We’re excited to announce the appointment of Champika Fernando as Chief Executive Officer of the Scratch Foundation.

 

As educators, families, and policymakers grapple with how children engage in an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving digital world, Champika will lead Scratch’s next chapter to ensure that young people continue to have safe online spaces to express themselves, learn from one another, and engage with technology in creative and meaningful ways.

Champika has a long history with Scratch. Over the past 15 years, they have played important roles in almost every aspect of the organization, including engineering, design, community, communications, fundraising, and partnerships. Champika served as interim Executive Director at Scratch in 2020 and has served on the Scratch Board of Directors for the past two years. With strong experience in product innovation and a deep commitment to core Scratch values, Champika has the ideal background to lead Scratch as it develops the next generation of its platform, Scratch 4.0.

Champika's career has spanned industry, academia, and the nonprofit sector. At Google, they developed connected products for kids and families in partnership with Pixar, Mattel, Pokémon, and other leading brands. At Mozilla, they launched and directed the Data Futures Lab, a technology incubator and global initiative helping communities build more equitable models of data stewardship. Champika holds a Master's degree from the MIT Media Lab and is also a filmmaker and storyteller.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been curious about the ways that technology can be a tool for creativity and collaboration—or something that can limit both,“ said Fernando. “For me, Scratch embodies the early ideals of the internet: a place where young people can express themselves, connect with others, and build cool things. As we look ahead to developing Scratch 4.0 and strengthening a sustainable future for the organization, keeping this vision at the center will be essential.”

“What's always stood out about Champika is how seriously they take the creativity and agency of young people,” said Mitch Resnick, Founder of Scratch and Chair of the Board. “That same respect shapes how they lead: listening carefully, building trust, and making room for others to contribute their best. I’m excited for what lies ahead under their leadership.”

About Scratch

Scratch is the world’s most popular coding community for young people, and the platform has been translated into more than 70 languages. Since the launch of Scratch in 2007, more than 150 million young people around the world have created stories, games, and animations with Scratch.