Dear All,

On behalf of the At-Large Board Candidate Evaluation Committee (BCEC), and in accordance with the agreed schedule for the At-Large Board Member Selection Timeline, we are pleased to announce the slate of candidates for consideration in filling Seat #15 of the ICANN Board. These candidates have passed the initial BCEC evaluation and were approved on its call of Thursday, 15 January 2026.

The BCEC met 15 times and undertook a comprehensive review of all submitted Expressions of Interest, applying a weighted scoring methodology that incorporated both core mandatory criteria and qualitative assessments. Each applicant participated in a 45‑minute interview covering topical, situational, and personal dimensions. All candidates deemed suitable for the slate successfully completed the ICANN Due Diligence Process.

The candidates, listed in alphabetical order by surname:

• Sébastien Bachollet
• Justine Chew
• Maureen Hilyard
• Rafael (Lito) Ibarra 

Candidate Expressions of Interest can be found at https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ABMS/pages/760020998/2025-2026+Seat+15+Candidate+Expressions+of+Interest. 

The Board Member Selection Process Committee (BMSPC) will shortly announce the next steps, including an opportunity for the community to submit questions to the candidates and participate in a live interactive session with them. 

A note of thanks to the BCEC for their significant efforts in selecting the At-Large slate of Seat 15 candidates.

Kind regards,

Heidi

Heidi Ullrich, PhD

VP, Policy Development & At-Large Relations

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)

Mobile: +1 310 437 3956

Fax: +1 310 823 8649

Website: atlarge.icann.org