06/03/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/03/2025 15:11
Next week, the ICANN community will convene for the ICANN83 Policy Forum in Prague, Czech Republic. I'm pleased to welcome you to a city that's hosting its second ICANN Public Meeting - and one that offers a truly remarkable backdrop for our discussions.
As we approach the start of the Policy Forum, I encourage you to visit the ICANN83 website. Here, you can register and find important information about the schedule, travel, hotel, transportation, health, and safety. I also recommend you read the ICANN83 Policy Outlook Report, which is written to help all participants prepare for work sessions. Materials such as presentations and recordings from Prep Week, which was held 27-28 May 2025, are also available.
The ICANN community has taken the lead in organizing the four-day program:
Other highlights from the schedule include:
Thank you for making the time to attend ICANN83, in person or remotely. Whether you're a longtime community member, an occasional contributor, or joining us for the first time, I encourage you to take an active role. And if you see me in the hallway, don't hesitate to say hello.
Russ Weinstein is the Senior Vice President, Policy Development Support. He leads a global team responsible for facilitating the development of policy recommendations and related advice by ICANN's multistakeholder community, as part of ICANN's mission to ensure the stable and secure operation of the Internet's unique identifier systems. Russ brings to his role more than 20 years of experience and success in building relationships, engaging diverse stakeholders, leading programs and teams to implement policy and advice, and creating scalable operations.
Joining ICANN in October 2012 to support the New gTLD Program, Russ has since held management roles of increasing responsibility. Promoted to Vice President, GDD Accounts and Services in 2020, he managed ICANN's relationships and contracts with gTLD Registries and ICANN-Accredited Registrars.
Before ICANN, Russ worked in the aerospace industry, gaining experience in business operations, finance, contract administration, and supply chain management. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and an MBA from the University of Southern California.