Comments on Megan Byrd-Sanicki

Last modified by Megan Sanicki on 2020/03/10 22:50

  • LuisVilla
    LuisVilla, 2020/02/27 18:34

    Hi, Megan- I’m asking variations of these to all candidates, trying to edit out the questions that are obviously already answered by your position statement. Apologies if I missed something and asked something already answered! Apologies also for the length, but given the importance of the moment in open source generally and for OSI specifically, I think it is appropriate to go into some depth.

    1. (first two snipped, already basically answered)
    2. If OSI has to choose between being an agent of change and a stabilizing force, which should it prefer?
    3. What should OSI do about the tens of millions of people who regularly collaborate to build software online (often calling that activity, colloquially, open source) but have literally no idea what OSI is or what it does?
    4. You have 24 hours in the day, and are talented enough to do many different things. Why do you want to give some of those hours to OSI?
    5. If an Ethical Software Initiative sprung up tomorrow, what should OSI’s relationship to it be? (If you’re uncomfortable answering this about ethical software, consider instead answering with regards to the FSF or LF, or another hypothetical institution that to some extent competes with OSI for resources and influence.)

    Thanks in advance for answering, and thanks for putting forth a thoughtful case for your candidacy.

  • Megan  Sanicki
    Megan Sanicki, 2020/03/01 16:12

    Thank you for asking such thoughtful questions. Below, please find my answers. 

    1. Great. I’m happy to provide any follow up answers. 

    2. I believe being a stabilizing force is a good area to focus on. OSI has a strong foundation to build from and that by creating a more strategic board, OSI can be an anchor for the industry in the face of complexity and change.   

    3. While it would be wonderful to have everyone know and understand OSI and their mission, that may not be realistic or needed. I found during my time at the Drupal Association, that to make an impact with limited resources within a community of millions, you need to focus. Good questions to ask are: What impact do we need to make? Who needs to know about our cause to help us create that impact? Asking these kinds of questions helped us prioritize our outreach and know what we needed to gain from that outreach. It ranged from stakeholder support, volunteered talent, and fundraising. We achieved our sustainability goals even though thousands of users still didn’t know that the Association managed the very development and community platformed they relied on. 

    4. I firmly believe that now is the time for the OSI to become a more strategic and resilient organization to help lead the industry through current changes. I’m excited to donate time to this quest because this is an area where I can truly contribute and help. In the spirit of open source, I want to share my learnings from the Drupal Association so that the OSI can accelerate their journey to becoming a more strategic organization. Also, OSI is a foundational  lever for open source impact. It is inspiring to think that by serving OSI, I can help all open source projects and their ecosystems. 

    5. I believe this is a time to build bridges and that the OSI is uniquely and centrally positioned to do so with many organizations for the betterment of the organization and the industry. I’m a firm believer that we shouldn’t be afraid of exploring possibilities or engaging in conversations because as Margaret Wheatley, leadership expert says: “Very great change starts from very small conversations, held among people who care.”

  • Federico
    Federico, 2020/03/02 18:24

    Thank you for standing. When a goal is stated to move away from a volunteer-based governance and to focus on staffing, the voters are being implicitly asked whether they want to increase the expenses of OSI. You mention fundraising but it's not clear to me what sources of income would be needed or considered. What successful models do you think the OSI could keep in mind? For instance, is the Linux Foundation one?

  • Megan  Sanicki
    Megan Sanicki, 2020/03/10 22:50

    I'm sorry to have missed your question. It's a good one!
    The revenue model needs to align with the mission and values, so I think it requires a board discussion before one is chosen. However, one idea that might meet these criteria is providing copyleft legal certification for lawyers who want to demonstrate this expertise. 

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