ISOC Bay Area – Internet Society
ISOC Bay Area – Internet SocietyThe Nominating Committee (NomCom) 2022 received several strong applications this year and would like to thank all of those who took the time to apply.
Vote Confirmation
As there are no contested seats for this election, we will ask chapter members, via email, to simply confirm that they agree that these five candidates should join the SF Bay Area ISOC Chapter Board for a two-year term (2022-2024). Please see your email for your voting link and complete votes by March 21. Chapter members will receive their email during the vote confirmation period (March 21 – March 28).
More information about the election process can be found here.
Candidate Slate
The final candidate slate can be found below. If you have questions for these five candidates, please add your question in the comment field below.
New Candidates
Michael David Forsyth
I have been in tech for over 20 years and worked for various orgs, both large and small for profit and non-profit. I have recently gotten more involved in the security aspect of technology and I am always finding ways to educate myself and share what I have learned over the years.
Motivation Statement
I would like to increase my knowledge in security from networking and having discussions with other with more experience in the field and to share what I have learned over the years.
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Tanya Kobyluk
Tanya is an inquisitive and focused Enterprise Architect and Data Manager with 20+ years of experience in Information Technology, Governance, Risk, Compliance, Business Development and Enterprise Data Management in software companies. She is a systems thinker who likes to work in the data pipeline space with equal and careful consideration for people, data and technology. She is a dedicated and passionate volunteer for Techwomen, a U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Initiative. Certified ISO 27001 Auditor, Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT), Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), ITIL Foundation Certification in IT Service Management, Pragmatic Marketing Form and Focus, Certified SAP SD Consultant, with a Bachelor of Science (Psychology).
Motivation Statement
“Until the day comes when the internet is treated like a utility and every single person has affordable, reliable access to internet that’s at least the equivalent of a Taco Bell’s, disadvantaged communities will need organizations like the Internet Society Foundation to bridge the digital divide, piece by piece.”
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Leonardo Wassilie
Yu’pik Eskimo living in Alaska. Reaching out with Indigenous Communities to help connect the internet into our communities. 48 years old, father, business consultant and fisherman.
Motivation Statement
Bridging the digital divide in our communities. Empowering community development and ownership of infrastructure. Connecting the internet to support emergency planning and response for Emergency Support Function disaster planning. Bringing cultural values and perspectives into the Internet Society. Teaching and educating our youth and engaging our elders to connect with our families and leaders throughout the world.
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Returning Candidates
Jessica Dickinson Goodman
Jessica Dickinson Goodman bridges the worlds of technology and politics. Starting with an internship at 15 with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, continuing through her undergrad degree at Carnegie Mellon followed by an internship at Harvard Law School’s Berkman-Klein Center for Internet and Society, Jessica works to bring the best of both these worlds to what she does. In 2018, inspired by the team she mentored through the US State Department’s TechWomen program, she built up her technical skills taking Java, Python, and C++ simultaneously and was named one of Foothill College’s Top STEM students. She is Chair of San José Human Services Commission, overseeing human rights policy for the one million person city and recently became Past Noble Grand of the Silicon Valley Odd Fellows — she is one of the youngest woman to be elected to that position in the order’s 150 year history.
Motivation Statement
During a second term, my main focus on the board would be continuing to grow the impact of the Internet Society in the western United States. Specifically through the following 3 activities I can either lead or support: 1) Building on our successful Beyond the Net Grant project from 2020 – 2021 with another successful Beyond the Net Grant application in late 2021 or early 2022. **Current work on this I would like to continue:** I’m looking forward to supporting Ellen and Joel on applicant recruitment and helping to draft the applications, media outreach, and grant reporting. 2) Increasing our volunteer base in the Bay Area so that we can help with local projects like wiring up farmworker housing for Internet, regularly communicating with elected officials, and supporting Beyond the Net Grant application projects. **Current work on this I would like to continue:** I’m currently cultivating 5 students volunteers at Foothill College who will be ready to take on real projects in 2022. They include 2 members of the Science Learning Institute (focused on students from communities underrepresented in STEM) and 3 from the Women in STEM club. 3) Planting ISOC Chapters in the western states, with the goal of our chapter’s area of impact shrinking to the still sizable area of California and her 40,000,000 residents. More chapters means more opportunities for communities in the western states to benefit from Beyond the Net Grants and widens the pipeline for many communities. **Current work on this I would like to continue:** I’m having monthly meetings with a group of folks who are interested in starting a Pacific Northwest ISOC Chapter, and today found a potential Utah chapter cofounder (he used to serve on the ISOC and PIRG boards and reached out about a Beyond the Net Grant application idea.)
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Robin Gross
I am an intellectual property attorney in SF with 20+ years working on Internet law & policy advocacy. I’ve been an active participant in ICANN’s policy development process & leader in its noncommercial user community since 2004; I currently serve as a representative on the Executive Committee of ICANN’s Noncommercial Stakeholder Group. In 2002 I founded IP Justice, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit devoted to balanced international intellectual property rights; previously I was the 1st IPR attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). I’ve taught at Santa Clara Univ. School of Law & lectured at Stanford, & UC Berkeley on Internet legal issues. I was appointed to the advisory group of Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in 2006 & have spoken semi-regularly at the annual UN conference since then on issues such as access to knowledge, digital rights, & human rights online. I’ve previously served on advisory boards of nonprofits Public Interest Registry, CPSR-Peru, & the Union for Public Domain.
Motivation Statement
I propose to focus my contribution on two specific points. Firstly, I believe I can contribute to the chapter’s policy development efforts, including connecting outside legal expertise to the chapter’s policy discussions as well as offering my own legal knowledge and experience to the chapter’s efforts to promote the health and growth of a free and open Internet. Secondly, I’d like to assist the chapter with membership outreach to local civil society organizations and individuals interested in Internet policy development. As an active participant in the San Francisco Bay Area digital rights community for more than 20 years, I believe I could connect the chapter with new and diverse participants who can make valuable contributions to the chapter for years to come.