On behalf of Cherie Stubbs, RySG Secretariat to the GNSO Council. ******************************** As I wrapped up 2016, and after long and deliberate thought, I reached a decision to step down as the RySG Secretariat. I met with the Executive Committee Officers in Hyderabad, and my news was announced to the full RySG Executive Committee and membership this past week. I have been the RySG Secretariat for 16 years which was truly a second career for me! Prior to this position, I was a Health Care Administrator at the University of California, San Diego, Medical Centers, for 21 years. For those who have been in the ICANN community for some time, you can relate to my thought of watching the equivalent of a child starting to crawl and walk, going through childhood, adolescence, a teenager, and now a young adult who is ready to launch a whole new chapter in life. It has been a wonderful adventure and one I hope to continue to be a part of, even in some small way, for some time to come. I have given a 12-month notice to the RySG in order to assure as smooth a transition as possible. This will be a transitional effort over the coming months as there is too much to pass along at one time. I am then planning to stay on to assist with special projects, perhaps meeting planning and outreach, but stepping away from the day-to-day business. Sue Schuler, RySG Data Management Assistant, is starting to become more involved in some of the daily activities of the Stakeholder Group. However, as you can imagine, much is up in the air about next steps. The RySG Executive Committee will be further discussing the transition plan and timeline. Until further planning is settled, it will be business as usual for us! I'll look forward to seeing you at ICANN 58 in Copenhagen! Every best, Cherie