Applicant Information
- Name of Applicant: JuanRah + Alex Lumley*
- Email Address: juanramirogarza@gmail.com
- Telegram Handle: @JuanRah + @AlexLumley*
- Current Occupation/s: Academic Advisor / Arbitrum DAO Delegate
- Delegate details: Delegate Thread / Tally
- Country of Residence & Time Zone: Mexico / CST (GMT-6)
- Preferred Role within the Supervisory Council:
- Communications
- Operations
Background & Skills
As an Arbitrum DAO Delegate, I have actively contributed to discussions and governance processes, ensuring alignment with the DAO’s values and long-term objectives. My experience in DAO ecosystems, dating back to 2016, enables me to understand decentralized environments, fostering meaningful engagement and strategic alignment between stakeholders.
In my academic career as a College Professor and researcher in Geopolitics and Strategic Foresight, I have developed analytical and communication skills. These roles have required translating complex ideas into accessible insights for diverse audiences, which are essential skills for effective stakeholder communication within the ARDC. Additionally, my research experience in political and risk analysis equips me to anticipate challenges, manage community expectations, and propose actionable solutions.
As a former Chief of Staff in a Mexican state-level government, I refined my strategic planning and leadership capabilities, overseeing initiatives that enhanced public security and transparency. As a liaison with local municipal governments, I developed and implemented frameworks for better practices in public security and transparency. This required continuous stakeholder engagement, coordination, and communication.
My background in Strategic Intelligence research and experience conducting political and risk analysis for policy development enhanced my experience assessing complex issues, filtering key insights, and help guide decision-making processes. These experiences are vital for managing ARDC communications and fostering trust within the community.
Skills for the Role
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Stakeholder Engagement: Successfully built collaborative relationships between different levels of governments and civil society organizations, demonstrating the ability to mediate diverse interests and maintain open lines of communication.
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Strategic Oversight: Experience in designing and implementing frameworks for organizational efficiency, ensuring alignment with long-term goals.
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Effective Communication: Experience presenting complex research and policy recommendations to varied audiences, ensuring accessibility and impact.
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Resource Management: I have experience coordinating multi-stakeholder projects with limited resources, ensuring timely and effective delivery.
I am interested to contribute to the ARDC’s success by combining my experience in decentralized governance, research, and strategic planning.
Motivation and Vision
I am motivated about joining the Supervisory Council because I am committed to contributing to Ethereum’s decentralization efforts through the expansion of Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum. I believe that Arbitrum plays a focal role in scaling Ethereum, and being part of the ARDC presents an exciting opportunity to shape its future trajectory.
My goal is to help the Arbitrum DAO establish a robust structure and a long-term vision that adheres to its statutes. I am convinced that research should serve as the guiding beacon of any organization, illuminating the path forward. We need to ensure that the DAO’s initiatives are innovative and strategically aligned, this needs to be done with rigorous research that will eventually translate into the basis for decision-making processes.
My experience in stakeholder communication and serving as a liaison has equipped me with the skills necessary to convey messages effectively across diverse groups. I have experience facilitating clear and concise communication, conveying complex ideas to all stakeholders. This aligns perfectly with the responsibilities of the Communications role, where the ability to bridge gaps and foster understanding is essential.
During these six or twelve months, I hope to enhance transparency, promote active engagement, and build stronger connections between the ARDC, the DAO, and the wider community. I aim to amplify the impact of our research initiatives and contribute to the overall growth and decentralization of the Arbitrum ecosystem.
VISION
My strategic priorities will focus on ensuring that the ARDC’s research initiatives are closely aligned with the Arbitrum DAO’s statutes and objectives, and that this alignment is effectively communicated.
Establish Communication Channels
- Implement a consistent schedule for disseminating updates on research progress through newsletters, forums, and social media platforms.
- Develop summaries, infographics, and explainer videos to translate complex research findings into formats that are understandable and engaging for the wider community.
- Host bi-weekly community calls and Q&A sessions to facilitate direct communication between researchers and the community.
Align Research Initiatives with DAO Objectives
- Develop a clear and simple framework that maps research initiatives directly to the DAO’s objectives, so that every project contributes to the broader strategic goals.
- Facilitate workshops and strategy sessions with researchers and stakeholders to co-create research agendas that reflect collective priorities, the DAO’s statutes and its long-term vision.
- Review research projects to confirm they remain aligned with the DAO’s objectives, addressing any deviations promptly.
Enhance Stakeholder Engagement
- Coordinate with the Supervisory Council to develop programs to help stakeholders grasp the significance of research initiatives and their impact.
- Establish channels for surveys, suggestions, and open forums for stakeholders to share their perspectives.
- Maintain public dashboards and progress trackers to provide updates on research activities, milestones, and outcomes.
Role-Specific Responsibilities
My approach centers on establishing clear, consistent communication adapted to each stakeholder’s requirements. Recognizing that OffChain Labs, the Arbitrum Foundation, and the DAO have distinct perspectives, I aim to facilitate open dialogues that foster collaboration.
I would implement dedicated channels for regular updates, including summaries and monthly reports. For OffChain Labs and the Arbitrum Foundation, communications would highlight technical advancements and strategic alignments. For the DAO, I would emphasize how ARDC initiatives support decentralization and align with its mission.
To make updates accessible and meaningful, I would simplify complex information using infographics and summaries. Leveraging multimedia content like videos and webinars caters to diverse learning preferences, enhancing engagement.
Fostering two-way communication is essential. I would establish forums and feedback mechanisms consistent interaction. Regular feedback is important so that community voices have an influence in the ARDC activities, promoting ownership and collaboration.
In my previous role working with official governments, I improved transparency in public initiatives by hosting community forums and providing metric reports, increasing public trust. As an Academic, I consistently must communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences, increasing engagement through understandable curricula.
To enhance the ARDC’s visibility, I would develop a strategy aligned with our mission and the DAO’s objectives, focusing on clear messaging and valuable content. Establishing a unified messaging framework that encapsulates the ARDC’s core lines of research to ensure consistency across all platforms. I will provide briefs and key messaging points, to equip our communications team and social media managers to engage our target audiences.
I would prepare concise summaries of research findings, project updates, and significant milestones. Translating complex technical information into accessible language makes the ARDC’s work understandable and engaging for the broader community. Creating visual assets like infographics and charts further simplifies concepts.
Having close collaboration with the communications team is essential. Coordinating on press releases for major announcements ensures they accurately reflect the ARDC’s achievements and contributions.
Community calls are a vital part of our engagement strategy. Hosting bi-weekly calls allows us to provide updates, share research insights, and interact directly with community members. Recording calls and providing summaries improves accessibility for all stakeholders.
To improve current strategies, I would focus on enhancing content diversity and inclusivity. Expanding our content to include educational materials and tutorials caters to different audience preferences.
Gathering feedback on our communication methods is also a very important part. Regularly assessing the effectiveness of our strategies through surveys or analytics allows us to make data-driven adjustments, ensuring our communications remain relevant. This iterative process will help us align our efforts with the evolving interests of the community.
My background in strategic planning equips me to anticipate industry trends and adapt our communication strategies proactively. The focus should be on creating valuable content and collaborating effectively with the goal to provide a clear message that is consistent and aligned with the DAO’s mission and values.
Prioritization & Time Allocation
To determine which deliverables should be prioritized based on DAO needs, a thorough understanding of the scope of each research proposal is needed. Knowing the specific objectives and expected outcomes is an essential part to understand in order to fully align them with the DAO’s strategic goals. It’s important to differentiate between tasks that rely on publicly available data and those that depend on information from external parties. Tasks using publicly available data can often be completed more quickly, while those requiring external cooperation may need additional time due to factors beyond our control.
When assessing whether the time quoted by working members is reasonable, I will consider the availability and accessibility of the required data. Understanding the data gathering and processing time helps in setting realistic deadlines. I will also evaluate the complexity of each task and consult with working members to make sure their time estimates are based on practical considerations. For each research initiative we can agree on a plan that balances the DAO’s needs with the practical timelines necessary for high-quality outputs.
Summary of Qualifications
I think I’d be a great fit for the Communications role on the Supervisory Council because of my diverse background spanning academia, government, and DAOs.
As a College Professor specializing in Geopolitics and Strategic Intelligence, I’ve gotten pretty good at breaking down complex ideas into easy-to-understand concepts. This knack for synthesizing and simplifying information will be a useful asset in communicating the ARDC’s research value to a broad audience.
I’ve been involved in blockchain research and actively participate as an Arbitrum DAO Delegate, so I have an understanding on decentralized governance. I understand the importance of transparent communication to keep the community collaborating in the same direction.
From my previous professional experience, I handled Strategic Planning and served as a stakeholder liaison to bolster strategic objectives. My past roles have sharpened my communication skills and gave me tools to manage relationships with various stakeholders.
As a Strategic Foresight Professional, I am always looking ahead, which helps in aligning the ARDC’s activities with the evolving objectives of the DAO. My research in Political and Risk Analysis will help me assess how our initiatives might impact the ecosystem, so that delegates can make informed decisions.
By joining the Supervisory Council, I would be focused on boosting the ARDC’s visibility, ensure we’re aligned with the DAO’s mission, and encourage more active participation from the community. My goal is to bridge the gap between complex research and stakeholder understanding, making the ARDC’s work accessible and meaningful to everyone. I’m confident that my skills and experiences will bring professionalism for the Communications role, and I’m excited about dedicating more time to contribute to the growth and decentralization of the Arbitrum ecosystem.
Amendment*
Amendment
I would like to update my application to jointly apply for the Communications role with fellow delegate @AlexLumley. Alex’s involvement with the DAO and understanding of its past developments will help in providing context on how each research proposal aligns with the DAO’s interests. His experience and background will help transfer knowledge and trust to the development of this role’s functions.
This addition will help our communication strategy to be deployed within the community’s objectives.
I will take the lead on developing and implementing the overall communications strategy:
- Creating branding and messaging guidelines.
- Managing press releases, media relations, and social media.
- Record-keeping and reporting of all communications activities.
Alex will focus on:
- Providing advice, insights and background context to enrich our communications.
- Act as a liaison with other delegates.
We aim to deliver a cohesive and impactful communication effort that supports the ARDC’s mission and resonates with all stakeholders. At the same time, our strategy will be useful in providing context on the DAO’s general initiatives and processes to newcomers.