Candidates 2007
2007-2009 Board of Directors
Candidates for three open seats on the Board of Directors are listed below in alphabetical order. We will continue to add candidate profiles as nominations are accepted, until the election opens on September 2, so keep checking back as more candidates are added.
The election will be held from September 2 until September 15. (UTC/GMT +5 5am London time; PDT equivalent: September 14, 10pm PDT; EDT equivalent: September 15, 1am; JST equivalent: September 15, 2pm). For information on the election process, please visit the Election 2007 page. Please direct any questions to the Membership Coordinator at membership at iainstitute dot com.
Candidates
Jorge Arango
Bio:
I'm an information architect and web designer from Central America. In 1995 I dropped out of what could have been a promising, "safe" career in (brick and mortar) architecture to devote myself fully to this newfangled web thing. I founded and lead BootStudio, one of the first agencies in my part of the world. During the intervening years, I've led web development teams in my home country of Panama, as well as the US and the UK. I've been able to help clients from a variety of industries and backgrounds make better use of web technologies to help their organizations succeed.
I've grown much by being part of the IAI, and by interacting with peers from around the world. I've also been able to give back to the IA/UX community, by being an early volunteer for the IAI (IA Translation Initiative, Spanish language lead), an editor for Boxes and Arrows (now managing editor), and most recently as a member of the IAI Board of Advisors.
Position Statement:
Some folks — especially older family members — occasionally ask me if I'm ever going to "practice architecture" again. After a few seconds of awkward silence, I patiently explain what it is I do, and why it's so important.
It is important, Information Architecture. Our work adds real value to people's lives. However, most folks — especially outside of North America and Europe — seem to not be aware of it yet. The flipside is that more people than ever are "doing IA" around the world, but many of them don't know it; perhaps they call it something else, or don't know what to call it at all. They are starting from scratch, in many cases reinventing techniques we take for granted.
It's time for IA to be more active in a broader cultural conversation. The IA Institute has a key role to play in helping the profession define and explain itself — to itself and to others — and to grow globally.
As the preeminent IA organization in the world, there are various ways we can do this:
- We can encourage the formation and growth of local professional communities around the world.
- We can sponsor and mentor folks to organize local IA events.
- We can work with universities to help develop IA programs.
- We can provide seminal IA materials to non-English speakers.
- We can promote discussions of IA-related issues in non-IA-focussed media. (E.g. why is there a theater review column in the NY Times and no website review column?)
The IAI is already taking steps in these directions; I'd like to help nurture these initiatives. By expanding the conversation to include more folks, we can grow — as an organization, as professionals, and as members of a broader community.
Nominations:
"The IAI has gained significantly from Jorge's insights and ideas over this past year as a member of the Advisory Board. This is particularly so in the area of outreach to people all over the world who are doing IA and UX work but are unaware of the IAI community. He is actively building bridges across disciplines and cultures, and being on the Board would increase his reach and benefit the IAI membership."
(Nominated by Stacy Surla)
Chris Baum
Bio:
Chris is a UX practitioner currently serving as Senior Product Manager for Jaman.com, an online social cinema company, and as Editor-in-Chief of Boxes and Arrows. In designer guise, he is a recognized expert in user experience and enterprise information architecture.
After starting his technology career as a startup customer service rep during the go-go Web boom, Chris took over product management responsibilities for that first company and built his first website. He then moved on to usability and design management roles at Charles Schwab, consulted for a time, and returned to product management at E*Trade before joining Jaman.
Position Statement:
We've spent the last decade or so figuring out the IA practice and have found a nice space for ourselves. The IA Institute has been there to help us build up momentum as a community.
As we sit back and realize how far we've come, it becomes clear that we are in an amazing position. IAs inherently understand:
- people, how they use technology, and how they think.
- what organizations need, what they aspire to be, and how they fall short.
- that with less time to discern ever more information, the pressure of information flow is building with no end in sight.
- how to break things down into elements and create (better) systems that connect people to information and provide tools that they need.
These are the skills that fit almost every situation today — every industry, work or play, personal or professional. As people search for new ways to approach and share information, IAs are poised to create this change with the Institute being the fulcrum.
Along with IAs in companies, consultants, and practitioners, many others are just learning the value of the IA and are looking for our guidance and methods as they, too, start to leverage the our methods and mindset. Plus, many long-time Institute members are striking out in new directions, and we need to be able to support them, too.
As the information chasm continues to open, the IAI will be there to help point the way. With my IA chops in full effect throughout many roles, I have seen the machinations from many angles. I'd be thrilled to join the other Board members and continue build out a nimble, yet valuable, resource for practicing IAs, those of us just coming into the practice, and those using it in brand new ways.
Nominations:
"Chris is smart, sensible, and indefatigable in his quest to further the cause of IA. He's doing a superb job running Boxes and Arrows and has proved on countless occasions his ability to combine vision and pragmatism. The Board needs people who are able to provide this kind of thought leadership, yet remain willing to get their hands dirty. We are, after all, a working Board - and Chris would be a powerful addition to our ranks."
(Nominated by Eric Reiss)
"I like Boxes and Arrows site and I frequently visit it. I can see the dedication behind it."
(Nominated by Ravindra Papineni)
Peter Boersma
Bio:
I am Peter Boersma, male, 37, and I live in an apartment from 1750 in the center of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. At my university I combined computer science with ergonomics and since then I aim to create information environments where people can work and play without having to adapt too much.
I have been working in the field of user experience since 1995 as a user interface designer, project manager, concept designer, consultant, information architect, and manager. Currently, I am the senior interaction designer (yes, I know!) of the user experience department at Info.nl where I design online environments, mostly for financial institutions.
I love design processes and have published and spoken about the topic at local, national and international conferences. I have been involved in the organization of those conferences since 1997, including CHI conferences, IA Summits and all three Euro IA conferences. I have also been organizing local IA/UX Cocktail Hours since 2001.
Oh, and I love meetings and believe they are workplaces too.
Position Statement:
Thank you for having a look at my position statement. It means that you are interested in the advancement of the field of Information Architecture, and that is an interest we share.
I believe our field needs an organization like the IA Institute.
- Individual IAs need input for tomorrow's term paper, next week's design review, or next year's education budget.
- Groups of IAs need support to allow for focused discussions and local gatherings.
- All IAs need people around us that are aware of what IAs do, and appreciate our value.
I would like to see the IA Institute become a source of knowledge and support for individuals and groups of IA students, practitioners and managers, as well as the point of contact for those otherwise interested (e.g. journalists, policy makers, etc.).
To reach this goal we needs volunteers to find out what our members need, to design and evaluate the means to support them, and to collect feedback on the appropriateness of our initiatives. And we need volunteers to spread the word, promote our cause, and work with similar organizations that can help us advance.
I want to be one of those volunteers. I want to use my education, my experience, my network, and my ideas about the field, to help shape the IA Institute become that source of knowledge, that one point of contact for you, your peers, and for those that need to know about us.
Vote for me! Help me become a member of the board, and I will help you become a better educated, better connected, and better valued Information Architect.
Nominations:
"Dedicated to UX, mobile and ready to promote IA all over Europe (at a begining)."
(Nominated by Vincent Bertin)
Jason Hobbs
Bio:
Jason Hobbs works out of Johannesburg as jh-01 (www.jh-01.com). His time is spent practicing IA and UX design on commercial, government, non-profit and arts & culture projects; he also writes, researches, teaches and promotes the topics as much as he can.
He researches issues concerning developing contexts: communal computing and shared spaces of use. He has been practising IA since 1998 in Johannesburg, Cape Town and London. Jason has presented papers at the 2006 and 2007 IA Summits in Vancouver and Las Vegas. He was awarded one of two Progress Grants from the IA Institute in 2006 for contextual inquiry he was conducting into Internet Cafes in Johannesburg. He has been published in various local publications as well as in www.boxesandarrows.com and the ASIST Bulletin.
For the past year Jason has served as an advisor to the IA Institute Board. He is a Local Ambassador for http://uxnet.org and runs the SA UX Forum that is creating awareness and stimulating conversation and uptake of the methods and practise of UX in South Africa.
Position Statement:
I spent the first 5 years of my career as an IA advocating its use and benefits as a lone wolf in agencies in South Africa and London. Having discovered the IA Institute it has transformed how I work, how I network and how I understand a much larger purpose of IA in people's lives world wide and in particular in developing countries.
Serving as an advisor to the IA Institute Board this past year has made it clear how much effort and potential there is in the Institute. With other advisors I am aware of and have contributed to the IA Institute Business Plan and would love to assist in making it a reality over the next two years. Being such an ardent advocate of IA, it makes sense to be even more involved.
One more thing, I believe that living and working in Africa brings with it a special point of view. The IAI offers a crucial bridge between developed and developing contexts in the application of IA but more so understanding the profound impact it can make. Close to my heart is the Local Groups programme and discovering ways for the Institute to have a meaningful presence and offer support at a global and local level.
Nominations:
"Jason has served as a member of the Advisory Board this past year, and has helped shape the Local Groups program, greatly improving the IAI's ability to support networking amongst our membership. He is a leader in designing for developing contexts (see his Communal Computing slidedeck http://www.slideshare.net/jh01 and ASIS&T Bulletin article http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Aug-06/hobbs.html). He's also a smart, caring, contributing person who would make an excellent member of the Board."
(Nominated by Stacy Surla)
Dorelle Rabinowitz
Bio:
I am an artist, a native New Yorker, former editor of Boxes and Arrows, and have 20+ years experience as a designer, information architect, producer, and a storyteller in new and old media. Currently, I lead a user experience design team at Google, creating core infrastructures (styles, patterns, resources, methods & practices) to improve efficiency, communication and skills.
I moved to California three years ago to manage a team at Yahoo!, (adding global navigation to Yahoo! Finance) and have gradually succumbed to the lure of sunny days and smiling people -- although I don't know how people live without doormen and food delivery at 10 pm. Previous positions include Information Architect/Experience Lead with SBI.Razorfish, and Sr. Producer of an award winning website on Oxygen.com called Our Stories. I'm a graduate of NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, and also hold a BFA in graphic design from the Rhode Island School of Design. For more about me, see my website, http://www.dorelvis.com.
Position Statement:
I started my career as a graphic designer for print, and rode the computer wave to include multi-media, cd-roms and the web. I learned to adapt my skills, be flexible, and not fear change. But I was lucky -- there was a system in place for designers to learn and grow from their peers. You started as a jr, took on more responsibility as a designer and then grew into a sr. These mentoring relationships plus clear role expectations really helped me trust my abilities, with an understanding of the path ahead.
I see the IA Institute as the core infrastructure to provide the same kind of support in today's rapidly changing environment, and I would especially focus on tools and resources for people breaking into the field as well as for those senior practitioners who want to understand their next steps. (What if I don't want to manage? What if I do?) If my experience can prove valuable I would very much like to give back. I constantly refer to the Institute's library, the tools -- and send my colleagues online often. I would very much like to publicize the value of our collected learnings, add resources and promote our people. This institute has given me a sense of support, of community and belonging. Its most valuable aspect has always been the personal connections we make and the discussions we have. It would be an honor to serve this community, and I appreciate your consideration.
Nominations:
"Dorelle has been talking about information architecture longer than anyone I know. We marveled together at Yahoo!'s first site, and then she started arguing about the classifications. Her background bridges both design and communications, and she's one of the most patient teachers I know. She's easy to laugh and a caring, collaborative people manager. I'd work with her again in a second."
(Nominated by Adam Tinkoff-non-member)
"Dorelle is a seasoned leader in the field. She's worked at every level from churning wire frames to setting the tone of a team. And both sides of the client divide, with many years in client-services and more recently returning to client-side. Included in her range of experiences is a design sense that has served her well for transactional financial service applications to more light-hearted consumer content. After being peers for 10 years, I continue to learn from her and find her professional generosity unparalleled. I can't imagine any one better qualified for this role."
(Nominated by Jody Hankinson)
Andrea Resmini
Bio:
Although I started working on big iron at the end of the Eighties as a network administrator, my background is in Architecture and Industrial Design. I certainly gave it a twist back then though, when I suddenly fell in love with chaos during my final years at the Polytechnic of Milan and I ended up spending three years working on morphogenetic models and process design. That is basically, for those who live in the real world, growing items out of algorithms.
After my degree I got enrolled as a teaching assistant, which could be roughly translated into the English-speaking world as 'the bellboy cum lecturing and tutoring duties', and I helped build our Department's intranet presence, which we quickly perverted to insane tasks like allowing students to send in their papers from home (this was 1996 and Italy was happily speeding along on 14400 modems). That was Joliet Jake Blues seeing the light for me: I started tweaking both what was served (the web site and applications, cgi-bin things part Perl part REXX (OMG)) and what was serving (the server), and I very quickly found myself in the position of being the geek among designers and the (fancy) designer among geeks.
I seriously specialized in TCP/IP network administration and I spent a lot of my professional time designing and deploying the back-end of server farms for web, mail and database services, tweaking kernels and configuring httpd daemons. The rest of my time I spent hacking cgi-bins, then PHP scripts, then CMSes. My involvement with Linux and the Free and Open Source Software world stems from there. In the night-time (or so it seems now), I toyed around with graphic design and information design for friends and clients from all over Europe.
Around 1999 I started thinking there could be some method in all this madness. I found out there were strange men and women going around doing what I was doing, coming from the most diverse backgrounds but all calling themselves information architects, and it was Joliet Jake all over again.
I co-founded a company, exea, with the idea of bringing SMEs into the information revolution. When it became clear that wasn't happening for the time being, at least not for us or not at the pace we thought, I went solo and decided it was time for me to get back to scholarly works. I enrolled as a PhD candidate first at the Department of History and Informatics, University of Bologna, then at CIRSFID, the Department of Computer Science and Law (and yes, if they do not have strange associations in their name they are not for me). We deploy actual applications, so I still spend a fair amount of time code-monkeying, although my research mainly deals with online access to historical and juridical databases and ways to improve the general IA and UX in the field. I have a feeling that topic maps might very well be part of this IA picture and I have been poking them with a stick regularly (and from a distance, you never know) for more than three years now. Me and the family have been traveling through Norway, Sweden and Denmark since 1994, so three years ago we decided it was time to get a feel of
how it is to be real Svenssons and since then we've been spending a decent amount of months in Sweden as researchers (well, my daughter berrypicking actually, but you get the picture) at JIBS in Jönköping, something which decidedly widened our perspectives. I also re-started teaching, this time at the European Institute of Design in Rome, where I wear down students with CMS and WebUML, and I got involved in a couple of pretty interesting projects: FaceTag, with fellows Luca Rosati and Emanuele Quintarelli, and Kind of Tags (KOT), with a number of rather brilliant semantic people from all over Europe.
I still write the occasional article, pretend to maintain a number of web sites, including mine, and speak at conferences. I'm also on the IAI TIA team, on the Open Source Content Management Association (OSCOM) Board and I'm helping out with the upcoming Second Italian IA Summit (whew).
Position Statement:
There is a number of people nominated for the Board who are much better than me at the business side of things, so I won't pretend to be good at that at all.
But being trained as an architect in the Eighties-Nineties in Italy basically meant you had to play ball as a team, and that's still what I think I can do best: I'm usually pretty good at keeping things moving along and in smoothing out rough edges when it comes to teamwork. As a Board Member, my principal concerns would be to consolidate and expand the IAI presence on the Internet, be it web sites, mailing lists, wikis, glossaries, podcasts or new initiatives; help improve the Morlock piping below these, the network infrastructure; help move the IAI brand to other domains coherently, for example I'd like to see IAI-branded
books, and I think the TIA initiative has much to say in this respect.
I'd also would strongly support any educational efforts, especially now that Information architecture is starting to appear on the academic map even in Europe, as I do believe that not only professional but also academic recognition plays a key role in our future.
Mostly, I think we IAs should really show what maximizing the power of the network means: and although I'm not afraid of shooting at the moon, I think so much can be accomplished in small incremental steps, simply adding a little something everyday, and that can be done with passion and dedication. And by simply weaving together our personal loose threads, one at a time, we can sew a princely dress.
Nominations:
"Andrea is all about building and serving the community. He's an organizer of the Italian IA Summit, a frequent contributor to the collective wisdom via the IAI members and other lists, a co-creator of the Facetag semantic collaborative tagging tool prototype, and a member of the TIA team (IAI translation initiative) among many other things. He's also got a strong IT background, particularly in open source software solutions, and currently teaches CMS and WebUML. In short, a 21st century renaissance man. The Institute would be considerably strengthened through his involvement on the Board."
(Nominated by Stacy Surla)
Stacy Merrill Surla
Bio:
I've been working in the digital realm since lugging my Osborne to West Africa and back in the 1980s. Along with my day job as a mild mannered IA for MITRE Corp, I spend my time working to make the world a better, more satisfying place. I serve on the board of the IAI, helped found the DCIA local group, edit the IA Column in the ASIS&T Bulletin, was program chair of the 2005 IA Summit, co-founded the Rosebud film and video festival, co-chaired the Foundation for Mid-East Communication, served as briefing leader for the Hunger Project, started a crimewatchers program in Haight-Ashbury, and organized a neighborhood circus.
Position Statement:
The IAI is in a period of tremendous growth that includes unparalleled increases in membership, finance, and programs. My work as Treasurer has been very important to achieving both the growth and the sound operational footing -- the ability to keep on growing -- that we now enjoy. At the same time there's a great deal more work that needs to be done right away. I believe quite strongly in the IAI and feel a deep responsibility to its future. So I thank those who have nominated me and accept the challenge to run and serve the Institute again.
In my two years of service I've worn some very different hats: Treasurer, staff supervisor, evangelist for an IAI Back Office, and board sponsor of the Local Groups and Second Life initiatives. As Treasurer I took on an arduous but ultimately quite rewarding task, and we now have a firm, professional handle on our finances and comply with our legal responsibilities. More than this, we have begun to build our seamless Back Office as the platform upon which the outward-facing work of the IAI can be confidently carried out.
On the programs side, it has been my pleasure to work with brilliant Initiative Leaders, Advisors, and staff on the Local Groups program. As I wrote earlier this year (http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Dec-06/surla.html), the Local Groups program is absolutely key to our future, because building IA as a profession means building IAs as professionals. This process happens one person at a time, one location at a time. On my watch the IAI has created new guidelines for local groups, built an interactive directory to help IAs find one another, begun projects to recognize local leadership and activities, and made online tools available to local groups for networking and collaboration. I started the Second Life initiative as an extension of the Local Groups idea, and it's also becoming an opportunity for IAI members to explore the role IAs can play in designing information spaces for the 3D web.
- If elected, I will ensure the continued smooth conduct of the IAI's financial, legal, membership, and staff management functions.
- I will see to the building of the Institute's seamless Back Office.
- I will continue to spearhead Local Groups, publications development, and other programs that build IA as a profession and bring real value to individual members.
Nominations:
"Dedicated, always helpful."
(Nominated by Andrea Resmini)
"She is currently a director, her term is ending now, and if she's willing, I think she would be a valuable continuing presence on the board. She is one of the most capable and dynamic board members at present, imho. If we can convince her to run again, we should try to do so."
(Nominated by Christian Crumlish)
"For the past two years, Stacy has been our Treasurer. During her tenure, Stacy has played a pivotal role in creating the financial stability we now enjoy. She has also made major contributions to our new Business Plan, including detailed budgets for the coming years. Additionally, Stacy has been tireless in her work with local groups and the creation of our Second Life presence. In short, Stacy has been an incredibly valuable asset and I hope she will continue to serve on the Board these next two years."
(Nominated by Eric Reiss)
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This page was last modified on July 27, 2007 03:29 PM.