Personal Information
Discourse ID: @JVB
Twitter: x.com
Country of Residence: USA
Educational Background: MA - International Commerce and Policy; BA - Economics
Nomination Statement
Concise statement on why you are running for the Special Council
I am running for special council so that I may contribute to ApeCoin DAO with the greatest impact possible. I am passionate about ApeCoin and truly believe that the ecosystem surrounding ApeCoin can be the experiential hub at the center of digital entertainment and expression.
Motivation
Details on your motivation for becoming an ApeCoin DAO Special Council member
I have been taking active roles serving various communities since childhood. The opportunities to serve my various communities have grown and changed in line with my experience, but the joy I receive from giving back to important projects and causes has remained constant. I have a vision for ApeCoin that sees the DAO shaping not just the future of Web3, but the future of digital culture and experience. I want to help us all realize that future while still remaining impartial as a member of the Special Council. I have done just that in previous organizations as a firm believer in decentralization and the value of consensus, and I want to help improve communication throughout ApeCoin DAO for our members to ensure an objective and transparent future for the governance of the DAO. For everyone else who isn’t a member yet, I will be an active participant in outreach, education, & growth initiatives.
Rationale
Share relevant experience and skills that will bring value to the ApeCoin community
Whether in entertainment, academia, local government or Greek life, at every step of my journey I have been tasked with maintaining confidential information. It’s important to do the same here when knowledge of proposals may precede public promotion. I have established and maintained effective working relationships with a wide array of peers and stakeholders, an important trait so that the DAO might pursue the greatest quantity and quality of opportunities. As a student representative on the George Mason University Board of Visitors and my fraternity’s national body I furthered my understanding of the legal and fiscal complexities of large community organizations while advocating for the interests of those I served. Sure I solved numerous policy issues, secured funding, and planned a research conference, but I also founded a subcommittee that investigated and improved previously uncompetitive stipend and graduate research assistant compensation. Knowing when a proposal might be DOA is just as important as listening and deferring to the community. I have tried to practice responsible, responsive governance. Yet, to err is human. I make mistakes as much as anybody else, and that’s why I think it’s important as a leader to compartmentalize my own biases and defer to the consensus of those I may be serving. None of us possess all of the answers, but I know where to find it. In the great minds building and fueling this ecosystem that we all love.
Specifications
Further describe relevant experience, including crypto and governance participation, and/or ideas for DAO improvement
I have spent a lot of time mulling over what to improve and steps that can be taken. I think that going forward, participation initiatives and onboarding need to be prioritized with a focus on two core elements: what is powerful, and what is easy to understand.
I have been a voting member of enough DAOs to recognize that they all struggle with participation at scale. That’s not too dissimilar from societal governance. In my experience (mentioned in previous sections), while serving private, public, and academic communities I have learned that simplicity is key. We are blessed that the first steps have already been made to address this; there is an incredibly competent, passionate Ape Comms team working to improve community communications. I would like for a representative from the team to be present at my Special Council meetings for two reasons: 1) NDAs aside, our entire space is under a microscope right now and transparency has never been more important, and 2) the forums can require a serious time commitment to keep up and it’s critical to have a comms outlet that succinctly summarizes sessions as well as proposals and community discourse. Whether regular digests or just a central source for news, it will reduce barriers to understanding.
It’s necessary to expand upon the in person presence at events both in the ecosystem and externally. EthGlobal events are a great short-term focus and it’s imperative to build relationships with the builders of decentralization. However, as the ecosystem grows so too must our outreach. ApeCoin is irrevocably tied to Otherside, and I see a future where ApeCoin has a powerful presence in entertainment. Maybe there’s a ticketing solution, and concert—goers will wake up the morning after a concert to discover an autographed moment from the previous evening airdropped into their ApeCoin-holding wallet. Maybe ApeCoin DAO will have a booth next to Epic Games at a future E3, GDC, or other gaming event where we’re explaining how ApeCoin can be used as in-game currency in every game across an entire decentralized gaming universe. You don’t have to log on right at midnight or get creative for a username in every new title – just connect your wallet and the only username that has ever felt perfect to you, MountainDewCodeRed.eth, is right there where you expect it. Skins can be purchased on our ApeCoin marketplace and used across multiple game titles. Best of all, you don’t have to mindlessly grind when a new installment of your favorite game comes out because your gold gun or your highrolled staff can be used from the previous iteration. But when you do get that coveted legendary item… you can sell it for ApeCoin.
That’s both powerful and easy to understand.
Concluding Statement
Summarize your statement as to why you are the best choice for Special Council
A vote for me is a vote for a candidate who listens, a candidate with a vision, and a candidate who understands the restraint necessary to not impose oneself in a decentralized community. My DMs will remain open