Meet NANOG's New Board Chair

Meet Leslie Daigle

Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Global Cyber Alliance and former Chief Internet Technology Officer (CITO) of Internet Society (ISOC), Leslie Daigle, helms the NANOG Board of Directors as Chair for 2023.

“Leslie is an excellent addition to our board. Her experience in nonprofit, internet-related board governance brings a welcome perspective to NANOG,” Executive Director of NANOG, Edward McNair said.

She is known for her major contributions to the Internet during her time at ISOC, including forming the "Deployment and Operationalization (DO)" team in 2011 and the invention of the Deploy360 Programme. In addition, Daigle is a major proponent of developing Internet identifiers and directory systems, as well as an open and accessible Internet.

NANOG caught up with Daigle to ask about the present and future of the organization from her Chair and what she hopes to contribute during her term.

Why do you have a passion for the NANOG community?

The health of the Internet is very dependent on having engaged and informed technical operations communities. The fact that NANOG is a community and not just a conference, underscores that NANOG can help foster trusted relationships between operators and provide timely and pertinent information resources about the current realities of internet working. NANOG's continued health and growth are imperative to the Internet's health and development.

What are you most looking for to contribute as a NANOG Board Chair? 

NANOG, the organization, is working its way out of the hole left by the pandemic's travel shutdowns. The board is looking at how to set a strategic direction to ensure the organization is not only recovered but robust in the face of future perturbations.

You have served as an interim board member - how has the transition been to Board Chair?

As an interim-appointment board member, I had already developed considerable respect for the efforts of the other board members and the staff. As I transition into this role, I greatly appreciate their efforts and am thankful to have another year of the previous Chair's board membership to tap into for guidance!

What challenges is NANOG having right now, and how are you going to overcome those challenges?

NANOG is well-established as an organization that puts on timely and constructive meetings three times a year. The pandemic shutdown of meetings everywhere has forced us to understand that diversity is essential. We need a variety of activities and revenue sources to continue to be viable organizationally. We need to ensure we're still relevant to the industry, including being relevant and welcoming to as diverse an audience as our industry has to offer.

How can we increase relevance, fulfilling NANOG's set mission through venues other than regular meetings? How can we be relevant to, and reach, all networking professionals in North America?

The board already has committees and a commitment to diversity of participation. The fascinating next steps will be finding new activities that reach audiences and fit our mission.

How do you think your particular skill set will help achieve those goals?

I don't claim to have the answers to get the best outcome for them. But between the board, the staff, and the community, we can find the best next steps toward them. And it is my job to foster those discussions, get everyone to bring their best thinking, and drive to a consensus on the next steps.

What would you like your Board Chair "legacy" to be? 

I'd like to see NANOG on a sounder footing, as described above in the goals and aspirations. But that won't be my "legacy" -- I'm not doing all the hard work. I'm here to help shepherd the process. So instead, I like to picture a future where many of us look back with pride and knowledge that the crank has been turned in NANOG's evolution and is in a better place.

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