My name is Max Gendler, and I'm the Head of Consumer Data Governance at News Corp primarily covering issues regarding privacy and tech policy.

What priorities should the AB take on in the next year? How will you help accomplish them?

Our first priority should be on developing the W3C Vision. This will be a significant lift, especially as we seek to ensure that the full membership is providing feedback to the process. While we are member-led, we need to be a mission based organization with enforceable mechanisms and actionable outcomes. This is a massive effort, and our

I would also want to focus on a priority that may seem less immediate. The AB positions are two year commitments, and I believe it's important to look at what issues we may be dealing with in the second year, and planning accordingly. The Process 2023 update, which I fully support, is substantive. The AB should be responsible for monitoring membership and staff concerns as the process is implemented throughout the first year, and then be prepared to make any necessary updates after a sufficient period of fact finding.

The AB positions are unpaid but require regular meetings at inconvenient times/locations, preparation for said meetings, and collaboration with people you might disagree with. Why do you personally wish to take this on?

As a governance expert at a large, multi-national company, I'm used to taking meetings at all hours of the day and regularly working with folks that I disagree with. Joining the AB would not substantively change my day-to-day work efforts in that department. With that being said, even if the AB position was an unusual burden, I would still wish to take on this work.

I grew up on the web - my earliest memories involve the sound of dial-up modems, and I wanted nothing more than to be a wikipedia editor when I was young. The web is a wonderful place that provides so much to the world as a public good. It would be an honor to help in developing governance standards for it that would ensure it continues to be a space for all.

Attending meetings is not enough to be an effective member of the AB. What else do you expect to do to contribute to the AB's activities?

I expect to provide two core contributions. First, I have experience in writing governance documents and collecting consensus into organized documentation. This aspect is crucial for bringing conversations from AB meetings into larger awareness for the organization at large. Second, I believe that external communication and outreach are major efforts that require as much work as possible. This would be both for members within our organization as well as to external organizations that we wish to build or maintain relationships with.

How do you think W3C should build consensus in large groups, and can you speak to your ability & experience building consensus (at W3C or elsewhere)?

I've spent a lot of time in the past few years working in trade associations like the News Media Alliance and the European Publisher Council. Those groups mirror the W3C; there are large and small companies and those that have more time to engage with issues and those that may not have the time to engage, but will be more affected by the issues being discussed. You can see my entire candidate statement on the AB Nomination page.

Those experiences have taught me that lasting consensus is not just about building consensus amongst those who are able to actively participate and self-select into discussions. In order to build consensus, especially on critical issues, we must try to bring less-involved members along through education and outreach.

How can W3C improve its diversity and inclusion, and what is the role of the AB in improving those?

I believe that the AB has a responsibility to foster and model inclusion for the larger organization. There has been great progress within the W3C over the past few years, especially on the updated CEPC. One area where we can surely improve is in the AC Forum. With the same voices speaking up, it can be difficult for new members to feel comfortable in raising their opinions and issues that they may be seeing.

I would also laud groups like the PATCG who have taken to scheduling each of their meetings in a different 'optimal' time zone each month so that the burden of internationalization is shared among the membership, and not just optimized for a US and European core contingent.

There is a proposal for an AC Chair. What do you think of the idea? Who should do the job (not naming individuals, describe the role, position)?

I believe that the AC Chair proposal is a positive one. It would provide an opportunity for members of our community to step into a new leadership role, as well as improve the communication between the BoD, AB, TAG and AC.

The chair would be a resource for AC reps, a facilitator who can provide a neutral voice whose focus is on keeping members engaged. Our wonderful staff currently take on this role, but it would be better an established member to assist newer members in understanding the AC Forum and structure of the organization at large.

With all that being said, it may not be reasonable to have just one person handling this work. Some of the other candidates have suggested that their should be an 'AC Council' or perhaps an 'AC Party Planning Committee', both of which are good ideas that merit debate in my opinion.