Oceania Elections - Revision history

Tbowden: /* 2025 Candidates */ Added Ewen Hill

2025-10-13T15:25:08Z

2025 Candidates: Added Ewen Hill

Tbowden: /* 2025 Candidates */ Added candidate (Phoebe Adams)

2025-10-13T07:28:57Z

2025 Candidates: Added candidate (Phoebe Adams)

Tbowden: /* Timeline */ Added URL for obtaining director ID

2025-10-08T05:21:34Z

Timeline: Added URL for obtaining director ID

Tbowden: /* 2025 Election */ Minor grammar/typo corrections.

2025-10-08T05:04:48Z

2025 Election: Minor grammar/typo corrections.

Tbowden: /* 2025 Candidates */ Aleksandar Zivaljevic & Peter leGras added and minor formatting changes.

2025-10-08T04:59:55Z

2025 Candidates: Aleksandar Zivaljevic & Peter leGras added and minor formatting changes.

Tbowden: /* Michel M. Nzikou */ fix candidate statement formatting

2025-10-01T04:08:49Z

Michel M. Nzikou: fix candidate statement formatting

Tbowden: /* 2025 Election */ candidates added

2025-10-01T04:06:54Z

2025 Election: candidates added

Ehill: Add 2025 Election timeline, move some 2024 text to 2025

2025-06-29T11:15:21Z

Add 2025 Election timeline, move some 2024 text to 2025

Rmalacari: /* Renee Manser */

2024-12-16T12:33:07Z

Renee Manser

Rmalacari: /* 2024 Election */

2024-12-16T12:32:20Z

2024 Election

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:25, 13 October 2025
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	Thank you for considering my nomination! I look forward to potentially working with you in the future.		Thank you for considering my nomination! I look forward to potentially working with you in the future.
		+
		+	==== Ewen Hill ====
		+	* ''' Place of residence: ''' Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
		+	* ''' Nomination Statement: '''
		+	Our constitution states that 50% of board positions must be open to elections every year and this year, one current board member is required to relinquish their seat. As the current Chair, I have taken the responsibility to relinquish my position.
		+
		+	I am currently the Senior Geospatial Analyst and an Emergency Management Officer for a large Melbourne based organisation and I hope to continue championing open-source geospatial in our region, especially more remote communities.
		+
		+	Over the years, I have contributed 38,000 changesets to OSM & closed 6,600 notes, assisted in training at the Indigenous Mapping Workshop, HotOSM and MapTime Melbourne & assisted the Timor Leste youth community mapping organisation.
		+
		+	Within OSGeo Oceania, I have improved processes, re-established the OSM working group, and have been Secretary, Deputy Chair & Chair and have been part of the Membership and Communications working groups.
		+
		+	I wish all candidates the best and hope that OSGeo Oceania continues to move forward.

	== 2024 Election ==		== 2024 Election ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:28, 13 October 2025
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	Thank you for considering my nomination. I look forward to the opportunity to serve the OSGeo Oceania community and help drive positive, lasting impact across the region.		Thank you for considering my nomination. I look forward to the opportunity to serve the OSGeo Oceania community and help drive positive, lasting impact across the region.
		+
		+	==== Phoebe Adams ====
		+	* ''' Place of residence: ''' Auckland, New Zealand
		+	* ''' Nomination Statement: '''
		+	I am currently studying towards a bachelor’s degree in Computer and Information Sciences, majoring in Software Development and digital communication in Auckland, New Zealand. I got started in open source geospatial via OpenStreetMap, and from there expanded into other projects such as PyPSA meets earth and the 2025 FOSS4G conference. My role as part of the FOSS4G 2025 organising committee has been as the volunteer coordinator, managing the applications and promotion of the around 50 volunteers needed to run the conference. I’ve been involved in numerous projects around Oceania such as the LINZ address and building import. I regularly write documentation for both OSM and PyPSA and as part of these projects I've altered or added over a third of all solar panels in OSM, with 7 million edits in the last year.
		+
		+	I’ve done projects in the geospatial community to improve inclusivity too, from running weekly meetings to teach new mappers how to get into open source geospatial via OSM humanitarian projects to going through the entire OSM english wiki and changing wording to be more inclusive.
		+
		+	I’d love to give back to the Oceania open source geospatial community by becoming a board member, bringing new views from a student perspective. I’ve loved working with some of the board members on organising FOSS4G and would like this working relationship to continue. I aim to expand the reach of OSGeo Oceania by reaching a younger audience of industry professionals and those in training at universities, teaching and educating them about open source alternatives and the various ways they can contribute to these projects.
		+
		+	Thank you for considering my nomination! I look forward to potentially working with you in the future.

	== 2024 Election ==		== 2024 Election ==

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 * '''Nominations''': Any member may nominate a member (including themselves) to stand for election. Nominations should state the candidate's name, their usual place of residence (town/city/country), and a brief statement on why that person would make a good director. Please send nominations to elections@osgeo-oceania.org.
-* '''DirectorIDs''': It is an Australian Government legislative requirement that all nominees must be eligible to obtain a DirectorID with the Australian Government. This process is straightforward, however, it’s important for all incoming nominees to be aware the time it takes to obtain a DirectorID can be substantial and requesting a Director ID prior to the election is a requirement.
+* '''DirectorIDs''': It is an Australian Government legislative requirement that all nominees must be eligible to obtain a DirectorID with the Australian Government. This process is straightforward, however, it’s important for all incoming nominees to be aware the time it takes to obtain a DirectorID can be substantial and requesting a Director ID prior to the election is a requirement. This can be done at https://www.abrs.gov.au/director-identification-number
 * '''Candidate statements''': Candidates will be invited to share some information about themselves, their aspirations for OSGeo Oceania, what they would like to change, improve, or introduce, and what role they would like to play on the board, in 150 words or less. This is designed to give members some insight into who they are voting for, and provides some accountability. Candidate names and their statements will be posted below.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 == 2025 Election ==
-* '''Seats & terms''': There are nine board positions in total. Five directors are continuing: Ana Belgun, Dani Bramante, Nick Forbes-Smith, Ewen Hill, Alex Leith and Jonah Sullivan. Retiring directors are Renee Manser, Dorothy D. Pion and Elisa Puccioni and current directors may stand again for re-election. The election period for new directors is two years.
+* '''Seats & terms''': There are nine board positions in total. Five directors are continuing: Ana Belgun, Dani Bramante, Nick Forbes-Smith, Ewen Hill, Alex Leith and Jonah Sullivan. Retiring directors are Renee Manser, Dorothy D. Pion and Elisa Puccioni. Current directors may stand again for re-election. The election period for new directors is two years.
 N.B. The board is considering the limited number of positions in 2025 and further positions may become available prior to the nomination period.
-The board is also keen to have a wider distribution of board members. This year, the board will assist non-Australian candidates with assistance to complete their Australian Director ID. For Australian's, there is no cost or delay however there are significant processing delays and costs borne by those outside Australia. The timeline has been updated to reflect this change and to allow all candidates an equal playing field
+The board is also keen to have a wider distribution of board members. This year, the board will assist non-Australian candidates with assistance to complete their Australian Director ID. For Australian's, there is no cost or delay however there are significant processing delays and costs borne by those outside Australia. The timeline has been updated to reflect this change and to allow all candidates an equal playing field.
 === Timeline ===
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 * '''Nominations''': Any member may nominate a member (including themselves) to stand for election. Nominations should state the candidate's name, their usual place of residence (town/city/country), and a brief statement on why that person would make a good director. Please send nominations to elections@osgeo-oceania.org.
-* '''DirectorIDs''': It is an Australian Government legislative requirement that all nominees must be eligible to obtain a DirectorID with the Australian Government. This process is straightforward, however, it’s important for all incoming nominees to be aware the time it takes to obtain a DirectorID can be substantial and requesting a Director ID prior to the election is a requirement
+* '''DirectorIDs''': It is an Australian Government legislative requirement that all nominees must be eligible to obtain a DirectorID with the Australian Government. This process is straightforward, however, it’s important for all incoming nominees to be aware the time it takes to obtain a DirectorID can be substantial and requesting a Director ID prior to the election is a requirement.
 * '''Candidate statements''': Candidates will be invited to share some information about themselves, their aspirations for OSGeo Oceania, what they would like to change, improve, or introduce, and what role they would like to play on the board, in 150 words or less. This is designed to give members some insight into who they are voting for, and provides some accountability. Candidate names and their statements will be posted below.

@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 * ''' Nomination Statement: '''
 I bring over 30 years of experience in GIS consulting, project management, and business analysis across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Timor Leste, and the USA. My career spans senior roles in both government and private enterprise, where I have delivered innovative solutions in GIS development, spatial analysis, and system integration.
 I have a long history of community involvement, including founding GISjobs Australia (est. 1998), supporting recruitment and mentoring initiatives, and serving on the advisory board of Australian Spatial Analytics. I have also volunteered extensively with organisations such as Scouts Australia, Orange Sky, and the Country Fire Service.
 I am passionate about strengthening and growing the open geospatial community in Oceania. As a director, I would focus on building collaboration across the region, supporting pathways for new professionals, and promoting the use and development of open geospatial technologies.
 I am committed to fulfilling the responsibilities of this role with integrity and energy.
 Thank you for considering my nomination.
 == 2024 Election ==

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 I am actively engaged in the open geospatial community and believe I can contribute meaningfully to the governance and growth of OSGeo Oceania. My background includes:
-    Developing QGIS plugins with a focus on 3D modelling for exploration, strengthening the open-source geospatial ecosystem with practical tools.
+* Developing QGIS plugins with a focus on 3D modelling for exploration, strengthening the open-source geospatial ecosystem with practical tools.
+* Active involvement in the Perth GeoGeeks community and contributing to the organisation of both Perth FOSS4G 2024 and Tasmania FOSS4G 2024 events.
+* Serving as a committee member for the upcoming FOSS4G 2025 conference in Auckland.
-    Active involvement in the Perth GeoGeeks community and contributing to the organisation of both Perth FOSS4G 2024 and Tasmania FOSS4G 2024 events.
+* Completing the OMI Leadership Governance Training in 2025, which has equipped me with strong governance and leadership skills.
 Through these experiences, I have developed a deep commitment to fostering collaboration, supporting community-driven innovation, and promoting inclusivity in the geospatial field. I believe these qualities, alongside my technical and organisational background, would make me a valuable member of the OSGeo Oceania Board.

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:06, 1 October 2025
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	* '''Voting:''' OSGeo Oceania members are eligible to vote. The election will be run electronically using an independent system (ElectionBuddy), and will run for one week. Members will be notified by email when voting is open, and provided with instructions on how to cast their ballot. Members' votes are secret - nobody can see who you vote for. At the end of the election, the winning candidates will be announced on the oceania mailing list. Vote tallies will be kept private.		* '''Voting:''' OSGeo Oceania members are eligible to vote. The election will be run electronically using an independent system (ElectionBuddy), and will run for one week. Members will be notified by email when voting is open, and provided with instructions on how to cast their ballot. Members' votes are secret - nobody can see who you vote for. At the end of the election, the winning candidates will be announced on the oceania mailing list. Vote tallies will be kept private.

		+	=== 2025 Candidates ===
		+	==== Michel M. Nzikou ====
		+	* ''' Place of residence: ''' Perth, WA, Australia
		+	* ''' Nomination Statement: '''
		+	I am actively engaged in the open geospatial community and believe I can contribute meaningfully to the governance and growth of OSGeo Oceania. My background includes:

		+	Developing QGIS plugins with a focus on 3D modelling for exploration, strengthening the open-source geospatial ecosystem with practical tools.
		+
		+
		+	Active involvement in the Perth GeoGeeks community and contributing to the organisation of both Perth FOSS4G 2024 and Tasmania FOSS4G 2024 events.
		+
		+
		+	Serving as a committee member for the upcoming FOSS4G 2025 conference in Auckland.
		+
		+
		+	Completing the OMI Leadership Governance Training in 2025, which has equipped me with strong governance and leadership skills.
		+
		+
		+	Through these experiences, I have developed a deep commitment to fostering collaboration, supporting community-driven innovation, and promoting inclusivity in the geospatial field. I believe these qualities, alongside my technical and organisational background, would make me a valuable member of the OSGeo Oceania Board.
		+
		+	==== Dean M Howell ====
		+	* ''' Place of residence: ''' Kettering, Tasmania, Australia
		+	* ''' Nomination Statement: '''
		+	I bring over 30 years of experience in GIS consulting, project management, and business analysis across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Timor Leste, and the USA. My career spans senior roles in both government and private enterprise, where I have delivered innovative solutions in GIS development, spatial analysis, and system integration.
		+	I have a long history of community involvement, including founding GISjobs Australia (est. 1998), supporting recruitment and mentoring initiatives, and serving on the advisory board of Australian Spatial Analytics. I have also volunteered extensively with organisations such as Scouts Australia, Orange Sky, and the Country Fire Service.
		+	I am passionate about strengthening and growing the open geospatial community in Oceania. As a director, I would focus on building collaboration across the region, supporting pathways for new professionals, and promoting the use and development of open geospatial technologies.
		+	I am committed to fulfilling the responsibilities of this role with integrity and energy.
		+	Thank you for considering my nomination.

	== 2024 Election ==		== 2024 Election ==

@@ Line 114: / Line 114: @@
 * '''Candidate statement:''' I dream of a thriving open geospatial community in Oceania, vibrant and connected. Over the last several years, I've worked on this dream by organising community-driven open geospatial groups and events in Perth, Melbourne, Wellington, and Fiji, and helping establish OSGeo Oceania in 2018. I believe in OSGeo Oceania's mission to support the Oceania open geospatial community and I want to help. As a past member of the OSGeo Oceania board, I worked hard to connect the organisation to the community it serves. I want to do this again, in part by opening more transparent channels of communication. As an ardent organiser of Geogeeks Perth, I believe I can help activate and support other local groups. Finally, I want to support other people in their ambitions to serve our incredible community.
 * '''Nomination statement:'''
-====Renee Manser====
+====Renee Manser (nee Malacari)====
 (Perth, Australia)
 * '''Candidate statement:''' I, Renee Manser, am a GIS Professional working for the Pilbara based Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation. I currently work from the Perth office and attend Geogeeks as often as possible. I’m a huge champion of free and open-source software as it allows access to GIS technology for those who otherwise cannot afford it – this is especially beneficial when working with indigenous people, generally living in remote communities, with limited internet connectivity. During my years living in Paraburdoo, I was a secretary (amongst other roles) for 3 different community groups. Throughout this period, I successfully updated 3 separate constitutions, in line with changes to Western Australian legislation, the Associations Incorporation Act 2015. Now that I have settled into Perth life, I’m ready to give back to the community. Despite my limited technical knowhow, I have governance experience and bucketloads of enthusiasm which will be a terrific addition to the OSGeo Oceania board.
 * '''Nomination statement:'''
 ====Stafford Smith====
 (Broome, Australia)

@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 | 2024-12-05 || "Meeting to Elect Directors" (vote by membership to formally elect the directors chosen during the election)
 |}
 == 2023 Election ==