Oceania Elections

Process

• Seats & terms: In 2019, all 9 seats will be up for election (current directors may stand for re-election). After the election, half of the directors (ie. 4 or 5) will volunteer or be randomly chosen to serve a 1 year term, with the remainder having a full 2 year term. Director terms will thus be staggered, and subsequent annual elections will elect half of the board for 2 year terms.
• 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 the person would make a good director. Please send nominations to elections@osgeo-oceania.org.
• 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 on this page (under the relevant year election) (old Oceania elections page to be deleted).
• 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.

2019 Election

Timeline

Date	Item
2019-11-29	open director nominations
2019-12-06	close director nominations
2019-12-13	deadline for candidate statements
2019-12-13	voting opens
2019-12-20	voting closes at midnight AWST
2019-12-21	results will be posted on the Oceania mailing list

Candidates

• John Bryant
  • I have a deep passion for this community, and want to see it thrive. I've been heavily involved in the organisation of the 2018 & 2019 conferences, and in the creation of OSGeo Oceania, so I have detailed knowledge of the history & founding principles of this organisation. I'm committed to the principle of empowering other people to step up and take leadership roles in the management of the organisation, whether they are directors or otherwise, and feel I can play a key role in helping to make this happen. Finally, I have thought deeply about where I think this organisation should go in 2020 and beyond, and would be motivated to work in collaboration with others to realise this vision.
• Jan Ducnuigeen
  • As a participant in FOSS4G conferences in North America and Australia, I was always impressed with the connections people build across countries. I was on the organizing committee of the 2019 FOSS4G Oceania conference, and have been inspired to further sustain the organisation and bring together a diversity of ideas and people. The conferences in 2018 and 2019 have been an ideal way for reaching out to the furthest reaches of Oceania and building a stronger geospatial community, and I look forward to supporting these efforts.
• Dionne Hansen
  • I have been volunteering for the OSGeo Oceania community for nearly a year as a lead on the FOSS4G SotM Oceania 2019 organising committee. The values of the free and open source resonate deeply with me and I want to do my part to foster and grow the community for the future. My goal, if elected to the governing board, is to promote and raise the profile of the community and to reach out to communities who haven’t yet been exposed to open source tools. I have a lot of energy and enthusiasm to give to this board and a drive to run with great long term ideas that will enable the sustained growth of the OSGeo Oceania community.
• Martin Tomko
  • (Accepted, awaiting statement)
• Greg Lauer
  • (Nominated, awaiting confirmation of acceptance)
• Alex Leith
  • I have been volunteering with OSGeo Oceania and the previous committees for around two years now, and I would like to continue to add to our young organisation's structure and processes. I'm not ready to move on yet, I still have lots to give. I'm currently serving as the Treasurer on the inaugural Board, and have relevant prior experience including three years on the SSSI Board.
• Daniel Silk
  • (Nominated, awaiting confirmation of acceptance)
• Edoardo Neerhut
  • (Nominated, awaiting confirmation of acceptance)
• Adam Steer
  • (Accepted, awaiting statement)
• Emma Hain
  • (Nominated, awaiting confirmation of acceptance)
• Jonah Sullivan
  • I have a strong interest in the Free Open Source Software theme. I’ve become increasingly involved in these communities, as evidenced by my membership on the Local Organising Committee for the first FOSS4G SotM Oceania Conference in 2018, and my subsequent membership on the OSGeo Oceania board in 2019.
    I am also active locally, as organiser of the monthly meetings of the Canberra Python User Group since 2017, and the GIS Community of Practice at my workplace.
    I have also played a role in coordinating the Local Organising Committee from across the South Pacific that was awarded the opportunity to host the FOSS4G SotM Oceania Conference 2020 in Fiji.
• Kerry Smyth
  • I am a firm believer in the value of OS for education, business and entrepreneurial pursuits. By fostering the growth of the geospatial open source & open data community in Oceania, we are delivering a means for innovation and business opportunities in our region. I am motivated by this generosity of spirit that donates to the greater good.
    My ability to undertake the responsibilities of OS Geo Oceania Board Director is demonstrated by:
    • being instrumental in the 2018 agreement with SSSI that facilitated financial capacity for the inaugural FOSS4G & SotM Conference in Melbourne;
    • commitment as foundation Board Director for OSGeo Oceania;
    • being Convener of the WA Surveying & Spatial Sciences Conference for 4 consecutive years (2014-17);
    • 5 years’ experience as Director of SSSI (2014-19);
    • Past senior positions in WA State Government agencies as a cartographer and GIS program director, currently work as a spatial ambassador through my consultancy Spatialize.
  • I hope you see value in the diversity and experience that I bring to the leadership team. Your vote for me will make a difference.