<div dir="ltr"><p id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-11140191-fd63-5ac3-82ba-6bbace4fa0ea" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Please consider this email my self-nomination to the User Committee.</span></span></font></p><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></span></font><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">I began my OpenStack experience as an OpenStack Support Engineer, focused on succeeding technically while providing excellent service and support. Since initially engaging with OpenStack, I became extremely passionate about its success in every market across the globe. In just under two years I have succeeded in creating an OpenStack Meetup in Houston, TX, becoming one of the leaders of the Ops Meetups Team, and am currently leading the reboot of the OsOps Team.</span></span></font></p><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></span></font><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">I will dedicate my time on the User Committee to building on the strong foundation established before me with a focus on bringing further efficiencies in channels of communication, aiding in adoption, and facilitating transformative growth that ensures OpenStack serves its users for years to come.</span></span></font></p><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></span></font><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">My candidacy for the User Committee is rooted in these words from Jimmy Carter, "..I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference."</span></span></font></p><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></span></font><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">My platform is based on efficiency and effectiveness; I want to improve the current system. As a member of the User Committee I hope to make a measurable difference through a three-pronged approach:</span></span></font></p><ol style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="list-style-type:decimal;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Feedback - I believe that the greatest strength of OpenStack is the community. I will work to forge stronger relationships with small, medium, and large enterprises, academia, and other technology and economic sectors to bring their knowledge, experience, concerns, and ultimately their voice to the OpenStack community in a fair and consistent manner.</span></span></font></p></li><ol style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="list-style-type:lower-alpha;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Measurables</span></span></font></p></li><ol style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Visible model for feedback</span></span></font></p></li><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Metrics around this model (examples include but not limited to - # of participants, # of user stories generated, # of user groups engaged, NPS scoring)</span></span></font></p></li><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Forum (success criteria/metrics)</span></span></font></p></li></ol></ol><li style="list-style-type:decimal;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Adoption - One of the joys of working on an open-source project is seeing it used broadly. Successful strategies for increasing adoption is not only the responsibility of the technology being adopted but also the adopter. It is important to keep, establish, and encourage clear lines of communication between those with the authority to adopt OpenStack and the community which develops and uses OpenStack.</span></span></font></p></li><ol style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="list-style-type:lower-alpha;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Measurables</span></span></font></p></li><ol style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Engage with at least 3 C-Level/Director/VP decision makers who have adopted OpenStack to understand their reason for adopting OpenStack</span></span></font></p></li><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Confirm OpenStack has met their reason and barring any legal restrictions generate a case study (encourage others to adopt - new users)</span></span></font></p></li><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Connect with users who are not fully utilizing OpenStack, identify barrier(s); 20% of workload vs 100% of workload running in OpenStack (encourage others to adopt - existing users)</span></span></font></p></li></ol></ol><li style="list-style-type:decimal;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Innovation - In order to succeed in the ever changing world of technology a software needs to not only grow in maturity and sustain itself in the current market but also work to explore, motivate, and rally around ways to increase its install base with existing and future users. Having the opportunity to work closely with users, application developers, and operators allows the User Committee to hopefully spark ideas and innovation in OpenStack.</span></span></font></p></li><ol style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="list-style-type:lower-alpha;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Measurables</span></span></font></p></li><ol style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Identify at least 3 projects that have a small to medium install base and need more visibility and feedback to mature</span></span></font></p></li><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Identify at least 3 projects that do not have a small install base and need more visibility and feedback to mature</span></span></font></p></li><li style="list-style-type:lower-roman;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline" dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Work with identified projects to move at least 3 levels in any area of the tags that determine maturity</span></span></font></p></li></ol></ol></ol><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">As a member of the User Committee, I will be an effective advocate in improving communication, enabling adoption, and encouraging innovation that improves the OpenStack experience. I want to thank you all for your consideration and taking to time to review my candidacy.</span><br clear="all"><br>-- <br></span></font><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Kind regards,<br><br>Melvin Hillsman<br>Ops Technical Lead<br>Rackspace | OpenStack Innovation Center<br><br><a target="_blank" href="mailto:mrhillsman@gmail.com">mrhillsman@gmail.com</a><br>work: (210) 312-1267<br>mobile: (210) 413-1659<br><a target="_blank" href="http://rackspace.com">http://rackspace.com</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://osic.org">http://osic.org</a><br><br><span>Learner | Ideation | Belief | Responsibility | Command</span><br></span></font></div></div>
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