A system and method is provided to rank contributors to a knowledge base. In an automated operation, a ranking value is calculated for each of a plurality of knowledge-based contributors based both on document information and on personal network information pertaining to the respective contributor. The document information identifies relationships being documents in the knowledge base and the particular contributor, indicating, for example, whether the contributor authored the document, read the document, or rated the document. The personal network information indicates personal connections in the knowledge base between the respective contributors.