Global Humanitarian Software Foundation

The Sahana Software Foundation has announced its initial membership to guide work on software to assist in disaster relief operations around the world. There are two Australian members: Don Cameron and myself.

The Sahana free open source software was written for relief operations in Sri Lanka after the boxing day tsunami. It has been expanded for use around the world, winning some awards along the way.

The 24 members from USA, UK, Sri Lanka, Canada, Sweden, Denmark and New Zealand. will be voting for a Board of Directors in May, to run the organisation. The process has been delayed as many of the volunteers are busy providing software and systems to support the relief effort in Haiti.

My role in Sahana has been limited to providing some advice on the use interfaces for the system (and teaching this to my ANU web design students). But every little bit helps and I encourage others to join in.

Sahana Software Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAHANA SOFTWARE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES INITIAL MEMBERSHIP

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 10 February 2010: The Sahana Software Foundation announced today its initial membership. Membership invitations were extended in December 2009 to current and past board and project management committee members. Those who accepted this invitation and form the initial membership of the Sahana Software Foundation are:

David Bitner, USA
Fran Boon, UK
Ravith Botejue, Sri Lanka
Don Cameron, Australia
Mifan Careem, Sri Lanka
Trishan de Lanerolle, USA
Chamindra de Silva, Sri Lanka
Ravindra de Silva, Canada
Sudheera Fernando, Sri Lanka
Mahesh Kaluarachchi, Sri Lanka
Dominic König, Sweden
Ishan Liyanage, Sri Lanka
Greg Miernicki, USA
Darmendra Pradeeper, Sri Lanka
Mark Prutsalis, USA
Louiqa Raschid, USA
Eric Rasmussen, USA
Martin Thomsen, Denmark
Gavin Treadgold, New Zealand
Nuwan Waidyanatha, Sri Lanka
Sanjiva Weerawarana, Sri Lanka
Brent Woodworth, USA
Tom Worthington, Australia

Members of the Sahana Software Foundation are eligible to nominate new members and to vote for the composition of the Board of Directors and other issues at the annual meeting of members. The first meeting of the members of the Sahana Software Foundation is scheduled for May 2010 at which the first elected board will be voted on, followed by a board meeting.

The current board is composed of Mifan Careem, Chamindra de Silva, Darmendra Pradeeper, Mark Prutsalis, Louiqa Raschid, Martin Thomsen, Gavin Treadgold, Sanjiva Weerawarana and Brent
Woodworth.

The officers of the Sahana Software Foundation are:

Brent Woodworth (Chair), Mark Prutsalis (President & CEO), Chamindra de Silva (Secretary & CTO), and Dale Zuehls (CFO/Accountant).

The governing bylaws of the Sahana Software Foundation can be reviewed at: http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php/foundation:home#bylaws

About the Sahana Software Foundation:
The Sahana Software Foundation was established in June 2009 as a non-profit membership-based organization, and governs the free and open source software Sahana disaster management system.

For more information, contact:
Mark Prutsalis, President & CEO
Sahana Software Foundation
Tel +1-860-499-0332
mark@sahanafoundation.org
http://www.sahanafoundation.org
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Sahana Software Foundation
900 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 1500
Los Angeles, CA 90017
http://www.sahanafoundation.org