My New Role as PIR’s Chief Operating Officer

Last month, I joined the Public Interest Registry as chief operating officer, and while it’s been a busy month getting up-to-speed on all things PIR, .ORG and our key priorities, I couldn’t be more thrilled to be here. Working closely with PIR’s CEO, Brian Cute, I’ll oversee operations, marketing, sales, and product strategy to expand PIR’s global presence during what I believe will be a pivotal time in PIR’s history. In addition to spearheading the growth of the .ORG domain, we will also be preparing to launch the new .NGO domain (pending approval from ICANN) in the year ahead.

In some ways it seems like all my previous experiences have really prepared me for this work.  Prior to joining PIR, I served as senior vice president of global product management for Verizon Communications and chief marketing officer at Verizon Business – so I know global and I know marketing. And for the last seven years, I’ve also been a national board member for Volunteers of America, where I currently serve as board chair. As I’ve spent the majority of my career in the technology sector – primarily in marketing – and have worked with businesses and non-profits of all sizes, I’ve seen first-hand how the effective use of technology can really help mobilize an organization’s community and how powerful the Internet is as a communications and marketing tool. 

Before joining PIR, however, I never thought about just how crucial the .ORG domain is to so many organizations. In a world where people and businesses are in a constant battle for time and resources, .ORG lends instant credibility to a cause and a message and makes it easier for individuals, organizations and companies of all kinds to reach others with shared ideals and goals. I love data – and our research says that 80% of people turn first to web sites for information about an organization or issue, and more people see the .ORG domain as the place that delivers trustworthy information during times of crisis than any other domains.   Similarly, with the soon-to-be .NGO domain, we hope to give the non-governmental organization (NGO) community the exclusive online signature they need to better inspire their communities and advance their missions.

I’ve always known that people who choose to work in the non-profit sector have tremendous passion – you can’t do this work if you don’t have passion – and with both .ORG and .NGO, we are helping those with the public interest at heart make a positive impact. For me, PIR represents the perfect combination of technology, marketing and global nonprofit work.

I’m thrilled to be working with such a strong team, and look forward to advancing PIR’s commitment to the nonprofit and philanthropic communities during such a monumental time for the domain space.  Stay tuned and check back often - we can’t wait to share what’s to come in the months ahead!