The ICANN82 Community Forum begins in less than two weeks, and I'm already looking forward to my first ICANN Public Meeting as the CEO. Before we get together in Seattle, I wanted to share what I've been working on since starting this role.
Since I joined ICANN, I have been largely focused on getting to know the ICANN organization (org) and community. I spent several weeks at our Los Angeles headquarters, where I was able to meet many org employees, and I met individually with each executive.
Meanwhile, I've been spending plenty of time with my Board colleagues, and I attended my first Board Workshop as a member of the ICANN Board. The workshop was a valuable opportunity for me to learn about the latest developments across all areas of ICANN's work. I've also had the chance to dive deep into specific topics by attending the meetings of many different Board committees, caucuses, and working groups.
Finally, I've been meeting with the leadership of each of ICANN's Supporting Organizations (SOs) and Advisory Committees (ACs), alongside our new Senior Vice President of Policy Development Support, Russ Weinstein. Our goal is to understand the priorities and expectations of all ICANN stakeholders, and these meetings are part of an important ongoing dialogue to help shape the priorities for me and the organization going forward. Coming into the CEO role, I have been conscious of not bringing a predefined agenda but rather letting it be shaped by the views of the stakeholders and the organization. I'm looking forward to meeting again with community leaders at the upcoming SO and AC Roundtable before ICANN82.
ICANN meetings are a venue for the ICANN community, org, and Board to come together to learn, discuss, and advance our work. In particular, the upcoming Community Forum lasts six days and consists of more than 200 sessions. I know from experience that it takes time to learn about all the research, projects, and other work happening throughout the ICANN ecosystem. Therefore, I appreciate the Prep Week initiative that ICANN org launched to help participants get up to speed on key focus areas before the meeting.
I hope you have found this week's ICANN82 Prep Week helpful. If you weren't able to attend, I urge you to review the recordings and session materials available on the ICANN82 schedule page. The sessions include important updates on ICANN's finances, the next five-year Strategic Plan, and the New Generic Top-Level Domains Program: Next Round.
With that, I wish you an informative and enjoyable ICANN82, and I'll see you there!
