Denise Michel who was formerly with ICANN as VP of Strategic Initiatives and Advisor to the President, has been hired by Facebook to work on Facebook’s new “Domain Name System Strategy and Management Team” which she says “will help improve the global framework for domain names, IP addresses, numbers and related elements.”
Denise “will be working across Facebook departments and collaborating widely with a range of stakeholders to help increase the opportunities and mitigate the risks of the exponential growth and evolution of the Internet’s identifier system.”
Here are some more details about Denise service to ICANN and her background:
“Denise Michel, VP, Strategic Initiatives & Advisor to President, has been involved in the evolution of the Internet for over 20 years. ”
“Starting in the early 1980’s, she served in positions of increasing responsibility with the U.S. Senate, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the American Electronics Association, the Clinton Administration, Internet start-ups, and ICANN.
Some of her early contributions to the Internet include helping to evolve the principal Internet backbone from NSFNET, expanding the U.S. network of Supercomputer Centers, starting the American Electronics Association’s Technology Policy Division, and working with then Senator Al Gore to launch the U.S. High Performance Computing Initiative in 1989.
President Clinton appointed Ms. Michel in 1993 to the position of Senior Technology Advisor, where she drafted the world’s first *National Information Infrastructure Initiative* (a strategic plan for advancing a private sector-led Internet) and coordinated broad-ranging programs to progress the Internet.
She co-founded a technology company in 1995 that provided businesses with Internet-based merchandising systems, and has consulted for a variety of businesses and organizations.
At ICANN, Ms. Michel was the first Director for At-Large, helping to create a global structure for Internet users’ participation and representation in ICANN. She subsequently served as ICANN’s Vice President for Policy, where she oversaw operations for ICANN’s international, consensus-based policy process and worked with the global Internet community to support the stable and secure operation of the Internet’s unique identifier systems. During her tenure, she built an international Policy Staff in seven countries and supported the evolution and internationalization of the domain name space.””
Sounds like Facebook is trying to be another ICANN.
“Another” ICANN? Facebook has one seat in the ICANN GNSO, and one of their lobbyists on the ICANN Board. They don’t need another ICANN. They are happy with the one they have.
Revolving door? Facebook lobbyists plugged in to ICANN? And VP of ICANN moving laterally into an executive role at Facebook?
That stratum of the domain industry isn’t something I’ve paid much attention to. Mr. Berryhill, sir, you pique my interest.
Well then my friend, pique your nose at this:
1. ICANN GNSO Council:
http://gnso.icann.org/en/about/gnso-council.htm
Susan Kawaguchi (SOI) – NA (AGM 2016)
Domain Name Manager
Facebook
June 2009 – Present (6 years 6 months)
Global Domain Name Manager
eBay Inc.
March 2007 – May 2009 (2 years 3 months)
2. ICANN Board:
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/board-of-directors-2014-03-19-en
Erika Mann
Head Brussels office
Facebook
October 2011 – Present (4 years 2 months)
Board member
ICANN
2009 – Present (6 years)LA and global
Ms. Mann was put on the ICANN Board by the Nominating Committee, and then hired by Facebook; Ms. Kawaguchi of Facebook was elected to the ICANN GNSO Council by the Commercial Users; and then Ms. Michel was hired away by Facebook from her ICANN VP position.
After Fadi Chehade leaves his post as CEO next year, and a new one comes in, there are likely to be several interesting ICANN staff departures and new faces. As the time approaches, I might start an “ICANN Staff Dead Pool” of likely current staff who will be leaving ICANN after a polite holdover period in Mr. Chehade’s wake.
Thanks for the info.
It’s difficult to follow the policy layer of the domain name industry when I have so little direct monetary incentive to pay attention to ICANN and so little influence over what they may do. Consequences tend to be indirect.