Working with Andrew Sullivan

Working with Andrew Sullivan, by Victor Kuarsingh

A colleague and acquaintance of mine, Andrew Sullivan, has started a new role as the CEO of the Internet Society (ISOC) this month. Given Andrew’s background, drive and all around nature, I am sure he will both have fun, and help elevate the organization for the upcoming challenges. He wrote an excellent blog post for his arrival here – Andrew’s Incoming ISOC Blog Post

What I wanted to share here was my personal experiences working with Andrew, and how I think these interactions demonstrate Andrew’s ability to uplift and transform an organization such as the Internet Society.

I met Andrew back in 2009 while he was a co-chair of the DNS extensions group. At that time, I was very new to the IETF and had fewer connections. Andrew was very inviting, honest (brutally), and did not shy away from letting me know the state of things (with DNS and across the IETF). We were able to have a much fuller chat the next summer at the Maastricht IETF in July of 2010. It was there I realized, not just how aware Andrew was of technology, but was able to share so many nuances of intersecting ideas that really opened my eyes to seeing things differently. It was not just the “thing” we were talking about, but the vast breath by which he discussed the topic that was truly unique. As always, to him, the technology was just one component to why and how things work or evolve.

We kept in touch, seeing each other at times with a great culmination in the fall of 2013 when I was fortunate enough to join Dyn Inc (as DNS company now part of Oracle Cloud) to help rebuild their Network Infrastructure. Andrew did Interview me, and in traditional Andrew fashion, let me know what I was about to dive into. History shows that I did join, and over the course of the next few years, I was able to interact and observe Andrew in action many times. Each encounter was unique, eye opening and satisfying. The objectivity Andrew brings to each conversation helped me and the greater team see things in ways we just could not without him. He would often say something that sounded either preposterous or “off in left field” which made us silent – just to come back a few minutes later with the usual “I can totally see your point”. Many times, his direct and tactful approach also cut through a difficult topic and helped the team gear up for what we needed to do. I cherished each encounter, and am so happy I was able to experience his brand of thinking through problems.

Now that Andrew has moved on to the Internet Society, I will miss him as a work colleague. However, I know that his path is to share his level of intellect and thought provoking analysis with a much wider audience. Although we may not always agree (my thoughts on Net Neutrality for future blog post) , I think he is what’s needed to forge a path in a time where there is so much optimism and concern with the Internet. Andrew’s ability to see issues from so many perspectives is needed to help him and the whole organization deal with complex issues that cross the boundaries of technology, ideals, politics, lobbyists, corporatism among others.

The Internet is not just a “thing”, but has become a key component of how many live their lives – and I trust Andrew’s passion for it will help continue to guide it’s evolution towards a place that’s good for all people.