[NCUC-DISCUSS] NCUC Election 2013: Statement of Candidacy of Roy Balleste

Fri Nov 22 18:45:59 CET 2013

Statement of Candidacy of Roy Balleste

I thank you very much for the nomination and vote of trust.  I accept the nomination for the Executive Committee, North American region.  I do so with deep gratitude.

1. Why do you want to serve on the EC?

I am standing in this election as candidate for the Executive Committee - Representative for the North America Region.  I believe that the future of the Internet must rest with a bottom-up multistakeholder process.  This process, however, demands that all stakeholders exercise good stewardship cemented in human dignity.  It is this belief that frames all my hopes for a future working in the EC.

I understand the importance of recruiting new members (as explained in question #2 below). I also recognize the importance of working with members from the respective region to help them understand the functioning of the ICANN process, structure, and organizational participation. (I also expand on this endeavor in question #2).  I have been involved in the WHOIS policy process of ICANN for the past year, and feel that I understand the players well enough to represent efficiently the NCUC in future activities, such as outreach to potential new members and promote our constituency.

I recently joined the GNSO RAA Privacy & Proxy Services Accreditation Issues PDP Working Group to develop policy recommendations on issues relating to the accreditation of privacy and proxy service providers.  I am concerned with activities that endanger the registrants' rights to privacy, access to information, and freedom of expression.  I believe I have the necessary skills and level of awareness to stand for the non-commercial registrants and to represent the North America Region.  It is my desire to collaborate with the NCUC Chair, the members of the EC, and the larger leadership and membership of the NCSG and overall ICANN, while advancing the values and views of our constituency.

2. Provide a brief biography of recent experience, associations, and affiliations relevant to serving on the Executive Committee. Describe the relevance of your personal and professional experience to serve on the NCUC Executive Committee, and identify any conflicts of interests you might have.

My background is somewhat unique when compared to others on the NCUC.  I am the only law librarian in the NCUC (as far as I know).  As an individual and academic, I have always been concerned with access to information and freedom of expression.  I am Law Library Director and Professor of Law at St. Thomas University, in Miami Gardens, Florida, USA.   I completed a doctorate degree (J.S.D.) in Intercultural Human Rights (analyzing internet governance, including its history, actors, institutions and human rights considerations).  I just completed my book based on my doctoral thesis which has been accepted for publication (to be published in the Fall of 2014.)

My activities within ICANN:

·         I have no conflicts of interest.

  *   Member of the GNSO ‘thick’ WHOIS PDP WG (and within the working group, member of the data protection and privacy sub-team).
  *   Member of the GNSO RAA Privacy & Proxy Services Accreditation Issues PDP Working Group
  *   I was co-drafter of the two NCUC Policy Documents submitted to the ‘thick’ WHOIS PDP WG.
  *   Translated the NCUC brochure to Spanish.
  *   Created the initiate to set up the NCUC Digital Portal.
  *   I contacted the director of Policy and Advocacy of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) on behalf of the NCUC (and NCSG) seeking broader and worldwide participation of librarians in the ICANN process.  These discussions are ongoing.
  *   I participated in the ICANN meetings in Prague, Toronto, and Buenos Aires.

Greater Internet Governance,

For the past ten years, I have been researching the subject of internet governance.  While the development of computer science opened the door for the Internet, it is the power over its capabilities that promise to redefine how we live as a global society.  These concepts continue to shape my research.  My additional activities related to internet governance have been as follows:

·         Participated in the Second UN Internet Governance Forum in Rio de Janeiro.

·         Participated in the Fifth UN Internet Governance Forum in Vilnius, Lithuania

·         Before attending the meeting in Vilnius, I submitted a comment supporting the continuation<http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/2010/contributions/Roy.Balleste.Contribution.IGF.pdf> of the IGF beyond its original five-year mandate.

·         I am a member of the Global Internet Governance Academic Network (GigaNet) where I served as secretary of the Steering Committee from December 2010 to December 2012.

I strongly believe in the principles enshrined in the NCUC, and would like to do what I can to translate these principles into policy.  I plan to continue my participation in the future ICANN process, and I am glad that I already had the opportunity to do so with other members of the NCSG from both constituencies.

3. The EC performs several functional responsibilities for the Constituency.  What level of time commitment can you bring to your EC role on a weekly and overall basis?  Describe any concerns or limitations on your ability to attend online meetings of the Executive Committee and ICANN Meetings in person.

I will perform my duties as expected and as needed. As other previous members have noted before, a plan to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours a week depending on circumstances, and more in the run-up to and aftermaths of ICANN meetings or as needed.  I will dedicate the time needed to make meaningful contributions to the EC on behalf of the members.

4. Communication with the membership is critical. How would you keep members apprised of your EC-related activities?

The membership can expect regular announcements and notices as the work develops during the year.

5. How do you foresee NCUC’s function, scale, or role changing in the future? What areas of ICANN policy, if any, need more attention and why? Be concise (200 words maximum).

The new gTLDs and the growth of ICANN in the overall international governance process, promise to continue to raise issues in which NCUC has the opportunity to help create policy, promote particular concerns, and initiate advocacy:

  *   We will need to be vigilant on the growing pressure over privacy and data protection.
  *   We have to continue engaging in the GNSO PDP process.
  *   I look forward to outreach initiatives and further engagement of the constituency in our changing ICANN world.

More about me:
http://www.stu.edu/BallesteRoy/tabid/2383/Default.aspx
http://icannwiki.com/index.php/Roy_Balleste

I very much appreciate the nomination from Brenden Kuerbis, thank you very much to those who endorsed my candidacy, and to all others for your time and consideration.

Roy Balleste
Law Library Director &
Professor of Law
St. Thomas University Law Library
16401 NW 37th Avenue
Miami Gardens, FL 33054
305-623-2341

From: William Drake [mailto:wjdrake at gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2013 10:14 AM
To: ncuc-discuss at lists.ncuc.org
Cc: Milan, Stefania; Hago Dafalla; Grace Githaiga; PeterGreen; Imran Ahmed Shah; wsaqaf at gmail.com; Pranesh Prakash; Balleste, Roy; Carlos Affonso Pereira de Souza
Subject: NCUC Election 2013, Next Steps: Nominations List and Candidate Statements

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