Hello NetSquared Local Organizers,

I wanted to introduce myself - I'm Vanessa Rhinesmith.

I have the pleasure of working with Billy and Claire on a neat project to help inform the next generation of NetSquared’s programming. We're organizing the organizers - interviewing a group of NetSquared Local organizers from across the globe to better understand the current state of activities happening on the ground.

At the heart of things, this initiative seeks to learn what is (and isn’t) working with the meetups, identify where there are opportunities for the NetSquared team to provide organizers with greater support, and together, define how we might work together to improve the local experience for you and your groups, improve communications across the network, and so much more.

So far we've had some really inspiring conversations. The themes have included:

• An interest in better understanding the breadth and depth of TechSoup Global’s programs
• A want to connect with other NetSquared Local groups more frequently
• A desire to help boost and mentor other NetSquared groups
• A need for a Net2 taxonomy and structure
• And genuine excitement around shaping the future of the NetSquared initiative

We're still working out the scope of this effort, but I'll be keeping you posted along the way via the google group and the Net2 blog.

What's next? As we wrap up interviews over the coming two weeks, we'll be summarizing insights from these conversations and sharing next steps about this initiative with you all.

In the meantime, interested in learning more about this work, or participating in an interview yourself? Just drop me an email or a tweet.

I'm super excited to be working with the NetSquared team and look forward to engaging with  you all soon, and stay tuned for a progress report next week!