I'm an openstack Developer and PTL. My aim is to make OpenStack better in whichever ways I can.
Tony has been an active member of the OpenInfra community serving in many roles. As a developer/reviewer, as a project core, as a project team lead, as a SIG chair and currently he is an active member or the OpenDev Sysadmins.
Ultimately the success of OpenInfra is important to Tony for several reasons. He believes deeply that this is one of the greatest Open Source communities, He believes that the technology/projects under OpenInfra are at the heart of many initiatives starting to take hold now, AI, Automotive, Edge, Risc-V. Being very frank Tony has many friends in the OpenInfra community, around the world, he cares about the success of OpenInfra as that enables the success of these friends!
Tony was one of the primary "architects" behind the design and implementation of "Extended Maintenance" (EM) which at it's core was about collaboration, collaboration between vendors, collaboration between operators and perhaps most crucially the collaboration between operators and developers. It is true that has been phased out recently in favor of a newer model. This isn't a "failure", this is "growth", and growth is essential.
Tony has never served on a board for a non profit. He has however been responsible for founding, managing and legally Incorporating several Linux Users groups (does anyone remember them?) Tony was also a key member of the organisation of "linux.conf.au" and Technical Linux conference in Australia. While Tony was involved the conference grew from 100 people with a $250k budget to close to 1000 attendees with a budget in excess of $1M. at it's peak. Tony served as treasurer for the conference for several years. Tony was also treasurer for the non profit linux.org.au which was the legal umbrella and seed for several smaller technology based organisations in Australia and New Zealand.
The experience above, albeit tangential, has well prepared Tony for a role as individual director on the OpenInfra board.
The OpenInfra board has primary role of protecting and evolving the the Eco-system of projects associated with OpenInfra. This sounds very nebulous, and that's partially because the actions of the board must reflect the time and space, in which, they occur. The OpenInfra Foundation staff have done a fantastic job promoting OpenInfra projects in the face of recent acquisitions. 13 months ago those opportunities were not visible. So anything written here today, could be irrelevant tomorrow.
I feel like the OpenInfra Foundation is at somewhat of an inflection point. Several new strategies have been initiated but not complete. With this in mind I feel strongly the board needs some introspection. Truly look at the state of the Foundation, the state of the ecosystem and then geo political changes. Spend the first 6 months of 2025 gaining an understanding and then define at least one key risk and work with the foundation staff to mitigate it.
Tony has already been nominated by: