Dear NARALOzens, I noted my acceptance of the nomination to the ALAC and participated in the candidate call but I guess I’ve never formally shared my interests on the list so I figured I should do that now, even if you might already have voted! If you have, congratulations on your participation in democracy, if not, here are some thoughts. "The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers." --Ralph Nader My name is Jonathan Zuck and I accepted nomination to the ALAC because I believe I’m the right person for the time. Forgive the sports analogy but a coach is often hired because his strengths lie where the team is the weakest. In this case, my long history of cross community policy development at ICANN and my communications skills should prove valuable in steadying the At-large ship in these currently stormy waters. Hopefully, my past year as co-chair of the Consolidated Policy Working Group (CPWG) has begun to demonstrate what I am able to bring to the table. The At-large organization in ICANN is at a critical crossroads for a two main reasons: the recent At-large review and a stagnation in the growth of ICANN giving rise to ever more conservative budgets. Our new Chair, Maureen Hillyard, has focused the community on improving the quality of our policy advice and focusing our outreach on expanding the pool of activist participants in our core functions. Already, the number of people actively engaged in policy development in the CPWG has grown significantly and includes participants of all genders and geographies as has always been intended. The reputation of the At-large, which was damaged by the review, has begun to improve and the ALAC are on a trajectory to greater influence within ICANN. I’ve had the honor to work on, and often lead, many policy development initiatives within ICANN, including participants from all over the community. I have strong relationships in every one of the Stakeholder Organizations (SOs) and Advisory Committees (ACs) and I’m well positioned to form the alliances necessary for the ALAC to have the influence it needs to advance the interests of ends users around the globe. With tightening budgets, a lot of eyes are on the resources that the At-large community requires to do its outreach and engagement. It’s imperative that the At-large demonstrate the engagement of its various members (RALOs and At-large structures) so that its claim to represent the needs of end users around the globe is credible. Demonstrations of broad feedback and activation will help tremendously when the At-large budget is being discussed. If you have made it this far, I thank you and conclude by saying I believe I’m the right match for the ALAC because my skills and experience are the right match for the challenges the At-large community faces in the next few years. Thank you for your consideration. Jonathan Zuck | Executive Director | Innovators Network jzuck@innovatorsnetwork.org<mailto:jzuck@innovatorsnetwork.org> | O 202.420.7497 | S jvzuck | [cid:image001.png@01D2AEED.C7EA7800]
