Dear NPOC member, I am the current Chair of NPOC, in which capacity I have served for 2 years. I am nominating myself and willing to serve as Chair for another year. I have worked really hard to lay the foundation for a strong Constituency and NPOC is at a turning point to consult, engage and inform our members. This was the strategy for the past two years. I am writing this to ask for your support to continue the work. ICANN Involvement and experience When I initially became Chair of NPOC, the number priority was to build the membership to participate in the policy process. I undertook to concentrate on building a solid team, while personally representing NPOC in numerous committees, giving me the opportunity to learn the intricacies of the ICANN ecosystem. Having firsthand experience in the ICANN ecosystem and building the NPOC Excom, working with Staff and other Constituencies, gives me a unique insight to lead NPOC into the next phase. See my involvement in ICANN below. 3 years ago, I had a one-on-one meeting with Fadi Chehadé, the former ICANN CEO, engaging myself in increasing the performance of NPOC in ICANNs policy work. I also committed to increase the number of members of NPOC. I recognize that the numbers did not increase as much as we expected due to various factors, however, as much as numbers are good, it is essential we also engage our existing members. To have weight on the decisions in the GNSO and the ICANN policy development, NPOC needs qualified and engaged people in the committees. So far, I have seen many very good nominations, which of course I support fully. And this convinced me to go for another year of NPOC leadership, at least if the membership wants me to do so. Policy work. Having now about 12 years experience in ICANN, through my engagement in At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) till 2012, and since that date in NPOC, I was engaged in the policy work through many working groups. Working groups are the kernel element of the development of required policy in the world of gTLDs. Moreover, it helps in giving direction to the rules and regulations needed in global for the Internet governance. How to help NGO’s in getting better service with regards the use and/or registration of their respective domain name(s) is part of the work within the working groups. For all of them I volunteered and spend many hours in conference calls, following the debates and discussions online and participated in the final decision taking process. A learning curve which I would propose NPOC members to take profit of too. This work is also close to what is most often very useful in NGO’s daily operations and will enable you to have another view on how to be engaged in leadership and decision taking processes. Begin this year the Standing Committee on Improvements Implementation (SCI) nominated and elected me as the chair of this committee. An extremely interesting committee looking into how to improve the implementation of policy work in the GNSO. In June, we will launch the public comment period on the 2 issues we were asked by the GNSO council to bring forward solutions for. 2 weekly calls where part of the work in order to get to the final consensus on both of the issues and I have to thank the members of this committee for their engagement and commitment. Outreach and awareness. As many of you know ICANN has invested a lot of energy (and some financial resources) to enable anyone to understand what ICANNs mission is and how to be part of that specific mission. I would say it is still work in progress as we talk. Many new actions and proposals were dropped on the table, the Civil Society Engagement group, comprising ICANN staff, GNSO as well as ALAC members, are working on these proposals so they would fit for each of the communities and constituencies. As we, NPOC and other constituencies do not have the resources and even less the financial funding to do all the outreach work needed, I would strongly advice ICANN would further invest financial, human and other resources in order to enable our communities to be part of the ICANN family and benefit of the work done inside and outside. Future Vision Finally, (I had not the intention to be long), I would like you to enable me to finalize the work I got engaged and committed too when 3 years ago I discussed the plan with Fadi. Soon, I will have the opportunity to have a profound exchange with the new CEO Göran Marby, and will commit the final process of getting NPOC at the level of recognition it should be rewarded. Getting voting rights in the GNSO council is essential to raise the voice of the NGO’s and Civil Society when it comes to protect their rights and allow them to benefit of the marvelous product each domain name is. I ask for your support to enable me to finalize the work I got committed to 3 years ago, and thanks for your support throughout the past 2 years, hoping you will allow me to do a last year effort as I proposed. Kind regards, Rudi Vansnick Chair Non-for-Profit Operational Concerns Constituency (NPOC)