologies and human rights, I’m eager to ensure Access Now helps steer these shifts in an ethical and sustainable direction; to centre people and communities at risk in digital rights, and make the world a safer, more equitable, and accessible place for all — online and off.”

The recruitment ensured a range of representation throughout the process and was led by a Transition Committee consisting of Access Now Board Co-Chairs and global team members. Alejandro’s appointment was approved unanimously by the Board and with full support from those team members who participated in the interviews.

“The Access Now Board is thrilled that Alejandro will be joining us as our new Executive Director,” said Arzu Geybulla, Board Co-Chair at Access Now. “Alejandro brings extensive activist, entrepreneurial, technical, and academic experience, and his commitment to centering underserved communities in his work aligns powerfully with Access Now’s mission. The Board is enthusiastic to work with Alejandro to defend and extend the digital rights of people and communities at risk.”

Brett Solomon, who co-founded Access Now in 2009, will step down as Executive Director on July 19, 2024.

“After 15 epic years as Access Now’s Executive Director, I cannot think of a safer or smarter pair of hands to pass the baton onto than Alejandro Mayoral Baños,” said Brett Solomon, outgoing Executive Director. “Alejandro is an activist, a changemaker, an advocate, and an academic. His versatility, lived experience, and personal values will inspire the Access Now team, the Board, our donors, and the digital rights community. I’m excited to see how Access Now will grow under Alejandro’s leadership — he has my full support and I’ll be cheering from the sidelines.”

Based in Canada, Alejandro holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, a Master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, and a Ph.D. in Communication and Culture. In 2023, he was elected to the Ashoka Fellowship in recognition of his work for better representation of Indigenous Peoples in the digital technologies sector.

Joe Steele, Chief Operating Officer at Access Now, will act as interim Executive Director effective July 19, 2024, until Alejandro takes up his new position at the start of October.

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