[Board Nomination] Treasurer

[SM Newstead]

Hello, HSL. I see we have an eclectic, interesting group of people running. This will be very fascinating indeed. I cannot possibly predict how it will work out, but I am quite curious. 

Though I am often behind the scenes, I have been on the board of directors for seven full years now. This will be my eighth. I served as champion for three, secretary for one, and treasurer for three years now. I am known as a bit of a mediator and getting along with very different kinds of people, and trying to see the best in all of them. 

My time on the board has been far from perfect, but I hope to always continue to grow and serve our amazing space. I am intimately familiar with our past, legal requirements and various treasury aspects. My goals now, and in the future, include enhancing our marketing efforts with the assistance of AI. I am currently conducting experiments that have yielded some interesting results. I think of it as data-driven, evidence-based marketing. 

Many of you must know my health is pretty serious. David Flores is effectively our second treasurer and is indispensable for helping me, especially while I am ill. Most of our functions I perform remotely. However, I will probably get a lot better soon when I'm treated for this latest ailment. There are many fail-safes in place should the worst occur. I have my affairs in order in my personal life, and also in my professional life, so fret not.  

I want more people to be able to do more things, such as it is related to our growth and financial solvency. I am not a big fan of barriers, but I am known for supporting the board while they attempt to make changes. Some of those have not resulted in what we have hoped, but I am always willing to try again. 

There is a lot of stagnancy on the board, a "damned if you do; damned if you don't" phenomenon whereby the community dislikes the board if we do nothing, or if we overstep. A lot of this is related to an AI analysis of our bylaws and finding that many of them contradict themselves. This is why another of my goals is a constitutional convention, at the very least to fix contradictory philosophies. We must decide on one and make it the way we operate. A period of experimentation might be beneficial to assess data. I like data, lol. 

I could ramble all day, but if you have any questions, ask. I have never turned away a question. 

Sincerely,

SM Newstead