Connecting people.
Strengthening the Internet.
The Greater Washington D.C. Chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC-DC) is a membership organization that seeks to further the mission of the Internet Society (ISOC) in the District-Maryland-Northern Virginia metropolitan area by serving as a hub for education and discussion concerning the important issues confronting the future of the Internet.
Our Purpose
The Internet has transformed how people communicate, work, learn, access services, and participate in society. Yet meaningful connectivity and a safe, trustworthy online experience are not equally available to everyone.
Our chapter is committed to helping address those challenges by:
- Promoting broader access to affordable, dependable Internet connectivity.
- Encouraging digital skills, technical knowledge, and informed participation.
- Supporting a more secure and resilient Internet.
- Bringing local voices into conversations that shape the Internet's future.
A local community with
global impact.
Over the past several years the Washington DC Chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC-DC) has gained a global reputation for excellence in programming. For the past three years ISOC-DC has proudly served as the Secretariat and organizational home of the IGF-USA (Internet Governance Forum for the United States).
ISOC-DC
Chapter Council
Joe Catapano
he also oversees ICANN’s academic engagement at the global level. In this capacity, Joe connects members of the private sector, civil society, government, academia, the technical community, and end users with ICANN’s work in the global Internet governance space, as well as its policy development processes. Prior to ICANN, Joe was a Communications Officer at the United Nations Foundation where he worked on US-UN relations, peacekeeping, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He has extensive experience in the nonprofit and private sectors, previously holding strategic communications roles at Pfizer, Inc. and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. Joe obtained his MA in Political Science from American University in Washington, DC, and his BA in Communications from Quinnipiac University. He is based in the Washington, DC Metro Area.
Karen Rose
Karen Rose is a partner at Interisle Consulting Group and an internationally recognized expert in Internet policy, technology, and development. She previously served at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), where she co-authored the 1998 U.S. policy statement that introduced global competition in the Internet domain name system and led to the creation of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Between her roles in government and consulting, Karen was a senior executive at the Internet Society, where she focused on expanding global Internet access and improving market conditions for its growth. She holds an MBA from the University of Auckland, an MA from Northwestern University, and a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ron da Silva
Ron da Silva is an executive leader, international board member, advisor and internet technology expert. He brings extensive experience in management consulting & advice, leading engineering, architecture, operations, security, broadband and cloud technologies. With over thirty (30+) years of proven business experience, culminating in senior executive leadership, Ron is an NACD certified Board Director with extensive corporate and internet governance experience. He maintains a consulting practice, Network Technologies Global and serves on the Boards of the American Registry for Internet Numbers and the Internet Society Washington DC Chapter. He is also Chair of the Communications Commission for Loudoun County, Virginia. Previously, Ron served on the Boards of ICANN, Chartway Credit Union, the Data Center Coalition and other non-profits. He held senior leadership roles with internet service providers and various internet start-ups. He holds a Bachelor of Science in applied mathematics and English from Old Dominion University. Ron is well known in the internet service provider, telecommunications and broadband industries and is very active in various industry organizations.
Mike Godwin
Mike Godwin is an American attorney and author. He was the first staff counsel of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and he created the Internet adage Godwin's law and the notion of an Internet meme, as reported in the October 1994 issue of Wired. From July 2007 to October 2010, he was general counsel for the Wikimedia Foundation. Godwin has served as a contributing editor of Reason magazine since 1994. He is currently a distinguished senior fellow at the R Street Institute.
Judith Hellerstein
Judith Hellerstein is a globally recognized expert in ICT policy, regulation, and digital transformation with over 30 years of experience designing and implementing digital economy strategies, regulatory reform, and connectivity programs across Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and Eurasia. As Founder and CEO of Hellerstein & Associates, she has built a career advising multilateral institutions, bilateral donors, and national governments on digital infrastructure and digital economy policy, and brings hands-on experience writing terms of reference, structuring budgets, and preparing qualification and project-preparation documentation across a range of donor methodologies.
Chelsea Horne
Dr. Chelsea L. Horne is a communication scholar examining media, technology, and their critical intersections with law, policy, and public life. Her work focuses on the global, political, and policy implications of digital media and emerging technology, with specialized expertise in privacy, design, digital ethics, and online trust and safety. Across her scholarly portfolio, she interrogates how technological architectures and governance frameworks shape public discourse, digital rights, and user autonomy.
Courtney Radsch
Jonathan Conradt
Jon Conradt is a seasoned technology executive and artificial intelligence leader with decades of experience driving technical strategy, machine learning innovation, and global engineering initiatives. has previously held senior leadership and AI research roles across tech industry leaders including Amazon, eBay, Google, Microsoft, and Gallup. Jon brings deep expertise in scalable intelligent systems, digital strategy, and technological governance to the ISOC DC community.
ISOC-DC
Officers
Ron Da Silva
Co-convenor / Admin
Chelsea Horne
Co-convenor
OPEN
Secretary
Jon Conradt
Treasurer
Michael Nelson
ISOC Chapter Advisory Council Rep
Your perspective belongs in the conversation.
Join a community that connects local experience with the global Internet Society Network.