Mark Surman is in the business of connecting things: people, ideas, everything. A community technology activist for almost 20 years, Mark is currently the executive director of the Mozilla Foundation, with a focus on inventing new ways to promote openness and opportunity on the Internet. On the side, Mark convenes conversations about 'open everything' in his home town of Toronto and around the world.
Before joining Mozilla, Mark was an open philanthropy fellow at the Shuttleworth Foundation in South Africa, he invented new ways to apply open source thinking to social innovation. Earlier, he was the founding director of telecentre.org, a $26 million effort to network community technology activists in countries around the world. Mark has also served as president of the Commons Group, Director of Content and Community at Web Networks and senior advisor to the Volunteer @ction Online grants program team. Mark's first real job was training social activists to make their own documentaries in the early 1990s.
Mark's biggest fetishes are community, conversation and collaboration. He has facilitated over three dozen participatory workshops and unconferences, including Open Everything, Hollyhock's Web of Change, CopyCamp, PenguinDay.ca and countless telecentre.org events. "Passionate conversation," says Mark, "is an essential fuel for building successful networks and communities."
In his years as an activist, consultant and funder, Mark has worked closely with some amazing people and organizations. His favourites include: Sarvodaya, Aspiration, the Association for Progressive Communications, the International Development Research Centre, Communicopia, Mary Helen Spence, rabble.ca, the Shuttleworth Foundation, Zhaba, and the Centre for Social Innovation. "I wouldn't be me had I not worked with these folks," says Mark.
When he finds time, Mark likes to write about community, technology and changing the world. He's proud to have written things like From the Ground Up (a nice picture book about why telecentres matter), Commonspace (FT.com book about web 2.0, written before there was web 2.0) and Appropriating Technology for Social Change (SSRC research paper about activism on the Internet). When he was still an idealistic student, he wrote From VTR to Cyberspace, an illustrated essay about Gramsci, community television and the Internet. Now his idealistic ramblings appear on his blog.
Employment History
Executive Director - Mozilla Foundation
Leading the development of Mozilla Foundation efforts to promote the open web, especially developing programs that go beyond software and product development. 2008 - present
Shuttleworth Foundation - Open Philanthropy Fellow
Eighteen month fellowship to integrate open source thinking and business practices into how the day to day work of the Shuttleworth Foundation. Also responsible for international network building and outreach, especially in the area of open education. 2007 - present
telecentre.org - Managing Director
Designed and managed joint Canada / Switzerland / Microsoft initiative to network community technology activists around the world. Established program and team, developed grassroots engagement and grant making strategy, grew budget from $11 million to $26 million and built a global community of networks spanning over 30 countries. 2005 - 2007
The Commons Group - President
Founded small consulting group that developed and managed projects connecting networks, technology and social change. Also, worked extensively on open source software development and advocacy within the non-profit sector. Grew company from one to ten people before winding it down to start telecentre.org 1998 - 2004
Web Networks - Director of Content and Community
Managed the community and technology services divisions of Web Networks, a $1.4 million/year social enterprise providing Internet services to Canadian non-profits. Included product development and day-to-day management for community portal, web hosting and application development business lines. 1994 to 1998
Maclean Hunter Ltd. - Community Producer
Worked as a community producer for Canada’s third largest cable television company, providing video production training and coaching to residents in one of Toronto’s poorest neighborhoods. Acted as internal entrepreneur within the company, leading important policy changes to increase community involvement and participation. 1990 – 1994
Various positions in commercial and public television -
Worked at both a supervisory and staff level in on-air technical services for various commercial and public outlets including CBC (Kingston), CTV (Kenora) and YTV (Toronto). 1985 - 1990
Consulting Projects
Program Design and Grant Review - Ontario Ministry of Citizenship (V@O) 
Provided senior program planning and evaluation advice to the director of Volunteer @ction Online, an $11.5 million funding pool supporting non-profit Internet projects. Also, provided pre-approval sustainability and technology review for all proposals being considered by the program, and worked directly with potential grantees to improve their proposals in these areas. 1998 - 2001
APC ActionApps - Association for Progressive Communications
Leadership and project management for APC's 'Action Applications', a collection of open source web publishing and constellation building tools. Developed specs, managed global development team, worked with funders. 1998 - 2001
From Access to Applications - Ontario Ministry of Citizenship (V@O)
A report reviewing the use of the Internet by voluntary and non-profit organizations. Includes detailed reviews of Internet services and grants available to Ontario non-profits as well as recommendations on building better technology support for voluntary organizations. 2001
CAPE Business Plan - Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Business plan focused on fundraising and marketing for this group of physicans working on environmental issues. 2001 - 2002
One World Canada Business Plan - One World Canada
Business strategy and organizational structure for portal site focused on human rights, sustainable development and social justice. 2001 - 2002
IMS Project Evaluation - Ontario Ministry of Citizenship (Settlement)
Security and application usability evaluation for a web-based booking and accounting system used by community translation agencies. 2000 - 2001
Community Interpreter Booking System - Information Niagara
User consultation and requirements documentation for online booking and accounting system used by 10 community-based translation agencies. 2001
Paths to Equal Opportunity - Ontario Ministry of Citizenship (EOP)
Strategy, technical planning and project management for a portal site focused on disabilities, barrier removal and equal opportunities in the workplace. 2000-2001
APC ActionApps - Association for Progressive Communications
Leadership and project management for APC's 'Action Applications', a collection of open source web publishing and constellation building tools. Developed specs, managed global development team, worked with funders. 1998 - 2001
Best Practices Manual - National Library of Canada
Research and writing for a Best Practices Manual for electronic publishers, commissioned by the National Library of Canada as a supplement to their e-publication collection initiatives. Also include high level strategy advice on e-publication program. 2001
Gateway to Diversity - Ontario Ministry of Citizenship (EOP)
Strategy and technical specifications for a system that distributes content creation amongst program staff within a government ministry. (Site has been replaced by Paths to Equal Opportunity) 1999 - 2000
Community-based Internet Training Conference - OCASI
Facilitation and technical training for over seventy community based agencies working in the immigrant and refugee settlement sector. 2000
Moebius Internet Radio Project - AMARC
Initial community consultation and strategy for a network of community radio stations who share and aggregate content over the Internet. 1999
Community Networks Business Planning Workshop - APC
Business planning and product development training for small Internet providers and consulting firms from 25 countries. Also produced business planning manual for use by workshop participants and other community networks. 1999
Program Design - Industry Canada - VolNet
Program and application process design for a grant program providing Internet connectivity and training for non-profits. 1998
Volunteer Action Portal - Ontario Ministry of Citizenship
Business and technical plan for a voluntary sector portal site involving private, public and non-profit partners. 1998
Presentations & Workshops
Telecentre Community Development Workshops - telecentre.org
Various locations: Convened and co-facilitated over 20 workshops gathering social entrepreneurs from the community technology sector in Europe, Asia and Africa. 2005 - 2007
The Future of Open Education - iSummit 2007
Dubrovnik, Croatia: Presentations and facilitation for three day track on the future of open education at iCommons iSummit 2007. 2007
Open Sourcing Education in South Africa - Ubuntu Live
Portland, OR, USA: Presentation on the open (source) education strategies being developed by the Shuttleworth Foundation. 2007
CopyCamp - http://www.copycamp.ca/
Toronto, Canada: Assisted in the design and facilitation of 100+ person unconference on the copyright, the arts and the Internet. 2006
PenguinDay -
Toronto, Canada: Organized and facilitated day long convergence on non-profits and open source software. 2004
Technology and Culture - Knowledge Across Borders Forum -
Toronto, Canada: Workshop on the role of the Internet as an organizing and management tool for international development NGOs. 2000
Web Syndication for NGO Networks - Action Applications
Budapest, Hungary: Presentation to NGOs, foundations and community networking experts on the use of APC's ActionApps software to create web syndication networks. 2000
Commonspace and the Growth of Online Communities -
Waterloo, Ontario: Presentation to students at Wilfred Laurier University on the emergence and social role of online communities. 2001
Commonspace for MBAs -
Toronto, Canada: Presentation to MBA students on the importance of online community as a pillar of e-business strategy. 2001
Grazing the Commons -
Toronto, Canada: Roundtable discussion on the connection between local real world communities and global online communities. 2001
Social Enterprise Strategies for NGO Networks in Central Europe - APC
Kvacany, Slovakia: Five day workshop on business strategies for non-profit Internet providers and community networks in Central and Eastern Europe. 1999
Connecting Global Villages - Community Networking byDesign
Toronto, Canada: Presentation for the Pan-America by Design Visionary Speaker Series. 1999
Mission-Driven Business and Non-Profits on the Internet -
Oaxaca, Mexico: Two day business skills development workshop for executive directors of non-profit Internet service providers and community networks from 25 countries. 1998
Online Communities and the Right to Communicate -
Cape Town, South Africa: Plenary speech on the role of Internet communities in building a global movement for the right to communicate. Delivered to the Videazimut General Assembly. 1998
Radio, the Internet & Community -
Milan, Italy: Plenary speech on the history of community media and the role of 'community convergence partnerships' in the future of civil society media. Delivered to the AMARC7 community radio conference. 1998
Universal Access Symposium -
Toronto, Canada: Acted as workshop leader and presenter for workshops on sustainability and funding mechanisms for community based Internet access program. Organized by Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto. 1996 and 1997
Building Partnerships for an Electronic Commons -
Halifax, Canada: Plenary speech delivered at 1997 Telecommunities Canada Conference (an annual gathering of Canadian FreeNets and CommunityNets). 1997
The Internet and the Environmental Movement -
Toronto, Canada: Presentation to York University Faculty of Environmental Studies Seminar in Media & the Environment. 1997
Wired Words: Utopia, Revolution and the History of Electronic Highways -
Montreal, Canada: Speech delivered at Internet Society's annual conference - INET '96. 1996
Information Highway Policy and Lessons from History -
Ottawa, Canada: Plenary speech delivered at the 1995 Community Information Highway conference. 1995
Building a Commons for Community -
Ottawa, Canada: Plenary speech delivered at the 1994 Telecommunities Canada conference. 1994
Publications
Open Sourcing Education
Learning and wisdom from iSummit 2007 Sep 07 2007
From the Ground Up
The evolution of the telecentre movement Aug 19 2007
The Evolution of Learning
Taking open educational resources to the next level Jul 29 2007
Making the Connection
Scaling telecentres for development Jul 24 2007
From VTR to Cyberspace
Jefferson, Gramsci and the electronic commons Nov 20 2003
Volunteer and Committee Work
Aspiration - Board of Directors
Worked with executive director and other board members to develop sustainability strategy for organization aimed at getting better software solutions into the hands of non-profits. 2007 - present
Centre for Social Innovation - Open Franchising Advisor
Collaborated with board and leadership team to develop open franchising model that will allow CSI to rapidly spread it's shared workplace and incubation programs across Canada. 2008 - present
rabble.ca - Co-founder
Developed original business and technology plan and served as board member for Canada's most popular progressive news web site. 2001 - 2004
Association for Progressive Communications - Board of Directors
Served on the executive board of this global network of technology service providers serving the non-profit and charitable sectors. 1996 - 1998
Education
Independent Study (History of Community Media) - Bachelor of Arts - University of Toronto
Independent study degree looking at Challenge for Change and other early examples of community-based electronic media. The degree also included courses in international development, cultural studies and communications at Trent, Queens and Ryerson.
1988 – 1995
|
