As Green Web Foundation has grown, the governance of the foundation has had to grow too. Last year we introduced a two tiered system of leadership, consisting of an executive team and a new board providing strategic oversight. After our founding chairman René Post stepped down, we’re now introducing the members of our board themselves. Who is on our board, why did they join? Read on to find out.
While the day-to-day operations of Green Web Foundation are handled by the team on our about page, the organisation has a separate governance layer too – the board.
The members of this board bring with them a wealth of private sector, sector third and public sector experience, and provide strategic guidance for our work. They also ensure that the foundation’s governance is sound and finances are well managed.
We now have three Board members – Laura James: Chair, Amrita Sengupta: Secretary, and Tin Geber: Treasurer.
Green Web Foundation Board
Laura James
Chair
Amrita Sengupta
Secretary
Tin Geber
Treasurer
Let’s learn a little more about them in their own words, and why they joined the board of our foundation.
Laura James, our Chair
I’m an adaptable engineering leader, building teams who ship complex technologies and innovative systems, with care. I consult on responsible technology development, public interest tech, and innovation strategy, through Newton Halewood Ltd. Recent roles include Director of Engineering at Overstory (climate tech startup creating actionable vegetation intelligence for safer, more reliable power), CTO at the OPEN (supporting progressive campaigns around the world), Head of Delivery at lowRISC (open source silicon), and Technology Principal at Doteveryone (the responsible technology think tank). Previously I was CEO of Open Knowledge, and co-founded Cambridge Makespace.
I’m interested in the less visible parts of our world, the social and physical infrastructures, and how these are maintained (and created the Festival of Maintenance in 2018 to explore this). So much of humanity’s impact on the planet is hidden away behind the scenes, too. Green Web Foundation’s work towards a fossil-free internet is an important and high leverage way to shift a lot of our modern technical infrastructure towards a more sustainable way of operating. I’m excited to see, and support, the change the Foundation can drive in the tech sector in the coming years.
Amrita Sengupta, our Secretary
A social scientist by training, I am currently the Research and Programme Lead at the Centre for Internet and Society, a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. My research interests and work lie in the areas of gender and technology, ethics in research methods, digital access and inclusion, algorithmic biases and tech design, and sustainability and tech. In the past, I have worked in managing and implementing large scale people practices, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as in conducting and leading long-form research on impacts of tech on businesses and society, with both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. This year, I am also excited to be contributing as a CyberBrics fellow, at the Centre for Technology and Society-FGV.
I’m excited to join Green Web Foundation’s board, as it aligns well with my interests in digital rights and climate justice. It is important to consider the environmental impacts of the internet and computing technologies that require huge amounts of electricity, often powered by non-renewable energy sources. Green Web Foundation’s mission towards a fossil free internet, while providing for meaningful connectivity for all, is an urgent one, and I am happy to be a part of this effort.
Tin Geber, our Treasurer
I’m a creative technologist and strategist, helping transform good ideas into instruments for social change. I’m currently working in Ukraine with the CCD Network, piloting collaboration in the aid ecosystem. My previous roles include: Managing Director of Greenhost, providing sustainable and responsible cloud services; Social Innovation Specialist with Hivos, a global NGO for social and environmental change; and Design and Tech Lead for The Engine Room, a boutique “tech for good” consultancy and research NGO.
I joined Green Web Foundation’s board because of their holistic perspective on environmental sustainability and social justice. Climate rights are human rights, but the two areas tend to be discussed in silos, especially on the levels of governance and infrastructure. Green Web Foundation’s ambition to build a joint and coherent advocacy is sorely needed, and I am happy to support them in this effort.
Onwards, for a fossil free internet
While Green Web Foundation is a Dutch foundation, or a Stichting, our mission is a global one, and working towards a just and sustainable internet is literally written into our founding documents. One of the jobs of the Board is to ensure that the work we do brings us closer to this goal. If you’ll excuse the pun, we think we’re lucky to have Laura, Tin and Amrita on board. Their guidance in the coming years will be invaluable.
If you too want to see a fossil free internet by 2030, you can read more about how to join the folks supporting our work to get there, see the tools we use to track and accelerate this transition, and stay up to date via our newsletter.