Dear OpenStreetMap Community, As we celebrate the vibrant spirit of OpenStreetMap (OSM) and the incredible progress it has made over the years in the upcoming annual meeting, I am excited to express my interest and enthusiasm in becoming a potential board member for the OpenStreetMap Foundation.

While I may not boast thousands and thousands of edits on the OSM platform, I have dedicated my efforts to advocacy and education, recognizing the which I think play a crucial role these aspects play in fostering a thriving OSM community. My journey with OpenStreetMap has been one of constant learning, teaching, engagement, and a commitment to making OSM accessible and valuable to people users around the world.

From when I made my first OSM edit in Nepal during a HOTOSM & Maptime Miami Mapathon. (Maptime is a global volunteer meetup group that teaches beginners and experienced folks alike about mapping, geography, OSM and more.) Since then I have volunteered to teach others about OSM in a few ways, such as through Maptime meetups, where I served as the leader of Maptime chapters in Miami and Boston, and to teaching the basics of geography and OSM to Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) fellows about how they can use and apply geography and OSM in their communities, to leading Maptime chapters in Miami and Boston (as I moved around).

For the past three years, I have had the privilege of serving on the OpenStreetMap US (OSMUS) Board, where my I focused on collaboration and commitment to community values and collaboration has been paramount. In my role as a member of the Code of Conduct Committee, I actively contributed to the drafting of the official Code of Conduct for OSMUS, ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members. Additionally, I played was a volunteer organizer a crucial role in of the organizing Mapping USA and State of the Map US Conferences, facilitating spaces for knowledge exchange and community building. Throughout my tenure on the board, I’ve made it a priority to actively listen to the needs of the OpenStreetMap community, striving to bridge gaps and promote a vibrant and supportive atmosphere within OSMUS.

Advocacy has been at the forefront of my contributions, as I firmly believe that awareness and understanding are key components to the sustained success of any open-source project. I’ve also worked with OSM as part of my career in transportation planning, where through my work, I have strived to explore shed light on the potential of OpenStreetMap in more unconventional areas, such as its capability to map curbs / kerbs – “seize the curb” as I like to call it.

One of my articles, titled “Potential for OpenStreetMap to Seize the Curb”, explores the innovative ways OSM can be used utilized to map the curb effectively. This not only showcases the versatility of OSM but also underscores its relevance in addressing real-world challenges such as mobility, transit and accessibility. Additionally, I had the honor of presenting my insights at the 2018 and 2021 State of the Map US conferences , where I delved more into the intricate details of curb mapping using OpenStreetMap.

My passion for education extends beyond individual projects. I believe in empowering OSM users with the knowledge and skills they need to contribute meaningfully to the map. As a board member, I envision creating and supporting initiatives that foster learning, inclusivity, and collaboration within the OpenStreetMap community, and to welcome and support more chapters around the world.

I understand that my candidacy might differ from others in terms of edit counts, but I think editing is only one of many ways people can contribute to the OSM project. I firmly believe that a holistic approach is vital for the overall health and sustainability of any community. I believe my focus on advocacy and education complements the technical expertise present in our diverse community, with the goal of contributing to a more well-rounded and robust OSM ecosystem.

I am excited about the opportunity to bring my unique perspective, energy, and dedication to the OpenStreetMap Foundation Board. Together, let’s continue building a map that truly represents the world we live in.

Thank you for considering my nomination. - Daniela (Dani)

Who am I?

Hello, my name is Daniela Waltersdorfer, although to some I’m known as Dani. I am from Lima, Peru and after some moves, my family and I ended in the U.S. Fast-forward to now, after a few moves on my own, and now I find myself as a resident of the wonderful District of Columbia. I’ve had the pleasure and joy of serving in the OSMUS Board for the past two years, two very special and difficult years. As a professional I work in the Transportation Industry, where I help many transportation agencies with their transit, logistics, supply-chain, and asset management needs. I love cities and advocate for proper accessibility and mobility for people and goods. In the past, I’ve led Maptime Boston and Maptime Miami, where I (along with my awesome co-leads) provided GIS and mapping education to the local communities, led mapathons, and hosted a space for everything map-related in our urban areas. In 2019 I joined in on the OSM US Code of Conduct Committee, developed to lead efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive OSM US community, and in 2021 the first ever and this first ever OSMU US Code of Conduct was published (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Foundation/Local_Chapters/United_States/Code_of_Conduct_Committee/OSM_US_Code_of_Conduct#OpenStreetMap_US_Code_of_Conduct). Last year I committed to make this, our community, more welcoming. Albeit it being a difficult year, I believe what we learned from the obstacles in 2020 pertaining to the COVID-19 Pandemic, led us to be optimistic and proactive. Listed below, you can find some of the initiatives and pushes that I was involved in this past year, with the help of our super Executive Director, as an OSMUS Board Member:

• Continue hosting Mappy Hours - A great way to engage our community from all over the U.S. in a virtual setting

• Host two GeoLadies virtual meetings- Diversity is crucial and we must continue to push for a space that is welcoming for all. As a woman, knowing that this space exists in an industry that certainly lacks diversity, has been a very welcoming and relaxing experience

• Attend the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF) Advisory Board Meetings

• OpenHistoricalMap became a Charter Project- You can learn more about this awesome project by checking out their recorded Mappy Hour here.

• Published our Vision Statement and Strategic Priorities.

• We welcomed Jess Beutler.

• We welcomed our first intern Maya Lovo Dominguez.

• Hosted another successful Mapping US- Two years without our beloved State of the Map has been rough, but thankfully, we were able to engage the community with this event where many of you were able to educate others about your current OSM projects and passions and, likewise, learn from others.

• Attended in person, along with Maggie Cawley and Jess Beutler, the 2021 All Things Open Conference: Networked with OpenSource Software Companies, agencies, and organizations. To my surprise, some of these were not aware of what OSM was, albeit them perhaps using their data. This was a great opportunity to get our name out there and educate others of what we do, how we can help, the resources we offer, and of course, express to them how they can help us.

• Launched the Trails Working Group: This past fall, after some communication with the National Park Service (NPS), we created the Trails Working Group, where many member of the community got together to discuss how to properly and responsibly map and utilize trail data on OSM US.

• Continue to work closely with the Code of Conduct Committee if and when needed.

• Was a user of the OSMUS Slack Channel, where I’ve sought help and have tried to help whenever possible

Why am I running?

OpenStreenMap US is an organization that means a lot to me. It has welcomed me with open arms, introduced me to some of my best friends, and has provided me a space where I feel safe in asking questions to continue learning. I recall the first time I contacted the OSMUS Board directly was when my former colleague Nohely, and I were chosen lead a class about OSM to some winners of the prestigious YALI Initiative based in Florida. I sent an e-mail to the then Board asking if they could please send some stickers or something that we could offer to the participants. We were doing this because we knew of and were passionate about OSM but had no official connection to the OSMUS group. In less than a week, we received a thank you letter and stickers. Something about receiving this acknowledgement made me feel powerful, like “yes, I’m a member of this community, I can do this!”

I want this to continue, and I hope with my more hands-on involvement these past years the community feels welcomed and encourage to communicate with one another. You see, the OSM US Chapter is more than “simply an events planning organization”. We provide a space, whether it be virtual or in-person for the community to engage with and learn from each other. We provide opportunities to projects and initiatives that may need them, whether it be through the Charter Projects Program, or perhaps through having us being the channel that connects you to the proper organization or user, and in many other ways. And, if you see this Chapter as only an events planning organization, then I would like to kindly ask you to speak up and tell us how we can do better, how we can help you.

I encourage and promote new people to come on-board to the Board (hehe), and if elected once again I will work closely with any new comers to show them the ropes. I am running again because I would like to continue from the momentum we were able to build last year. And, as I have said in previous OSMUS Board Election Statements, , I believe I can continue to push our community in the right direction; I want to work to expand our footprint and encourage others to come, I want OSM US to be a diverse and inclusive community where all feel safe.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and considering me to represent you. Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions. Slack: @DWaltersdorfer Twitter: @DWaltersdorfer

Who am I?

Hello, My name is Daniela Waltersdorfer, although in the OSM Community I’m known by some of you as Dani. I had the pleasure of serving as a OSMUS Board member for this past, and very difficult, year. I work in the Transportation Industry and run, with my awesome two co-hosts, Maptime Boston. In 2019 I joined in on the OSM US Code of Conduct Committee, developed to lead efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive OSM US community and this past 2020 we published the first ever OSMU US Code of Conduct (you can find more information here: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Foundation/Local_Chapters/United_States/Code_of_Conduct_Committee/OSM_US_Code_of_Conduct#OpenStreetMap_US_Code_of_Conduct )

Why am I running?

If you’d like to read my Manifesto for 2020, you can find it here: https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/DW2515/diary/392037 As you probably read, I am passionate about making this awesome community more welcoming, regardless of your technical skills. 2020 proved difficult to make these connections in-person- we didn’t have our beloved and biggest event of the year, State of the Map. However, although discouraging at times, this did not stop the Board in brainstorming with Maggie ways to increase grow our community. For more transparency, something I really value, I’ll share about my big expectation. I had hopes of creating a bigger connection between the transportation world and OSM US, especially with the private sector. You see, I work for a transportation consultant firm, meaning I work closely with cities, MPOs, States, and sometimes federal agencies in making transportation planning and engineering decisions. For various projects, OSM data has proven to be quite exquisite and impactful. So why not give back to this awesome project? Unfortunately, the pandemic slowed down some of my goals of creating a more connected community, especially when it comes to sponsorships and funding, for it has impacted many individuals and companies negatively in the economic realm.

Having been on the Board during a year full of obstacles though has taught me that there are always new paths to explore, new ideas to expand, and new projects to get done. I am a full supporter of the Amendment to the OpenStreetMap-US Bylaws (extending board terms), especially now, after having been a member for one year. By being on the Board for a consecutive second year, I believe I can continue to push our community in the right direction; I want to work to expand our footprint and encourage others to come, I want OSM US to be a diverse and inclusive community where all feel safe.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and considering me to represent you.

Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions. Slack: @DWaltersdorfer Twitter: @DWaltersdorfer

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¿Quién Soy?

Hola, Mi nombre es Daniela Waltersdorfer, aunque muchos en la comunidad de OSM US me conocen como Dani. He tenido el placer de servir como Miembro del Directorio de OSMUS este pasado año, el cual fue muy difícil para todos. Trabajo en la industria de transporte y lidero Maptime Boston justo a mis otros queridos anfitriones. En el 2019 decidí ser voluntario del Comité de Código de Conducta de OS US, el cual fue desarrollado para promover una comunidad de OSM US más inclusiva y diversa y en el 2020 publicamos el primer Código de Conducta de OSM US de la historia (puedes encontrar más información aquí: (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Foundation/Local_Chapters/United_States/Code_of_Conduct_Committee/OSM_US_Code_of_Conduct#OpenStreetMap_US_Code_of_Conduct )

¿Por qué estoy postulándome?

Si te interesaría leer mi manifiesto del 2020, lo podrás encontrar aquí (sé que no está en español, pero por favor contáctame si deseas que lo traduzca): https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/DW2515/diary/392037 Soy una persona muy apasionada por hacer que esta comunidad le dé la bienvenida a más miembros, sin importar el nivel de capacidades o habilidades técnicas. El 2020 fue difícil para crear conexiones personales, algo por lo que expresé mucho interés en mi manifiesto anterior, pues no tuvimos nuestro evento más querido y grande del año, State of the Map. Sin embargo, aunque algo desalentador, esto no detuvo al Directorio a pensar y pensar junto a Maggie en maneras para hacer crecer nuestra comunidad. Algo que yo valoro mucho es la transparencia, así que compartiré sobre otra expectativa que tuve para el año pasado. Yo tenía la esperanza de hacer una conexión más grande entre el mundo del transporte y OSM US, especialmente con el sector privado. Verás, yo trabajo para una firma de consultoría de transporte, lo cual quiere decir que trabajo mucho con ciudades, MPOs, estados y a veces agencias federales. Para muchos proyectos la data de OSM ha probado ser exitosa e impactante. Así que, ¿por qué no retribuir a este super proyecto? Desafortunadamente, la pandemia bajó el ritmo de algunas de mis metas para hacer una comunidad más conectada y unida, especialmente cuando se trata de patrocinios y financiamientos, pues ella [la pandemia] impactó negativamente a muchos individuos y compañías económicamente.

Haber estado en el Directorio durante un año lleno de obstáculos me ha enseñado que siempre hay nuevos caminos por explorar, nuevas ideas para expandir y nuevos proyectos por terminar. Yo creo mucho en la Enmienda para los estatutos de OpenStreetMap-US (extender los periodos del directorio), especialmente ahora, después de ser una miembro por un año. Al estar en el Directorio por un segundo año consecutivo, yo creo que podré seguir empujando por mi meta para hacer crecer nuestra comunidad por el camino correcto; quiero trabajar en expandir nuestra huella y animar a otros a unirse, quiero que OSM US sea una comunidad diversa e inclusiva donde todos nos sintamos seguros.

Gracias por tomarte el tiempo en leer mi manifiesto y considerarme para representarte.

Por favor contáctame si tienes alguna pregunta. Slack: @DWaltersdorfer Twitter: @DWaltersdorfer

Personal Statement

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to read my personal statement. For those who don’t know me, my name is Daniela Waltersdorfer, but most people call me Dani. I work for a Transportation Consultant Firm as a Transportation Analyst, meaning I do a lot of transportation planning and GIS spatial analysis. I always had a fascination for the movement of people and goods, and I suppose it all started with my love and appreciation for maps… which started at a young Age as I devoured atlases and would spend hours talking to my grandpa about his time surveying and mapping the Amazon for the Peruvian Air Force (imagine that!). I made my first OSM edit about five years, ago, some months before I attended my first ever State of the Map US. I had heard about the project, but was a bit intimidated. At first I thought it would be too “Techy” for me, and that I could not become a member of the community. Thankfully, I was exposed to some active OSMers in Miami and a love story began. After my first edit I learned the power of OSM, the power anyone from anywhere in the world has to help complete our map, to help during natural disasters, to help build open-source transit applications, to just have fun. I cannot say I am a super active editor, but I am passionate about the project and the community. I am incredibly grateful for my first State of the Map US, where I had the pleasure of meeting some of my best friends. I like to stay active and give my time to various communities, especially the mapping one. As the former leader of Maptime Miami, I ran OSM mapathons and always, even if it was not a schedule mapathon-day, spoke about OSM so that our members could be aware of this awesome resource. While a grad student, I led an OSM Education class for some of the Obama Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) winners and taught a class on GIS Principles and the Basics of Mapping on OSM at The Metropolitan Center ( a South Florida Think Tank) to some members of the South Florida Community. Now, I am one of the co-organizers of Maptime Boston.

As a member of the OSMUS Board, I would like to work on making the community even more welcoming. I don’t want anyone to think they have to be a developer, a transportation engineer, or a cartographer to be part of OSMUS. This project is for everyone, and we have the tools and resources available to help new comers. I would love for others to get to know us, to meet us, and hopefully make new friends. Although I do push for more OSMUS education, whether it be in the workplace or thru the running of Maptime Boston, I would dedicate more of my time and energy to start outreach initiatives to let all OSMUS users they have the support and appreciation of the Board. I am well aware that I don’t have such an extensive history and experience as my fellow candidates, but I promise to learn, listen from you, and give it my all. I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Please feel free to reach out: OSMUS Slack: @Dwaltersdorfer Twitter: @Dwaltersdorfer

Thank you for your time!

Questions Posted on Wiki Page:

*Do you support the proposed amendment to the OpenStreetMap-US Bylaws (extending board terms)?

I believe extending the terms of Board Members would be beneficial so get change/things done. A year sounds like a long time, but it sure does go fast!

*What will you do on the board that you couldn’t do as a regular member of the OSM community?

Have more exposure to get some fundraising and outreach done.

*The OSM US website could use some refreshing, show our mission and goals and list our sponsors. Even incorporate a vector tile slippy map. Who wants to step up with a plan?

Happy to help with as much as I can!

My first edit on OSM was for a HOTOSM task in Nepal. This is when I learned about the OSM project and community. I was fascinated by the involvement and logistics of the OSM community; there were people from all over the world, people who I probably will never meet in person, who are also working on this task to help the people in Nepal and the humanitarian organizations sending relief. I remember telling my grandfather about OSM and sharing this amazing idea of a community working together to complete the map. He was a pilot in the Peruvian Air Force who spent a lot of time surveying and mapping the Amazon Region in Peru, so he certainly understood my fascination. I have not automated any of my edits, for I am just a regular ID Editor gal. But, I am very aware of the positive effects of OSM. I am a Transportation Planner; in my free time I promote OSM, host “mapathons” through Maptime Miami (I am now an Organizer for Maptime Boston). I conducted a training class on OSM for a few of the State Department’s YALI initiative participants. Whenever I can, at work and with friends, I promote the use of OSM data, and encourage others to also contribute to the map. The needs of people, our needs, change over time, and as such, the map, in general, is in constant change. I recently co-wrote a blog-post with Christopher Beddow on “mapping the curb”. This, for instance, is an ever-changing asset in cities and in the transportation world, which involves all. And, with the proper inventorying and management, municipalities can enhance the mobility of people with disabilities, cyclists, pedestrians, children, and pretty much everyone who relies on moving around. Some months ago, my friends and I rented a lake house in Vermont. This lake house, along with many other residential and commercial buildings, was not on the map. So, I took this opportunity to teach them about OSM and as soon as I had access to an internet connection, we mapped this small neighborhood. I did this for fun. There was no urgency for humanitarian relief, nor was it a transportation-related project. I am a very energetic person who enjoys bringing people together. As a member of the OSM Board, I will use my energetic personality, outreach and planning skills, and transportation planning skills, along with my passion for community engagement to continue promoting the OSM project and ensure users are pleased, engaged, and have their questions answered. I promise to work hard on the organizing of the State of the Map US (SOTMUS) Conference, and do as much as I can to make it an extraordinary experience like those in the past. I understand this is a difficult task that requires a lot of dedication, and I will not want this experience to be any less extraordinary than my first SOTMUS. At SOTMUS 2015, I learned so much about OSM, met some of my best friends in my adult life, and had the opportunity to “nerd out” and become more involved in this awesome community.

Thank you for your time and consideration