I am sending this summary of my candidature to the EURO-Discuss list at Wolf Ludwig's invitation. The At-Large Board member cannot "represent" the ALAC or At-Large. Once appointed, the director is there purely on his/her own. However, At-Large was given a voting seat on the Board to allow the issues relevant to users to be factored into the debates. To do that, a person must be selected who can best represent those interests. My ICANN background: - Later this year I will have completed 8 years as a volunteer to At-Large, 6 years of which I have been a NomCom appointee to the ALAC, and I have also been the ALAC Liaison to the GNSO for all 8 years. I have also held several ALAC leadership roles. - At the time I started, the ALAC had a reputation of being a joke within ICANN, and certainly not a proper representative of user needs. Although many people have been involved in changing that image, I believe that my actions within the ALAC, the GNSO, Policy Development Processes and ICANN in general played a very significant part in changing the image of ALAC and At-Large. - I have been the principal author of many of the statements issues by the ALAC over the last 8 years demonstrating my understand of the issues important to At-Large. - I have been involved in the new gTLD process for my entire career in ICANN (and often a critic of it). Although the expansion of the TLD space may be justified (and regardless was inevitable given ICANN's history), it has not been done well from a user perspective and I have been very vocal on this. - Although I obviously do not agree with all ICANN participants, I have managed to develop good working relationships with people in many diverse areas of ICANN. Professional background: - I started as software developer (operating systems) and over the years, took on a variety of responsibilities ending with my being responsible for technology (computers, network, etc) for McGill University in Montreal, one of the worlds leading research universities). - I was part of the small group that built the first academic network in Canada, and then in the late 1980's brought the Internet to Canada. - I have volunteered in a number of professional organizations prior to ICANN, including being a Board member for a computer user's groups and the Internet Society. - I spent 6 years as a volunteer to the Internet Society working with and then running their Network Training Workshops for people from developing countries. We trained people from over 140 countries who were instrumental in bringing the Internet to their countries. Alumni include government ministers, ICANN Board members and ICANN employees. - I have spent much of my career with a focus on technology usability and recently authored a chapter of a book on web usability issues related to using the Web to enhance developing economies. - After my retirement from McGill, I spent several years consulting on the use of technology in developing economies (ICT4D), and worked in Africa, South Asia and Central America. Education: I have a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics and a master's degree in computer science. Strengths related to the Board position: - I have a very strong understanding of ICANN and its various components, of At-Large, and of the needs of Internet users. - I have a proven ability to work with others, and to influence outcomes. I am generally viewed as a thoughtful and articulate person, and I am in a very strong position to enter the Board and immediately be effective. Three of my references for my Expression of Interest for this Board position were current or former ICANN Board members, and their endorsements speak well to my ability to quickly become an effective Board member. - My background with both the ISOC training workshops and my ICT4D consulting have made me acutely aware of the issues that are important in the developing world. - I am free of any relationship with those who stand to make money off of ICANN's decisions, and will not have any conflicts in carrying out my mandate. - My track record of dedication (in both time and effort ) to ICANN and At-Large is well known, and I will put the same energy into presenting the needs of users on the Board. In short, I do not believe that any other candidate can match all of my qualifications and I will not only be a good Board member, but an outstanding At-Large Board member. If I am selected, I can make a number of commitments: - I will not disappear, but commit to staying in touch with the ALAC, At-Large and RALOs, through both face-to-face meetings and teleconferences, and not just at social events or near my re-election time. That in my mind is the only way to ensure that I am aware of issues important to At-Large. - You will regularly hear from me about Board activities and my participation, and raising issues that I believe that At-Large may want to focus on. - I will work to make sure that the bottom-up nature of ICANN is preserved in fact and not only in words. This is key to ICANN's ability to continue to exist and meet its obligations. - I will do my best to make sure that At-Large knows what kind of a Board member I am and I will stand on my record so you will know what you are getting. Warm regards, Alan