2014 Board Elections



= 2014 OWASP International Board of Directors Election =

The OWASP Foundation was established in 2001 as an open community and software security resource. Since then, OWASP has grown to be globally recognized as a credible source for application security standards (see industry citations). Individuals typically find OWASP when searching the internet for information about software security - and they are happy to find a reliable source of knowledge built by an extremely open and passionate community. OWASP is open to anyone. Anyone can attend OWASP's vendor agnostic local chapter meetings, participate in regional and global conferences, and contribute to the many OWASP projects. And anyone can start a new project, form a new chapter, or lend their expertise to help an OWASP Global Committee.

The OWASP Foundation Board of Directors currently consists of six elected volunteers (seven starting in 2014). These unpaid volunteers dedicate themselves to the organizational mission and playing a pivotal role in the software security community. OWASP conducts democratic elections of its Board Members to enable bottom-up advancement of its mission.

Learn about OWASP

 * Read the OWASP Foundation bylaws - Click Here - Review the Monthly Board meetings, voting history and topics - Click Here

Watch a current video about OWASP:


 * Click here to watch an interview with Tom Brennan, OWASP Board Member 2007-Current

Election Timeline

 * 1) May 12, 2014 - Call for Candidates Link to Candidate Submission Form
 * 2) May 12, 2014 - Submission for Questions From the Community for the Candidate Interviews Opens Submit a Question for the 2014 Candidates
 * 3) August 11, 2014 - Email Reminder Call for Candidates
 * 4) August 15, 2014 - Deadline for Call for Candidates Closes
 * 5) August 19, 2014 - Candidates Announced in OWASP Connector and posted to Social Media
 * 6) August 25, 2014 - Deadline for the Questions From the Community for the Candidates Insert Link
 * 7) August 27, 2014 - Interview Recordings Begin
 * 8) September 6, 2014 - Deadline for Interview Recordings to be Completed
 * 9) September 30, 2014 - Paid and Honorary Membership Deadline Insert Link to form Member Directory
 * 10) October 13, 2014 - 9:00 AM Central Standard Time Voting Opens
 * 11) October 24, 2014 - 11:59 PM Central Standard Time Voting Ends
 * 12) October 29, 2104 - Election Results Announced

International Board of Directors Primary Responsibilities
Seated members of the Board of Directors attend and contribute to monthly meetings. See Archive. Additionally, they:


 * 1) Create and review a statement of mission and purpose that articulates the organization's goals, means, and primary constituents served globally. They then support that mission and purpose.
 * 2) Support all employees. The Board should ensure that the employees have the moral and professional support needed to further the goals of the organization.
 * 3) Ensure effective planning. The Board must actively participate in the overall planning process for the organization and assist in implementing and monitoring the organization's goals.
 * 4) Monitor and strengthen programs and services. The Board's responsibility is to determine which programs are consistent with the organization's mission and monitor their effectiveness.
 * 5) Ensure adequate financial resources. One of the Board's foremost responsibilities is to secure adequate resources for the organization to fulfill its mission.
 * 6) Protect assets and provide proper financial oversight. The Board must assist in developing the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in place.
 * 7) Build a competent Board. The Board has a responsibility to articulate prerequisites for candidates, orient new members, and periodically and comprehensively evaluate their own performance.
 * 8) Ensure legal and ethical integrity. The Board is ultimately responsible for adherence to legal standards and ethical norms.
 * 9) Enhance the organization's public standing. The Board should clearly articulate the organization's mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community.

Additional Responsibilities that the International Board of Directors must adhere to can be found on the Foundation Governance Page.

Eligibility Requirements for Board Candidates
You need to be an OWASP member - both paid members and honorary members ARE eligible. All candidates must be in good standing for a twelve (12) month period of time prior to 30-September 2014. Candidates are required to submit a bio, current membership number and note if you are a paid or honorary member. You will be contacted shortly after your response for an audio interview/podcast. If you are interesting in running for the board then please submit your intention along with the requirements listed above to: Insert Link for Call for Candidates

Honorary Membership
Honorary Membership will be granted to the following for the 2014 election upon completion the Honorary Membership Self Nomination Form:
 * Chapter Leaders
 * Project Leaders

**NOTE** Chapters and Projects MUST be active. Your leadership position MUST be on file prior to 30-September 2014 in order to be eligible for 2014 Honorary Membership. ALL qualified individuals MUST apply for Honorary Membership in order to vote by completing the Insert Link for Honorary Membership Self Nomination Form

Who Can Vote?
OWASP Paid Individual Members, Paid Corporate Members and Honorary Members registered as of 30-September 2014 have one (1) vote per seat (there are 3 seats up for election).


 * Note - this will include all chapter leaders and project leaders on file effective 30-September 2014, you can check the current Member Directory. If you are not a member yet, you are encouraged to do so.

How Do I Vote
On Monday, October 13th eligible voting members will receive an email to their registered email address from owasp@simplyvoting.com with subject "OWASP 2014 Board Election"

This email will have a specific link for you to cast your vote at https://owasp.simplyvoting.com.

Have additional questions about OWASP Membership?
Read the Membership FAQ CLICK HERE

Election Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question about the current election please click here.

Where can I find communication to the OWASP Community about the upcoming election?
Answer: We will try to publish announcements and key milestone reminders to as many communication channels as possible, including the OWASP Blog, OWASP Connector, OWASP Leader's List and this Wiki Page. Please feel free to help us communicate the message, by re-posting, re-tweeting, or sharing with the OWASP Chapter, Project, or Initiatives you may be involved with.