Celebrating the completion of Intersect’s first-ever full-scale elections

As Intersect continues to evolve, October 2024 marked a historic moment with our first-ever full-scale elections for our committees and governing board. This significant milestone, achieved with the active participation of our global community, reflects the spirit of inclusivity and collaboration that underpins our organization.

Results emails have been sent to all candidates, and the official announcement has been made on the member portal. The full results, including the votes for each candidate, can be viewed on our knowledge base. There is also a link to the audit results, conducted by DQuadrant. Read on for more details about the election process, the results, and the path forward for Intersect and Cardano’s broader ecosystem.

A growing community: broad participation, broader opportunities

We are deeply grateful to the 140 candidates who stood in these elections. Putting yourself forward in any democratic process requires courage, and each applicant has shown a strong commitment to contributing to  Intersect and the Cardano ecosystem. This election is just the beginning for these individuals, who now form a pool of talent that we will continue to draw from in future projects, working groups, and committees. Thanks again to all candidates who stood in our first committee elections, and we hope to see familiar faces applying with the second round of elections opening in April 2025.

Navigating results: a diverse leadership emerges

Every election has surprises, and this one was no different. While many outstanding candidates were elected, some long-standing contributors to the Cardano ecosystem were not. This outcome speaks to the diversity and evolving nature of our community. Democracy can sometimes deliver unexpected results, but it remains a powerful tool for ensuring broad participation and representation.

It’s important to emphasize that these results reflect our open and transparent voting process. 7,244 votes were cast by 574 unique voters, representing a 37% participation rate from our members. This election has set a precedent, showing that as our community grows, so does the range of voices shaping its future.

Continuing the journey: looking ahead to the next election

While the elections have concluded, the work is far from over. We see this election as an endpoint and the start of an ongoing journey. As we look ahead to the next round of elections in April 2025, we will conduct a thorough retrospective on this process, inviting feedback from members to refine our approach and ensure continuous improvement.

Moreover, those who were unsuccessful in this election will be invited to contribute to upcoming working groups, special interest committees, and other community-led initiatives. Intersect is an open organization, and your involvement is vital to the continued success of Intersect and Cardano.

The results: welcoming our new representatives

We extend our congratulations to all the newly elected members who will take up the 31 available seats across the Board and Committees:

Intersect Board

Kavinda Kariyapperuma
Adam Rusch

Intersect Steering Committee

Kavinda Kariyapperuma
Yuki Oishi
Kevin Hammond

Budget Committee

Mercy Fordwoo
Jose Velazquez
Kristijan Kowalsky
Pepe Otegui

Cardano Civics Committee

Reshan Fernando
Taichi Yokoyama
Eystein Magnus Hansen
Daniela Alves

Membership and Community Committee

Sanjaya Wanigasekera
Matthew Capps
Ha Nguyen
Akheel Fouze
Darlington Wleh

Open Source Committee

Adam Dean
Johnny Kelly
Sebastian Pabon
Pedro Lucas

Product Committee

Naushad Fouze
Samuel Leathers
Juan Sierra
Kyle Solomon

Technical Steering Committee

Adam Dean
Kevin Hammond
Markus Gufler
Ben Hart
Johnny Kelly

This election marks a phenomenal achievement made possible by the collective efforts of all applicants, voters, and supporters. Your participation is instrumental in shaping Intersect's future.

Next steps: onboarding and preparation

For our successful candidates, Intersect will run general onboarding sessions from October 28 to November 8. These sessions will cover Intersect’s mission and structure and introduce the newly elected members to our committee support team. Each committee will also hold specific onboarding sessions to elect new chairs to facilitate a smooth handover and maintain continuity.

Once again, thank you to everyone who participated, and congratulations to our newly elected members. Together, we are building a stronger future for Cardano through Intersect.