Re: More questions for Board candidates

[Shaun McCance <shaunm gnome org>]

On Thu, 2015-05-21 at 17:25 -0400, Karen Sandler wrote:
> I have a few questions for the candidates too. I agree with what has 
> been said by Jeff and Josh that it's important that people on the board 
> have a diverse skillset, so I wouldn't expect all board members to 
> answer yes on these, but I think it's good to know if at least a few 
> people on the board have some background in these areas...
>
> Have you ever done any fundraising?

Yes. For the last year and a half, I was involved with a group trying to
open a grocery cooperative in my neighborhood. We sold over a thousand
shares to neighbors and raised a million dollars, making it the fastest
growing co-op startup in the country. That work is still ongoing, though
I've taken a more passive role lately. I'm very proud of the work we
did.

I also drum up sponsorship for the Open Help Conference every year. It's
not a lot of money, comparatively, but it's a lot of work to make it
happen and not drain my pocketbook.

> Are you comfortable asking sponsors for money?

I'm more comfortable with it now than I was five years ago. Honestly,
it's not my favorite thing to do. I'd rather do conference logistics and
let somebody else track down money. But I can do it, and I do do it.

> Have you ever been in a manager role?

I've been in a project lead role, where I've been responsible for
telling people what to do. But I've never been in a role where I'm
responsible for performance evaluations.

> Do you have any experience talking to reporters?

A bit. I was interviewed a few times for the co-op, and participated in
some press conferences.

> Have you ever talked to a group of people about why software freedom is 
> important?

I haven't done it in a formal setting, such as a presentation. But I've
frequently talked to groups of friends or colleagues about why I care
about free software, and why they should as well.

--
Shaun