Hi, I’m Tess, and I’m seeking election to W3C’s Board of Directors.
One of the most consequential tasks facing the incoming Board is to hire a new CEO, and the stakes are high. In order for W3C to remain the best venue for the creation, maturation, and maintenance of web standards, we need a leader who will prioritize the efficiency and transparency of our processes and operations and the effective provisioning of support and tooling. We need a leader capable of bold decision-making to ensure our sustainability as an organization and in service of our current and future operational and financial needs, someone who can clearly articulate the value of voluntary, consensus-based standards to current and potential future Member organizations. All of this must be done in service of the consistent and timely production of relevant, widely-deployed standards that meet the ever-changing needs of the Web.
The Board Strategy Committee’s recent work is promising. Once a permanent CEO is in place, the new Board must partner with them to finalize a strategy, to operationalize it, and to hold management accountable in its efforts to realize it. If elected, I will work diligently with the rest of the Board, W3C management, the other elected bodies, and the AC to ensure W3C’s strategy and operations are rooted in our Vision, in the priorities of our global Membership, and in the best interests of the Web.
The Board is majority Member-elected. It can therefore draw on its decades of W3C experience and its deep understanding of our history, culture, and values while conducting its oversight functions. That’s a very good thing, but it’s also a potential weakness—a Board made up entirely of insiders risks not being able to see the problems it’s too close to. This is why the incoming Board must promptly fill the Board-elected seats with independent, outside directors who posses complementary expertise and different perspectives. We should do so to ensure the quality, independence, and transparency of our oversight, to strengthen W3C’s relationships with other relevant organizations, and to explore novel fundraising opportunities.
I’ve participated in technical work at W3C since 2007; my focus has been on foundational web technologies such as HTML and CSS. I’ve taken on a number of leadership roles over the years—editing specs, chairing groups, and serving on the AB (2025–present) and the TAG (2019–2025). I currently chair the Process and Privacy CGs. Across these years and roles, I’ve built up a proven track record of helping standards engineers find consensus despite the many obstacles they encounter. I’m eager to apply my decades of experience to the vital work of the Board.
Elsewhere, I’m the President of Ecma International; I chair its General Assembly and sit on its Executive Committee. I also serve as the alternate Steering Group representative for Apple at WHATWG. I will look for opportunities to apply the insights I’ve gained from being in governance elsewhere to W3C’s unique circumstances. Ecma and WHATWG are also stewards of core web technologies; it is essential that we strengthen our relationships with these organizations and the many others we liaise with.
I’ve been Apple’s AC rep for over five years, and in that time I’ve built our web standards team from the ground up. It’s a small, dedicated group of engineers that’s heavily involved in work at W3C, WHATWG, Ecma, IETF, and elsewhere.
I also manage developer relations for Safari and WebKit.
I’ve a deep understanding of how to run efficient, effective teams, how to productively collaborate with global partners, and how to make high quality, successful standards.
For a more complete survey of my work experience, my résumé is on the Web at <https://.
For over thirty years W3C has sought to make the Web work for everyone. I encourage the AC to seat a Board from a wide range of identities, lived experiences, abilities, and perspectives
—as diverse as the billions who rely on the Web every day.
Thank you for your consideration.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.
- Email:
hober@apple.com- ActivityPub:
@hober@w3c.social- W3C IRC:
hober- W3C Community Slack:
@hober