[Chapter-delegates] ISOC-NY President Resigns

[Leah Symekher]

@Glenn +1
It is honestly unfortunate and truly unacceptable that dedicated ISOC 
Chapter leaders like David have no choice but to eventually resign, in a 
way give up on ISOC.  I have met David, we took the workshop together in 
LA where we all discussed in great detail the challenges Chapters and 
its leaders face.  The challenges are real and as Glenn mentioned below 
these challenges are not unique to one or some chapters and leaders.  
Chapter leaders despite being volunteers try to continually endue these 
challenges and give a lot of themselves as described by David's 
experience.  The burden placed on leaders can easily result in 
imbalances and a thwarted experience.

The comment below by Carlos Raul Gutierrez is also very disheartening.  
It took our chapter 3 years to finally get the non-profit status, that 
it got to a point where the board members had to contribute their own 
money so we could pay the IRS for taxes owed in order to keep the 
Chapter going.

Without a serious support structure by ISOC for the Chapters it is 
impossible for Chapters to reach aspired goals, thrive and even survive.

IMHO, I am not sure how the position of the Regional Bureau Director, 
North America will
assist this region with these challenges (especially if this person does 
not have chapter experience). I would vote for hiring staff dedicated to 
support Chapters, staff that will get fully involved with the Chapters, 
get their hands dirty with the Chapters, do the heavy lifting with the 
Chapters and not another overseer.

Leah Symekher
SFBay Area ISOC Chapter, President




On 4/5/16 9:51 AM, Carlos Raúl Gutiérrez G. wrote:
> @Glenn +1
>
> After spending a long year trying to get our local chapter 100% 
> registered under a celar non-for profit structure in Costa Rica so we 
> can even have our own bank account, we found out the ISOC does not 
> even consider guaranteeing  the basic yearly support of US $ 
> 2´000/year we assumed as the basic support to share one part time 
> person with one of our Board members………
>
> Carlos Raúl Gutiérrez
> +506 8837 7176
> Skype: carlos.raulg
> Current UTC offset: -6.00 (Costa Rica)
> On 5 Apr 2016, at 9:59, Glenn McKnight wrote:
>
>> Hi
>> I think David's situation is the same as most locations and it's a 
>> serious
>> issue that ISOC needs to address
>> G
>>
>> Glenn McKnight
>> mcknight.glenn at gmail.com
>> skype  gmcknight
>> twitter gmcknight
>> .
>>
>> On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 11:55 AM, Eduardo Diaz 
>> <eduardodiazrivera at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> David:
>>>
>>> Is sad to see you moving from ISOC but we understand.
>>>
>>> Please keep in touch and good luck in your new ventures.
>>>
>>> Eduardo Diaz
>>> ISOC Puerto Rico
>>>
>>> On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 5:55 AM James Kofi <kofiadzamli at gmail.com> 
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hello David,
>>>> This is Very touching. Even though i've not heard about you all this
>>>> while, i will say kudos to you for the relentlessness. I wish you 
>>>> well and
>>>> hope you'll not let your love for ISOC grow cold.
>>>>
>>>> Regards!
>>>>
>>>> James
>>>> +233248814328
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 9:16 AM, David Solomonoff 
>>>> <president at isoc-ny.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Effective Monday, 4/11 I will resign my position as President of 
>>>>> the New
>>>>> York Chapter of the Internet Society.
>>>>>
>>>>> I put all my time and financial resources as a full-time, unpaid
>>>>> volunteer into developing the Chapter and more broadly, the cause 
>>>>> of open
>>>>> technology for social good, over the last three years.
>>>>>
>>>>> That proved not to be sustainable - I've completely run out of 
>>>>> financial
>>>>> resources and can no longer make the time commitment.
>>>>>
>>>>> ISOC-NY EVP Grace Wang and SVP Carolina Coto will jointly assume
>>>>> leadership until a new election can be held. I will help them in 
>>>>> every way
>>>>> I can.
>>>>>
>>>>> I would like to have a final Board meeting as President at Civic 
>>>>> Hall on
>>>>> Friday, 4/8 or Sunday, 4/10.
>>>>>
>>>>> I will also be pursuing several commercial ventures and can be be
>>>>> reached at david.solomonoff at zoeticnetworks.com to discuss partnership
>>>>> opportunities.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks to everyone for all their support over the 11 years I've been
>>>>> President, as we went from being an inactive Chapter to one of the 
>>>>> most
>>>>> vital.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>
>>>>> David
>>>>>
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> David Solomonoff, President
>>>>> Internet Society of New York
>>>>> president at isoc-ny.org
>>>>> isoc-ny.org
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> David Solomonoff, President
>>>>> Internet Society of New York
>>>>> president at isoc-ny.org
>>>>> isoc-ny.org
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> Society
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> Society
>>>> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
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> _______________________________________________
> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org