Election 2023 Candidate Manifestos

A space for the candidates for election to the Board to share some information about themselves, their aspirations for OSGeo, what they would like to change, improve or introduce and what role they would like to play on the board.

You are welcome to follow the template, and add further relevant info as you need:

Jeroen Ticheler - The Netherlands (OSGeo profile)

About me

Wageningen (The Netherlands), Ivory Coast and Mali were the places I grew up as a child. It brought me to study Tropical Forestry with a focus on GIS and Remote Sensing. Following graduation in 1997, I started working to support the Early Warning System for Food Security and the Desert Locust Early Warning System at the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Rome for nine years.

With the support of the FAO, I managed to start the development of GeoNetwork opensource around the year 2001, a catalog that allowed us to organise and release large quantities of geospatial data to the public.

In 2007, GeoCat was established and I moved back to The Netherlands. Besides everything geospatial, I love traveling, carpentry, slowly build an overland truck, study Analytical Psychology, and walk, work and live outside.

My vision

My vision is that geospatial knowledge can improve the way we live on our planet. That science requires the open software we jointly develop and that sustainable Free and Open Source Software projects require healthy businesses that commit themselves to contribute back responsibly.

We, as a community, can accomplish so much through local and global collaborations. Our projects and communities provide (the best) tools and knowledge accessible for all to benefit.

What you have done within the community in the past

Besides my involvement as PSC chair in the GeoNetwork opensource project, I have been involved as Charter member from 2006 onwards, served on the OSGeo Marketing and Conference Committees, as well as on the OSGeo Board. In the last 10+ years my involvement has mainly been in the form of a sponsor to OSGeo and FOSS4G (both global, regional and local) and by organising a yearly Code Sprint in Bolsena since 2007.

What your interests are in terms of the board

My mission is to connect people by connecting communities and information. I strongly promote the use of international standards and Free and Open Source Software for geographic data and information. I'll commit myself to help OSGeo to bring people together that collaborate, innovate and give back.

Any things that you would like to change or introduce

Responsible entrepreneurship will definitely be one of the things that has my attention. OSGeo needs to be a well balanced community of people from all parts of society, including volunteers, students and scientists, public servants and businesses.

What role you would wish to fulfil on the board (if any)

No preference at this stage, I'm willing to take up any role needed.

Marco Bernasocchi, Switzerland (OSGeo profile)

About me

I am an open-source advocate, consultant, teacher, and developer. My background is in geography with a specialization in geographic information science. I live in Switzerland in a small Romansh speaking mountain village where I love scrambling around the mountains to enjoy the feeling of freedom it gives me. I’m a very communicative person, I fluently speak Italian, German, French English, and Spanish and love travelling. I'm the QGIS.org Chair and work as CEO of OPENGIS.ch which I founded in 2011. Since 2014 I share the company ownership with Matthias Kuhn. At OPENGIS.ch LLC we develop, train and consult our client on any aspect related to QGIS, QField, PostGIS and WebGIS technologies.

I first came in contact with the OSGEO world during my BSc when the University of Zurich was teaching us proprietary products and I started looking around for Open Source alternatives and started using QuantumGIS “Simon (0.6)”. In 2008, when starting my MSc, I made the definitive switch to Ubuntu and I started working more and more with QuantumGIS Metis (0.11) and ended developing some plugins and part of Globe as my Masters' thesis.

Since then my whole work has pivoted around QGIS and enabling people and companies to embrace opensource for their GIS needs.

My vision

Serving as a pragmatic community conciliator - collecting thoughts from people with differing opinions and trying to find the high road through difficult issues I want to focus my and the community's energies on being inclusive and forward-thinking.

I see FOSS as a very socially responsible way to develop software, but even more, I see the immense technological advantage that writing open-source code brings. This is why I always strive to allow both pragmatic and ideological views to respectfully coexist and enrich each other.

What you have done within the community in the past

• QGIS contributor since 2011
• QGIS.org Chair since 2020
• QGIS.org Vice-Chair 2018-2020
• QField (originally QGIS for android) creator
• FOSS4G Session Leader, various FOSS4G Talks and workshops
• Charter Member since 2018
• Google Summer of Code 2012: Mentor
• Google Summer of Code 2011: Student Developer

What your interests are in terms of the board

One of my main motivations to be part of the board is to help OSGeo keep its incredible growth rate by being even more attractive to new community members, sponsors and large/corporate users. To achieve this, to me the key is maintaining the right balance between sustainable processes and helping interesting and motivating grassroots projects.

Any things that you would like to change or introduce

As still fairly technical driven person, I like to understand the inner workings of things and projects before commenting on changes :)

What role you would wish to fulfil on the board (if any)

I am open to any role based on how I could best serve the board.

Vicky Vergara - Mexico (OSGeo profile)

About me

When I am in front of the computer, there can be an earthquake and I won't notice. I forget to eat, sometimes when I get hungry it's already time to go to bed.

That is something I do not recommend, but things change when I go to any FOSS4G:

• I take my autographs notebook and get many nice thoughts from members of the community.
• I like to talk to people,
• I like to see presentations

and these interactions let me know that there is a person behind that computer/software that I am using.

Also never forget to do some other non OSGeo related stuff like

• Learn how to grow nepenthes
• Continue with building my HMS Victory model ship
• Learn how to do egg tempera, idea that came from going to FOSS4G Florence and see its art.

My vision

Promote the development and use of Open Source Software.

What you have done within the community in the past

This 2023 was very intense.

• OSGeo board with all the work that comes with it, that is very interesting.
• pgRouting PSC with all the work that comes with it.
• Translating OSGeoLive, pgRouting.
• Doing improvements on pgRouting.
• Taking care of OSGeoLive documentation as part of my duties of PSC on OSGeoLive
• For the nth year, been a mentor on the Google Summer of Code program
• Been more active part on the SAC committee during the second semester.
• Participating in the UN-OPENGIS meetings
• Doing some contributions on Valhalla

What your interests are in terms of the board

For this term I will use the word scalability.

I am an Economist and Computer Scientist who lacks skills for example: cooking or doing accounting. I am a volunteer at home so I cook when I remember that we need to eat, and try to do my best, of course my sons can do things like poached eggs or omelettes, but my limit is scrambled and sunny side broken. I hire professionals, someone cooks for me, someone does my accounting.

In OSGeo, we are a growing community of volunteers. But are we scalable?

A volunteer do contributions when they have time to do contributions. Some might be jobless, some might be be freelancers, some might be hired by companies that support their contributions to open source, and some might have jobs that do not, and many more situations that I can not even imagine.

The worst case scenario I can think of, (in chat form):

• Person X: (My job situation is unknown to you) and I do volunteering in A, B ,C, D, and E on OSGeo
• Person Z: Great!, please also do G
• Person X: OK

Time passes

• Person Z: Hmm, have you finished?
• Person X: No, I haven't got time

Time passes

• Person X: (Found a job on another industry / got sick / had an accident / life happens), can't do any more volunteering work

Who will do A~G after X leaves?

Since I arrived I see the same names in many different committees, working groups, etc.

We do things when we can, not necessarily when they need to be done. We do them the best we can. We have are our limits on areas that we understand and try ti help when we have a small idea on what to do, but can't do no more than that. (like my cooking I can do up to a limit, but after that we go to a restaurant)

That way of working, where the few do most of the work on their volunteer time, is not scalable in my opinion.

I do not have a solution to this problem in a volunteer environment. But at least I would like to start a discussion about it.

Any things that you would like to change or introduce

Scalability

What role you would wish to fulfill on the board (if any)

I am fine with the role that is assigned to me. But by preference, this time I would like someone else to be the vice-president of the Latin America area.

Besfort Guri, Kosovo (OSGeo profile)

About me

Besfort has been a hacktivist since 2009 in Kosovo, as a member of FLOSSK (Free Libre Open Source Software Kosova – flossk.org). He has been serving as a board member since 2015, and since 2020 he has been acting as President of the Executive Board of FLOSSK.

Since 2010 a mapper at OpenStreetMap, and a member at OSM Foundation since 2018. In 2019 FLOSSK became a Local Chapter at OSM, and Besfort is leading this Local Chapter, in 2019, FLOSSK with a lead of Besfort, organized State of the Map Southeast Europe – sotmsee.org. He is serving as a member of the Advisory Board of the Board of OpenStreetMap Foundation.

Besfort has been active in OSGeo for some years now as well, he has been serving as Charter Member since 2022. FLOSSK has been the local chapter of OSGeo since 2020, and he is leading as well this local chapter. He was part of the organizing team for the canceled FOSS4G 2021 Europe, now he is Co-Chair of the Program Committee at FOSS4G 2024 Europe. He was chair of FOSS4G 2023 in Prizren.

He runs a small company called OpS-IN (Open Spatial Information Network) where he develops different GIS systems. His two biggest projects that he implemented through the company are "SPAK – Spatial Planning Application for Kosovo", and "ACLIS – Albanian Cadastral Land Information System" Both projects have the entire architecture of the system, based on OSGeo projects, like PostgreSQL / PostGIS, QGIS, GeoServer, Open Layers etc.

My vision

Promote the development and use of FLOSS Software, more specifically FLOSS GIS.

What you have done within the community in the past

• Promote FLOSS (FLOSS GIS) in Balkan Area, in different aspects
• Part of the Organizing Committee of canceled FOSS4G 2021 Europe
• Chair of FOSS4G 2023 Prizren, Kosovo
• Co-Chair of Program Committee of FOSS4G Europe 2024

What your interests are in terms of the board

Focusing on responsible entrepreneurship in OSGeo, I aim to unite diverse communities—volunteers, students, scientists, public servants, and businesses. I bring expertise in Balkan community engagement and a commitment to nurturing entrepreneurship in developing nations. This multifaceted approach cultivates an inclusive ecosystem, driving both tech advancements and societal progress within OSGeo.

Any things that you would like to change or introduce

OSGeo wants a mix of people from everywhere—volunteers, students, scientists, public servants, and businesses—to build a balanced community. It's important to include countries at different stages of development, like those with growing economies and opportunities.

What role you would wish to fulfill on the board (if any)

I don't have any specific preference at this stage, I'm willing to take up any role needed.

Rajat Shinde, Ph.D. - India/ (Currently residing in the United States of America) (OSGeo profile)

About me

Hey there! My name is Rajat (meaning shining like Silver in Hindi). I hail from India and currently, I am working as a Computer Scientist with NASA IMPACT / the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). I have a Ph.D. degree in Geo-informatics with a specialization in LiDAR data processing using deep learning algorithms. During my Ph.D., I was a recipient of the Prime Minister's Research Fellowship conferred by the Government of India to selected doctoral candidates. Before diving into the spatial dimension, I used to be an Electronics and Communication Engineer.

In 2023, it is my continued nomination to be a member of the OSGeo Board of Directors. In 2021, I was nominated for the first time and got elected as the youngest-ever board member and subsequently as a Vice President of the OSGeo Board.

My journey with open-source (and OSGeo) started in 2017 when I got to attend and present at the FOSS4G Asia 2017. In the same year, I had an amazing experience in contributing to the MapMint project as a Google Summer of Code Student. From 2018 onwards, I am contributing as a GSoC Admin and mentor for the ZOO-Project and MapMint. Also, I serve as a Project Steering Committee (PSC) Member for the ZOO-Project and pgRouting projects (read: star_eyes). I was one of the mentors for the United Nations OSGeo Education Challenge 2021 for the pgRouting project and represented OSGeo during the Google Summer of Code Mentor Summit 2023 held in California, US.

When I look back in 2017, from where I started, I feel elated and equally responsible to be able to contribute back to the biggest and dynamic community for Free and Open Source Software. Moreover, I feel proud of being a part of this OSGeo community; of knowing great personalities, working with them, and encouraging new members to be a part of it.

When I am away from my laptop, I love to practice flute and read books.

More details

My vision

• Introduce new and young contributors to the OSGeo community via various initiatives
• Contribute to the OSGeo India and GeoBharat activities

What you have done within the community in the past

I have a short experience participating in diverse positions while being a part of the OSGeo community. A brief description is as follows:

• Vice President, OSGeo Board of Directors 2021-23
• Representative of the OSGeo Standards Committee for the OGC Geo-Huntsville 2023
• FOSS4G 2021 Session Leader, FOSS4G Asia Workshop Contributor and Speaker
• OSGeo-OGC-ASF Joint Code Sprint Participant
• Project Steering Committee (PSC) Member for the ZOO-Project, pgRouting
• Mentor for the United Nations OSGeo Education Challenge 2021 - pgRouting Track (Attending the UN OpenGIS and UN GeoAI WG Meetings)
• Charter Member since 2017
• Google Summer of Code 2020-onwards: Organization Administrator
• Google Summer of Code 2018-onwards: Mentor
• Google Summer of Code 2017: Student Developer
• Google Code-in 2019: Mentor

I am also an academic manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Open Source Software (JOSS) and I review manuscripts in the domain of geospatial and geoscience research and software.

What your interests are in terms of the board

For this tenure, my primary interest is in propagating the experiences to the best of my capability to the new members. Additionally, my focus would be on promoting the Geo-Bharat and OSGeo India activities with the LoC.

Any things that you would like to change or introduce

One thing that I would want to work on is promptly working on accountability with roles and responsibilities. One of the nominees - Vicky touched upon Scalability and I echo these thoughts. As someone who works closely with new and young contributors in the community as a part of the GSoC initiative, I would try to encourage more individuals to be part of the different OSGeo committees so that we can enable more hands and minds to finish tasks.

What role you would wish to fulfill on the board (if any)

I am open to any role based on the requirements of the board based on my past learnings and experiences. I have a lot to learn! :)

Matthew Hanson - United States (OSGeo profile)

About me

Born and raised in New England, I went to school in Rochester NY in the early 1990s to study Photographic and Imaging Science. A time of change for sure, since film was still widely in use but we were also seeing the first consumer grade digital cameras, along with Photoshop 1.0. From there I focused in on remote sensing and digital image processing and have now worked in geospatial earth observation on government and commercial projects for nearly 30 years.

In 2011 I found myself at my first FOSS4G conference in Denver and the experience was a turning point, igniting a passion within me and propelling me into a more active role within the community. Subsequently, I transitioned from a curious attendee to an engaged participant. I began contributing to GeoNode and then started releasing my own libraries for geospatial image processing and management. Since then I have attended and spoken at nearly all FOSS4G and FOSS4G-NA conferences.

Another significant time has been my involvement in shaping the STAC (SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog) specification right from its nascent stages. As an early contributor, I played a role in developing the foundational ecosystem of STAC, creating catalogs and APIs specifically tailored for the accessibility of crucial public data sources such as Landsat and Sentinel-2. These initiatives were instrumental in making the STAC specification more accessible and widely adopted within geospatial data science communities.

My vision

Open-source software is an unstoppable force. As we've now seen over decades open-source software has proven to provide key foundational libraries across sectors, been responsive and cutting edge. What started as an experimental alternative to commercial software now makes up most of the critical computing infrastructure in the world. This is very apparent in the geospatial software domain, which I think got an early start compared to some other domains, especially when it comes to exploiting scalable computation in the cloud.

Still, open-source continues to be under-utilized, not just in favor of commercial, but is also not fully taken advantage of. Education, outreach, tutorials, workshops - these are all important components in expanding the reach of FOSS4G among different user groups that don't have the expertise or background to fully exploit geospatial data. My interest is in finding, expanding and promoting those communities.

What you have done within the community in the past

1. Charter Member since 2017
2. Frequent Speaker at FOSS4G (given over 15 talks at 8 international FOSS4Gs) and FOSS4G-NA
3. Promotion of FOSS4G at conferences in the geosciences (ESIP, SatSummit, Pecora, IGARRS, AGU)
4. Given workshops for teaching FOSS4G to people across NASA and USGS for using public geospatial data
5. Organized and participated in hackathons and code sprints to advance FOSS4G projects

What your interests are in terms of the board

FOSS4G and OSGeo have been a major part of my career for over a decade now and continue to promote it's use across commercial and government sectors. I would like to do what I can do give back and become more involved in OSGeo, whether that's being on the board or not.

Any things that you would like to change or introduce

I would like to see greater continuity and aid provided to LOCs of FOSS4Gs. Organizing an international FOSS4G is a tremendous amount of work for the LOCs and I think more help could be provided to ensure better knowledge transfer year to year. I would love to talk more about what has been tried and what could be done to ensure a sustainable and healthy international FOSS4G conference for years to come.

What role you would wish to fulfill on the board (if any)

I am open to any role.