Mission Ignite: An Ignite session of Examples of Open Source Supporting the Missions

Start your morning with our Mission Ignite Session showcasing agency projects and programs. An ignite session is a series of short minute presentations with up to 20 slides per presentation. It's sure to be a wake-me-up!

About the Speakers:

Dalroy Ward has worked for years to make information in EPA’s databases easily available to EPA’s staff and directly to the public through web enabled applications such as EPA’s Envirofacts database and web site, MyEnvironment, and recently with a movement into mobile applications.  IAD has taken the lead in making Web 2.0 tools available for use by EPA staff, beginning with the use of open source wiki and blog software, and expanding our offerings by soon providing professional networking software.  EPA is using these tools to enable collaboration within the Agency, expand our collaboration to stakeholders outside of the Agency, and to reach out to the public to get input on topics such as watershed management, Enforcement strategy, and pre-rulemaking activities.

Over the past six years, Eric Gundersen has developed communications strategies and tools for some of the largest international development organizations operating around the world, in addition to working with national public health and education focused NGOs.

Ms. Chaconas serves as Program Manager for the Department's Content Management System, which provides web publishing solutions to embassies and other international programs, and supports over 340 individual websites providing information to a global audience. Prior to joining the State Department, Chaconas was Art Director for America Illustrated, a monthly magazine produced by United States Information Agency (USIA) for distribution in the former Soviet Union, and Creative Director for USIA's first interactive CD-ROM, Academic Explorer: Higher Education in the U.S. She has been involved with website design since her work on the USIA’s first website in 1994. Chaconas has an associate degree in Advertising Design from Northern Virginia Community College.

Russell ONeill is an IT Project Manager at the General Services Administration where he works on the USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov websites.  He is the project manager for the Go.USA.gov URL Shortener.  Addiitionally, He manages the operations of the sites Content Management System and works on projects to implement innovative solutions to improve the functionality of the websites.  In this role, he helped develop the strategy for RSS feeds and other web 2.0 technologies for the two portals.  Russell holds a M.S. degree in Systems Software Engineering from George Mason University and was named a 2007 Rising Star by FCW magazine.  Additionally, he is a member of the Federal Web Managers Council and co-chairs the Technology and Innovation Sub-Council.

Shahid Shah and Andrew Schoenbach represent the Budget Systems Branch of the Office of Management and Budget and will discuss reasons behind OMB's choice to use Open Source such as faster startup for projects (no procurement required), cost savings on license fees, cost savings on engineering staff not trained on proprietary solutions, Solutions vs Software, speed to deployment, and easier integration and interoperability.