Candidate Q&A - Potential Director of Infrastructure (prev Facilities Logistics)

[kjayers]

This thread is for questions and answers for the candidates for the Potential Director of Facilities Logistics

Please remember the following when participating in the Q&A threads. The normal forum code of conduct applies, except:

There is a partial exemption to the rule that forum discussion cannot be about a person. You may incorporate personal comments, including praise or criticism, into your election questions and answers, and ensuing discussion, but only regarding candidates who are running for a position, or about another person if it is directly entangled with an issue germane to the outcome of the election. In so doing, you must still exercise standard courtesy, and refrain from profanity, disruption of the discussion, excessive vitriol, and irrelevant comments. Please keep in mind that there will be an opportunity for spoken comments at the elections meeting.

[numair42]

This is in response to DarkStar's request on the general Q&A for a resume


My Name is Devin Hunter and I running for the theoretical Director of Facilities and Logistics. While there are a lot of little reasons for running, the core reason is that I love Kumoricon. I love that we are a rag tag group of strangers who for a few days, become super heroes to our attendees. We create a safe place for people to meet new friends, see amazing things, and find a new fandom to fall in love with. I want to protect that. I want to make sure that K-con remains a safe place for lovers of anime and Japanese culture to come together and have a wonderful time.


While I have been a manager for a few years, I feel that it is time for me to step up and ask the group for the honor of being a director. I know that everyone on staff has a job, some big, some small, but all important. A director is there to solve problems and make sure that their department has the resources and authority to get their job done. Facilities and Logistics is the backbone that supports all other departments. Without convention space, we're just a crowd of people. Without logistics, everything stays in the lockers. Without IT, we have to go back to paper based communications. Without dispatch, we can't communicate. I want to do my part to make sure that all departments have everything they need to do their part. I want us to be focusing on making the con experience better for our attendees, not cursing the heavens over failing infrastructure.


Here is a list of the other activities that I do that have helped me prepare to take on this new responsibility:
8 Years on Kumoricon Staff

• I started in 2006 as a Yoji. That was at the Jansen Beach hotel (next to the one that burned down). As the years moved on, I've spent most of my time in Programming and have really be able to see the amazing work that everyone does each year. I've heard that being a director is tough work, but I'm ready to see what I can do to make a difference.

10 Years of computer support experience

• My professional career has been in computer support. I've sold computers, provided phone support, implemented financial software, and currently support a 7,000 computer network. My day job is a level 2 tech support for Hillsboro School District.
• I know enough about computers to follow a high level conversation but I also know there is still a ton to learn.

4 years of Union leadership

• I've been an active participant in my local union and state federation. I've faced off against management in labor disputes, helped members understand contract language, and even written a few constitutional amendments. I know that people power is the greatest power that there is out there. When we come together, there isn't any challenge that we can't overcome.
• I'm currently our Local's President and the Secretary for the State Federation.

4 years of Coaching for Robotics Club

• I've been a coach of an after school club at my local High School. This has given me a lot of experience with handling the challenges of organizing teenagers. As you work with young adults, you learn when to micro-manage and when to step back and let them work. A lot of this work is organizing small teams, identifying goals, setting project milestones, developing schedules, solving problems, and mediating interpersonal disputes.
• The competition season lasts from September to February.

This is an interesting opportunity that we have here. The first director of a new department can really influence the traditions of the department. Since we are starting fresh, we can really focus on developing our processes and procedures. This is a big chance to get this department off on the right foot. I'm really excited to start getting to work and I hope that you would do me the honor of supporting me at elections. With your help, we can do some really amazing things.

[kjayers]

For the benefit of people who don't frequent the forums, I would super appreciate if folks would put their name as it will appear on the ballot in their introductory post (Thanks, Devin!).  Thanks!

[Plunderbunny549]

Hello!  My name is Diana Hoffman, and I am running for the proposed position of “Director of Infrastructure” for Kumoricon 2015. This year, I served on the Board as Assistant Vice Chair, filling in as backup for Ally Fields.  I have been working behind the scenes and volunteering in various departments since 2009, when I was a introduced to Kumoricon through volunteering with the photo booth team for On the Spott Photography.


2014 was one of the best cons that I can remember, and one of the reasons I enjoyed myself so much more this year above the others was I was able to contribute skills that I have in an area that I am passionate about. I have been involved in event coordination and facilities logistics since 1997 when I was a member of the Hanford Renaissance of Kings in California in the position of Camp Coordinator. This entailed management of two historic buildings that housed cast members of the historical reenactment camps, designing the camp layout for those being housed on auditorium floors, ensuring the organization was in compliance with Fire Marshall requirements, and being the primary point of contact between Hanford ROK and the City of Hanford. My year was mostly spent making sure the community was ready for the onslaught we created in this small town, communicating what we were about and what to expect from a group as outrageous as “those renaissance faire people.” In the end, the goal was to provide a safe, fun environment in which everyone could come together in a judgement-free place, display their art, show off their talents, and bring out their best character re-enactments. The 4 years I spent as liaison between the City of Hanford and the ROK were amazing!


In my work life, I spent 5 years as the Property Manager for the Housing Authority of Portland, managing the largest portfolio of elderly and disabled residents in Multnomah County. My function as PM was to make sure all 289 units of my building were occupied, or soon to be occupied, while reporting all activity of the building to government agencies. I was also responsible for scheduling, maintenance, and management of the extensive board rooms, meeting rooms, and offices that occupied the building, which gives me a firm grasp of building occupation, management, and logistics.


2009 was my first year volunteering for Kumoricon. I assisted Eric Rice of On the Spott Photography in the Photo Booth, which started my love of this specific convention. Since then in 2010 I was staff for MSO; 2011 I was staff for con-suite. I was unable to attend 2012 and 2013, but when there was an opportunity to jump back in and assist in an area where my skills would be a greater contribution, I grabbed it. I am ready to contribute what I do best to help build this new Board position, and to keep working toward providing a convention that you want to come back to every year.