To continue to solidify its position as a benchmark tool in the policy making community, the Web Foundation has established an expert advisory group to assist and guide the refinement and evolution of the Open Data Barometer. The final objective of this group is to provide inputs, guidance, vision and critiques aimed at strengthening the methodology, assessment, use and application of the ODB. The group is currently composed of thought leaders drawn from the open data community of researchers and practitioners, including (by alphabetical order):

Barbara Ubaldi

OECD Digital Government Project lead, Division for Public Sector Reform

Barbara joined The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2009. Since October 2010 she leads the OECD Digital Government Project, Division for Public Sector Reform at the Public Governance and Territorial Development Directorate. In this capacity, she has managed a number of thematic reviews on digital government and participated in several public governance reviews, which include Denmark, Greece, Mexico, Italy, Estonia, Finland, Egypt, Spain and France. Barbara has been co-ordinating the OECD work on digital government indicators and the analysis on the use of new technologies for the past three years- e.g. cloud computing, mobile technology, social media – to enhance public sector’s agility and mobility. Ms. Ubaldi also leads the OECD project on Open Government Data. Prior to joining the OECD she worked for more than seven years as Programme Officer at the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs in New York. Barbara graduated in Political Science at LUISS University in Rome and has a Master Degree in International Trade. She also holds a Master of Science in Public Administration and Development Studies from North Eastern University in Boston, where she was a Fulbright Scholar in 2000-2001.

Danny Lämmerhirt

Research Coordinator, Open Knowledge International

Danny is a researcher focussing on the politics of data, evidence-informed politics, the role of information for governance, as well as the social effects of quantification. His current research focusses on the following areas:

1. How does civil society produce and use data? What is their action repertoire to influence policy or drive other forms of action?

2. How to better understand public information systems and open data as data ecosystems? Which outcomes can be observed from using (open) data for policy, decision-making, improvement of governance, and others?

Currently, Danny is working with Open Knowledge International as research coordinator where he leads, among others, on the methodology development of the Global Open Data Index. Additionally, he is co-chairing the Open Data Charter measurement and accountability working group (MAWG) and anchors the IODC roadmap track on research and measurement. Prior to his work at Open Knowledge International Danny worked as a research assistant with the Fraunhofer Society and the Citizen Data Lab at the University of Amsterdam, and was a journalist and editor for several media outlets in Stuttgart, Germany.

Finn Heinrich

Research Director, Transparency International

Finn Heinrich joined Transparency International’s Policy and Research Department in August 2008 to contribute to TI’s anti-corruption research tools with a focus on the National Integrity System Assessment. Prior to joining TI, he was the Director of Programs at the international civil society network CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and led CIVICUS’ work on the Civil Society Index Project. Finn holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from FernUniversität Hagen (Germany) and a master’s degree in Social Sciences from University of Mannheim and has published numerous articles and several books on civil society and governance issues.

Fiona Smith

International Development Manager, Open Data Institute

Fiona is responsible for research design, evaluation and learning covering the ODI’s work supporting developing country governments to unlock the value of open data. Fiona has a broad background in international development, research and advocacy. She previously worked for a children’s humanitarian organisation in Australia, India, the Middle East and Eastern Europe regions. Her role involved coordinating a multi-country advocacy project focused on social accountability and civil society strengthening. Before joining the ODI in February 2015, Fiona completed a Masters of Public Policy at the University of Oxford. She also holds a BA/LLB from the University of Technology, Sydney. A nomad at heart, Fiona is passionate about discovering new cities, live music and beautiful typography.

Hania Farhan

Director of Research at the Web Foundation and the Governance and Justice Group

Hania has extensive experience working in the private and public sectors, particularly in the area of data analysis and measurement in the social sciences, especially in the fields of surveys and composite index construction. She worked at the Web Foundation as Director of Research/Programme Manager responsible for the computation of the Web Index and the Open Data Barometer for the organisation, and advising on survey design and implementation for the Foundation’s ICT and Gender programme. Before that, Hania was Director of Research at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation in London, responsible for the Ibrahim Index of African Governance. Prior to that, she was Director of the Middle East and North Africa region at The Economist Intelligence Unit – The Economist Group in London, and worked as an economist at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC previously. Before moving to the USA, she worked in investment banking in London and Johannesburg. Hania studied at London University. She has a B.Sc. degree in Economics, an M.Sc. in Economics, and a Ph.D. in Economics.

Jonathan McClory

Director of Place Branding practice, Portland Communications

Jonathan leads Portland’s new Place Branding practice. He is a specialist in soft power, public diplomacy, cultural relations and place branding. Jonathan has advised senior government clients in the UK, Europe, and Asia on reputation, policy, and effective global engagement. Jonathan previously led place branding at the London-based creative agency Winkreative. Prior to this, he worked as a consultant in the London office of the Boston Consulting Group. Before working in the private sector, Jonathan was Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government (IfG), where he remains an Associate. While at the IfG, Jonathan developed the world’s first composite index for measuring the soft power of countries, used as a benchmark by foreign ministries across the globe.

Muchiri Nyaggah

Executive Director, Local Development Research Institute

Muchiri serves as the Executive Director at the Local Development Research Institute. He previously served as the Deputy Executive Director and Policy Lead at the Open Institute and worked on open data and open government projects at national and sub-national level. He has worked in technology and innovation consulting for 15 years some of which was spent at Semacraft Consulting Partners, a Nairobi-based multidisciplinary practice he founded which helped leaders identify opportunities to create and deliver new value for citizens in Africa. His work explores the implementation of international initiatives, their impact on local development and how empowering policy actors and citizens with the right data can result in better development outcomes for all. He serves on a number of advisory boards including that of DEMO Africa (demo-africa.com) & The Open Institute.

Stefaan Verhulst

Co-founder and Chief Research and Development Officer, GovLab

Stefaan is Co-Founder and Chief Research and Development Officer of the Governance Laboratory @NYU (GovLab) where he is responsible for building a research foundation on how to transform governance using advances in science and technology. Stefaan’s latest scholarship centers on how technology can improve people’s lives and the creation of more effective and collaborative forms of governance. Specifically, he is interested in the perils and promise of collaborative technologies and how to harness the unprecedented volume of information to advance the public good. Before joining NYU full time, Stefaan spent more than a decade as Chief of Research for the Markle Foundation, where he continues to serve as Senior Advisor. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Culture and Communications at New York University, Senior Research Fellow for the Center for Media and Communications Studies at Central European University in Budapest; and an Affiliated Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Global Communications Studies at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communications. Previously at Oxford University he co-founded and was the Head of the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy at the Centre for Socio Legal Studies, and also served as Senior Research Fellow of Wolfson College. He is still an emeritus fellow at Oxford. He also taught several years at the London School of Economics. Stefaan is also founder and editor of numerous journals including the International Journal of Communications Law and Policy, and the Communications Law in Transition Newsletter.

Wendy Carrara

Principal Consultant, Capgemini, Manager of the European Data Portal

Wendy is a Principal Consultant within Capgemini Consulting. She works in the Business, Technology & Innovation practice of Capgemini Consulting where she is a core member of Capgemini’s global EU account. She plays a central role in the development of future Internet policies and deployment of digital services for governments across the EU. Since January 2015, Wendy is managing the development of the European Data Portal and associated services, on behalf of the European Commission – DG CONNECT. Beyond being just a Portal, the project offers support services to countries as they mature on their open data journey. In addition, there is a strong focus on driving a user community and understanding the benefits of open data. Moreover, Wendy has been leading the research work on calculating the economic benefits of open data measuring: market size, jobs created, cost savings for public administrations and efficiency gains. Each year, Wendy coordinates the Open Data in Europe. Wendy has equally been supporting DG CONNECT’s reflections on 21st Century Rulemaking in the Digital Age, as well as Open Innovation through workshops and ad hoc working groups within DG CONNECT and the Open Innovation Strategy and Policy Group. Building and contributing to the above, Wendy has over 10 year experience in complex eGovernment and digital projects as well as studies for the European Commission; bringing together various actors ranging from Member State representatives, to multiple EC directorates, international organisations and businesses. In addition to her consulting experience, Wendy has worked in the international arena as representative of a national government in defining eGovernment and High Impact Services with the EC, Council and OECD.