How will you contribute to the board

Jim has deep experience in Open Source, and especially in handling the common, real-world pressures that exist in the Open Source eco-system. Being active in all areas and levels of Open Source provides Jim a unique and valued experience and insight. Jim drives trust and candid transparency with a focus on community and the individual contributor.

Why you should be elected

As Open Source has grown in popularity and in success, we have seen how conflicts and confusion has started to increase. The old days of FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) has started to re-emerge, but not from those against Open Source, but those who want to redefine it. We see this with attempts to redefine the OSD, and with those purport to be the “real” stewards of what Open Source is today.

OSI needs to reinforce its leadership in Open Source and this is one of the primary interests of Jim. OSI should not shy away from making possibly unpopular decisions, if they are in the best interest of Open Source in general. OSI must be the undisputed voice of Open Source and with Jim on the board, his experience and reputation will help drive a pragmatic, radically candid, and forward-thinking board.

Website

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jagielski

How will you contribute to the board

The trajectory of open source software as the pre-eminent model for software development globally in the last decade must imho be managed though supporting the OSI and its guardianship of the OSD, whilst supporting open source adoption across ever increasing new sectors. I am concerned that a lack of care, understanding and education in the nuances of open source software poses a threat to the future of the OSD and OSI. A strong OSI is critical to the longevity of open source software.

In my experience the OSD has been under challenge firstly in the operating system market, cloud computing, and now in standards. Standards utilising FRAND licensed patents require an understanding of incompatibilities between Standard Essential Patents and open source software. This is currently a concern in the Mobile Network Operator space where vested interests and preservation of royalty revenues is causing challenges to the meaning of open source, looking to adapt it to suit existing financial and revenue generation models.

I hope to help the OSI to meet the challenges of existing and new markets’ adoption of open source software and open source’s disruptive impact on those sectors’ revenue models by supporting a strong OSI and guardianship of the OSD.

Open source software needs to be seen to be maintained and secure as it increasingly forms the backbone of national infrastructure as well as the soul of digitalised businesses. I believe that this requires a consideration of its position as a public good and how it will be funded in the long term, including on a collaborative international Governmental basis. I hope to support this evolution and the OSI’s participation in this.

Why you should be elected

I have  a unique mix of practical, business, fundraising and legal and governance skills in open source software, alongside an understanding of community, which I would bring to the OSI Board. I would emphasise skills development, sustainability and security, which are critical to the future of open source software as well as supporting the OSI in its guardianship of the OSD. From my experiences as CEO at OpenUK I can offer support to the OSI Executive Director.

As a passionate believer in open source software I have and will continue to raise my neck above the parapet to support the work of the OSI.

I believe that my breadth of skills in open source software is unique amongst the individual candidates for the OSI board and am grateful for any support you may give me in these elections.

With ten years of leading, stewarding, and contributing to open source, I am running for the OSI Board of Directors because now is the time for OSI to:

• strengthen organizationally
• lead our industry through exciting growth and changes 
• preserve the best of open source through its definition and licensing. 

I will bring my eight years of experience building and leading the Drupal Association board and operations to the OSI Board to help them build a stronger organization prepared for today’s challenges and those yet to come.

A Vision for OSI

Open source has crossed the chasm and we should celebrate its successful adoption around the globe and by all kinds of organizations. But with growth comes complexity, changing needs, and varied levels of open source understanding. OSI has the opportunity to help the industry navigate this changing landscape and address new challenges while preserving the core concepts of open source,  especially through thoughtful stewardship of the Open Source Definition and copyleft licenses. 

To realize this opportunity, OSI needs to be even stronger, more strategic, and more resilient to lead effectively in the face of this growth and change. 

As a board member, it’s my aim to work with other board members to achieve this by helping OSI

• shift from a volunteer to a strategic board governance model
• build staff capacity to take on the work previously done by the board
• provide strategic direction for staff so they deliver prioritized impact
• create fundraising strategies (as well as fund raise) to support sustainable OSI operations

Why Me?

I’m excited about this opportunity because as someone who helped build the Drupal Association and served as executive director, I learned first-hand how strategic organizational changes allowed the Drupal Association to

• enhance its ability to serve the Drupal community
• navigate a changing CMS landscape
• remain a sustained and sustainable 19 year old project for 1M+ users

As a board member, I can help OSI by sharing lessons learned during my time with the Drupal Association, where I helped: 

• evolve the volunteer board into a strategic one
• create fundraising strategies which grew sustainable revenue from $1.8M to $4.5M
• build out the organization including staffing, programs, and operations

About Me

Throughout my career, I have led teams, communities, and organizations and I have a decade of experience stewarding and advising open source projects and communities. 

• 10+ years in for-profit tech working in sales, marketing, and business development. 
• 5 years in government, developing new funding and operational models to better serve communities. I fell in love with serving communities and blended it with tech by shifting to open source.
• 8 years building and leading the Drupal Association in various roles: Business Development, COO, and Executive Director. 

Currently, I am the Manager, Research & Operations for Google Open Source Program Office and use this role to champion open source citizenship and sustainability within Google and the industry at large. I am also a co-organizer of Sustain Summit 2020 and speaker at several industry events including FOSDEM, FOSSASIA, FOSS Backstage, and Linux Foundation Member Summit. 

You can learn more about me at on LinkedIn and Twitter.

I look forward to serving OSI and the greater open source industry.

Megan Byrd-Sanicki

she/her