Majd Karam

1. Why do you want to be an NCF director?

I'm hoping that by remaining as a director and vice chair of NCF's board of directors, I can make a difference. I believe in paying back to the community and in doing good whenever we can, and I believe that I can do so by putting my knowledge, skills, and experience into helping NCF overcome all the challenges, and do better facing the big telco names that dominate the Canadian market and control the level of services that our citizens get. Being a director at NCF for the past 3 years and helping NCF's team pivot and look for ways to survive the impact of the pandemic and the numerous acquisitions of the other small players have given me a purpose and a sense of self-worth for being able to participate in such a do-good organization. I hope to be re-elected so that I can keep doing that. 

2. What are the most important functions of NCF for its members?

NCF offers affordable internet and cable services to its members, along with continuous support and various means of help in the form of workshops and seminars that aim to educate the members about how to use the internet and the dangers that they may face. NCF also provides the members with email and web page hosting services that allow them to create their web pages securely using NCF's facilities. Moreover, NCF facilitates hundreds of Usenet newsgroups that allow (only) the members to exchange ideas and opinions regarding different topics and issues impacting their communities. The newsgroups are a great way to share knowledge and experiences among the community members themselves and to benefit from each other.

3. What skills will you contribute to the NCF Board?

Currently doing my PhD in Digital Transformation and Innovation at the faculty of Engineering at University of Ottawa has enriched my knowledge when it comes to using technology to advance businesses and organizations towards their best performance, specifically by looking at entrepreneurial and innovative methods to run the business. I also hold an MBA from Telfer School of Management which has given me a breadth of knowledge in multiple areas of business management, such as governance, operations, marketing, clients relations, change management and communications. With a bachelor degree in computer science, I also have the necessary technical skills that allow me to understand the technical language that is often thrown in the board meetings and the executive reports. During my current term as a director and vice chair of the board, these skills allowed me to offer a unique and multidisciplinary perspective to the various issues discussed in the board meetings.