[Linux-aus] Candidate Statement: Christopher Neugebauer

[Chris Neugebauer]

I'm writing to announce my candidacy to be a Council Member of Linux Australia.

I am also considering a run for the role of Vice-President. I wouldn't
run for such a role if a member of the 2013 council ran. This year's
council has been excellent, and if Hugh decided not to continue as VP,
I'd happily advocate for another 2013 council member to take his
place.


I've been involved with Linux Australia since 2008; I also
unsuccessfully ran for the role of Council Member for 2013.

I, along with Joshua Hesketh, ran PyCon Australia in Hobart in 2012
and 2013. In my side of the role, I sorted all of the public-facing
aspects of the conference: publicity, outreach, and sponsorship
liaison. In this role, we saw PyCon AU produce its biggest attendance
ever, and each year, we raised in excess of 40% of that year's budget
in sponsorship.

I'm a nominated and elected member of the Python Software Foundation,
the organisation that oversees the growth of the Python programming
language and its community; my nomination was in recognition of the
work I did with PyCon AU.

I've also run Miniconfs at each Linux.conf.au since 2010 in Wellington.


Here's how I'd hope to contribute to Linux Australia if I were serving
on the council:

1) I'd like to see event funding and sponsorships handled more
centrally through Linux Australia. I'd establish, and chair a
sponsorship & fundraising subcommittee that LA's conferences can
participate in. We can help conferences find contacts for sponsors,
and increase the funding base for our major events, so they can spend
more money on outreach programmes (such as PyCon AU's very successful
financial assistance programme).

2) I'd like to develop a model for looking after LA's conferences that
focus less on a year-to-year basis, and more to a long-term steering
model, with a focus on sharing expertise from year to year, and
reducing organiser burnout. This model would be applied to PyCon AU,
with a view to producing something that could also work for e.g.
Linux.conf.au.

3) I have a voice in the international Python Community, and I
actively follow issues that arise in Open Source communities
internationally. I hope to be able to make the council more aware of
issues that arise in such communities as they arise.

I also attend a whole lot of Open Source related events every year,
both in Australia and abroad. I'd be honoured to be able to represent
Linux Australia and its council wherever appropriate.


If you have any questions about my candidacy, feel free to contact me,
either on- or off-list.

Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you all,

--Chris

-- 
--Christopher Neugebauer

Jabber: chrisjrn at gmail.com -- IRC: chrisjrn on irc.freenode.net --
AIM: chrisjrn157 -- MSN: chris at neugebauer.id.au -- WWW:
http://chris.neugebauer.id.au -- Twitter/Identi.ca: @chrisjrn