Seth Dobbs, W3C CEO

Contact information

e-mail

seth@w3.org

workplace/timezone

I work remotely from home on Mountain Time (MT) (7 hours behind UTC when standard time is in effect)

website

personal site

What I do

1. I report to the W3C Board of Directors and take responsibility for the fiscal integrity, financial stability and revenue generation of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which formed a public-interest incorporated not-for-profit organization in early 2023.
2. At this key milestone since W3C's establishment in 1994, I lead the change management and integration efforts for W3C to create new offerings, seek broader financial support opportunities, and succeed as a public-interest not-for-profit with global partners.
3. I oversee shaping and running W3C in line with our mission: to lead the Web to its full potential.

Who I am

Professional background

I have been writing code since the late 70s, getting my start on a Sinclair personal computer attached to a television set and using a cassette recorder to load and save programs.

I eventually went to Illinois Tech where I earned a BS in Computer Science and have since spent over 30 years in the industry, writing code, architecting systems, starting companies, and building teams and organizations.

I’ve done a bit of public speaking and training on technology and leadership, I’m a published author, have written many articles and blogs, and host a leadership podcast. I was part of the Program Committee for O’Reilly Media’s Software Architecture Conference the last few years that it ran, where I helped define the program and select the content to ensure a meaningful experience for a global audience.

Personal background

I have spent most of my life in the Chicago area, a little bit of time in Florida, and I’m currently in Denver, Colorado. I’m hard of hearing and have been wearing hearing aids for the past few years, a long overdue requirement given how difficult it is for me to follow discussions in a conference room or even one-on- one. Due to a chronic pain condition, I’ve spent several years using speech-to-text and voice command interfaces for everything. Thanks to various treatments I’m currently in better shape and can use a mouse and keyboard again. I’m an avid reader (around 70 books per year) and I like to start my day doing the New York Times crossword puzzle.

Previously

I previously worked as CTO at Bounteous for a little over 19 years, where I joined as fourth employee and which I’ve helped grow to over 2000 team members. I’ve helped build a global organization, built and grown the Technology operating unit to over 900 team members worldwide, and coached and trained many leaders. In my time there I’ve made heavy use of web technology to help clients build and grow their businesses, including architecting and coding one of the four highest transaction e-commerce systems of its time. I’ve also used web technology to connect real time bidders with live auction rooms, patients with physicians, eldercare residents with their families, and so much more.