Organization Member Advisory Council (OMAC)

The Internet Society Organization Member Advisory Council serves as an advisory body to Internet Society senior management and board on matters affecting the general welfare and effectiveness of the global Internet and its users.

Officers

2022 Advisory Council officers are Harald Summa, DE-CIX (Chairperson), Melchior Aelmans, Juniper Networks (Vice Chairperson), and Helen Harris, Amazon (Secretary).

2020 Advisory Council officers were Chris Wilson, Amazon, and Harald Summa, DE-CIX.

Officer Elections

Every two years the members of the OMAC vote for officers. More information can be found on our OMAC Officer Elections page.

Organization Member Advisory Council Charter

1. General

The Internet Society Advisory Council [the Internet Society AC] consists of representatives of the organization members of the Internet Society .

Organization members include representatives from corporations, non-profit, trade and professional organizations, foundations, educational institutions, government agencies and other international organizations with varied interests.

2. Purpose

The primary purpose of the Internet Society AC is to provide advice and recommendations to the Internet Society President and Board of Trustees, on any matters of concern/interest to the Advisory Council at large or its individual organization members. Advice and recommendations may include any policy-level matters of strategic direction, finance, technology, standards, education, infrastructure, administration, network usage or other matters felt to be generally relevant to the health and welfare of the Internet.

An additional purpose of the Internet Society AC is to stimulate increased organization member involvement in Internet Society priorities (viz. standards, education and public policy) by facilitating discussion on Internet Society programs and priorities among Internet Society Trustees, Internet Society Staff and Internet Society organization members.

3. Membership

Each organization member may designate one principal and one alternate representative to the Advisory Council with equal status and standing.

The Internet Society President [or his/her designee] and the Internet Society Membership Director (i.e., staff assistant for organization member programs) will be ex-officio members of the Internet Society AC. The Internet Society Membership Director will provide administrative support for the Advisory Council. He/she will maintain the official roster of Internet Society AC members, electronic mail lists, and appropriate archives. Advisory Council business shall be, to the extent feasible, conducted by electronic means.

4. Officers

The Internet Society AC members will elect three Advisory Council Officers for a term of two years, or until resignation or removal via a formal vote of the members. The elected Internet Society AC Officer positions will consist of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, and a Secretary.

The Officers of the Advisory Council will be responsible to:

• Act on behalf of the Advisory Council, in accordance with Internet Society AC direction or precedent.
• Conduct, on behalf of the Advisory Council, any necessary continuing operational activities of the Internet Society AC.
• Serve as chair/facilitator at meetings of the Advisory Council.
• Represent the Advisory Council when necessary to other Internet Society or external bodies, in coordination with the Internet Society President and Board of Trustees.
• Attend the open portions of meetings of the Internet Society Board of Trustees, and participate in the electronic discussion list of the Trustees.
• Advocate Advisory Council positions and recommendations to the Internet Society President and Board of Trustees.
• Report to the members of the Advisory Council on the disposition of Board of Trustee actions or other actions of interest to, or which impact on, the Internet Society AC.
• Respond to requests for advice or action from the Board of Trustees in consultation with the Advisory Council members.

5. Meetings

Face-to-face meetings of the Advisory Council will generally be held in conjunction with meetings of the Internet Society Board of Trustees. Electronic meetings may be convened at other times as deemed useful. Whenever possible, the Internet Society AC shall strive for consensus amongst its members. When consensus cannot be achieved and a formal vote is required, then a single vote for each organization member will be authorized.

Periodic meetings of the Internet Society AC Officers will be held as necessary, or as agreed among the Advisory Council Officers. These meetings may be face-to-face or conducted via electronic means (e.g., teleconferences).

Electronic discussion lists will be maintained for Internet Society AC members and for the Officers of the Internet Society AC. Subscribers to these lists will be restricted to Advisory Council members, Officers, related Internet Society Staff, and Internet Society Trustees, however they will be open to posting by anyone concerned.

6. Adoption and modification of the Charter

The Advisory Council Charter, and changes thereto, will be recommended by the Internet Society AC and approved by the Internet Society Board of Trustees.

Adopted 25 October 2005