by I’m honored to be a candidate for the LOPSA board, and I appreciate the time you’re taking to read all the candidate statements before voting.
As far as my personal and organizational background goes… I’ve maintained networks for K-12 environments, operated my own consulting firm, handled IT operations for a local municipality, developed large-event logistical workflows for a business, advised student organizations, handled budgets/red tape, adminned an EDA/CAD network, and designed networks for gathering telemetry over free-space optical links.
That aside, though, I believe that system administration is about bringing people together.
System Administrators are the maintainers of a space that exists only physically by way of printed circuit boards, integrated circuits and interconnected copper and glass. The gap between states, nations, continents, cultures, and even space are now *almost* purely a matter of one’s interest in bridging the distance between two points.
The responsibility of maintaining this virtual space is not one to be taken lightly. People depend on the networks we create and maintain for a variety of seemingly petty *and* very important reasons. It is no longer practical or reasonable to be okay with “good enough” system administration. Which, is why I believe that a professional organization like the League of Professional System Administrators needs to exist now more than ever.
It is my vision to see LOPSA as an organization that partners with industry to show them what professional system administrators are made of. That educates others on the value of IT and skilled professionals. That educates its members on what’s out and in use. That independently certifies IT professionals, and champions their development and position.
I believe that a board position will allow me to contribute to those goals, and further the LOPSA mission. Hopefully, you feel the same.