E-mail: aa353@freenet.carleton.ca
Whether as a consultant, a trainer, a writer or a martial arts instructor, my focus is on potential and possibilities. I see personal computers and electronic communications technologies much like I see bicycles: as lenses to magnify our innate and acquired abilities. Properly understood and employed, they can be valuable tools to increase our productivity, effectiveness and interdependence rather than burdens, distractions or barriers.
I use computers, e-mail, the world wide web, etc. almost every day in a wide variety of ways, but I also recognize that pen, paper and face to face communication are and will continue to be of utmost importance in our world. In addition to learning how to use and maintain the tools of the information age, we must also understand which tools are best employed for which jobs -- and be ever-vigilant to see that our tools serve us and facilitate our work rather than the other way around.
I am pleased to have had the opportunity to serve on the Board of NCF from 2001 - 2004 during a period of significant change and development. What I offer for the future is the perspective I've gained and the things I've learned not just during those 3 years, but going back to my early days as an activist and educator and, more recently, as an association manager and finally, since 1990, running my own independent consulting practice and martial arts club.
You can find out more about who I am and what I've done over the years through the links below.
What skills will you contribute to the NCF Board?
In addition to my experience on the NCF Board and Executive over the last 3 years, I have previous experience as staff, management and volunteer board member with a wide range of community and not for profit organizations. These include Frontier College (staff), Canadian College of Health Service Executives (staff and management), and committee and board participation with groups including the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia, World Literacy of Canada, the Society of Internet Professionals (Ottawa Chapter). I also currently serve on the Education Committee for the Association of Professional Computer Consultants. I have owned and operated a successful IT and Internet consulting business since 1990. I have worked, played, taught and, as a writer, have been published on the Internet since the early days of public access through my first dial-up shell account through the Synapse BBS.
What do you think are the most important functions of NCF for its members?
The time has come for NCF to both be and be known as more than just a cheap ISP.
Of course, we still need to "keep the ship afloat," accessible and relevant to its members, but also adequately supplied with the resources it needs to function effectively. We also need to expand our membership base and the range of community building tools and services we offer those members.
Finally, I think the NCF needs to be a both public voice in the debate concerning universal access to the Internet but also a forum through which individual members and organizations can communicate with the community at large.
Why do you want to be an NCF Director?
Even though the NCF is not my primarily means of internet access, I have maintained my membership because I feel that the NCF is an important vanguard for and bastion of non-commercial access to the communication and cultural as well as economic possibilities which the Internet can continue to offer, and feel that it is important to offer my experience and perspective towards that end.
Members who are looking for someone who will be a regular, active participant in on-line discussions should vote for someone else. No matter how much I may believe in these things, I have a finite amount of time to offer, and feel that I can invest that time more effectively by volunteering to serve on the board to help maintain members' opportunities to participate.