Because of You, There’s Always a Silver Lining

By Sean O’Brien - Associate Vice President, NET+, Internet2

Volunteers continue to be integral to the work we do every day to make a better cloud for the research and education (R&E) community. Scientifically, a “silver lining” occurs when clouds act as mirrors, reflecting sunlight and brightening the surrounding sky.

During National Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 19 – 25, 2026), we thank NET+ volunteers for all they do to brighten the horizon for R&E by supporting our efforts while improving technology implementation at their institutions. Our work together is a win-win, a win for the community and a win for every institution that benefits from its collective resources and knowledge.

Established more than two decades ago, National Volunteer Appreciation Week provides a welcome opportunity to recognize and thank volunteers who lend their experience and expertise to ensure NET+ services are optimized for R&E. Across our latest service evaluations, working groups, program advisory group, committees, and service advisory groups, 115+ unique R&E organizations have contributed to the work of NET+. Whether you were a member of an advisory group, you participated in a service evaluation, or you provided content for an event or resource, you have made a difference because volunteering changes everything.

Points of Light Foundation coined this phrase – and helped establish National Volunteer Appreciation week as an annual observance – to amplify the tremendous impact volunteers have on communities worldwide. In recognition of the occasion, we’re celebrating you and reflecting on some of the ways you have made our work impactful. Drawing on reflections from the NET+ team and community members, here are three ways our community of volunteers shows up for us, each other, and their institutions.

1. Shaping services. “Without dedicated volunteers, my programs wouldn’t be successful, and new services wouldn’t be added to the NET+ portfolio,” observed Senior Program Manager Nick Lewis. “For NET+ Duo and NET+ LastPass, campus volunteers provide direction and feedback to make these programs worthwhile. Institutions participating in community calls and other events create so many valuable resources for the community.”

“By focusing our collective lenses, the community can inclusively build solutions and support mechanisms that allow our members to thrive, not just “keep the lights on.” There is an abundance of important cybersecurity work to be done, and no one, no one, can do it alone. Crowdsourcing our talent for the collective good strengthens our community and advances the professional development of its members.”

— Charlie Escue, Information Security Consulting Manager, University Information Security Office, Indiana University

2. Cultivating collaboration. “Current community leaders work hard to bring as many cloud professionals into the community conversations as possible,” according to Bob Flynn, senior program manager, cloud infrastructure & platform services. “That may start by encouraging them to describe what they are doing on a call. That then progresses into submitting a conference proposal. Next, you might get them to discuss their expertise with their peers on a panel. Before they know it, they are recognized for their expertise, their effort to help others, and their support. Many transition into community leadership.”

“Over the years the things that I’ve learned from the community have just been remarkable, and the things that I’ve been able to take from the discussions I’ve had and implement here within my teams has been huge. I also like to think that sometimes we have good ideas here at Cornell, and I like to be able to share them.”

— Sarah Christen, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Cornell University

3. Perfecting processes. “Many thanks to the 15 community members who provided their time and expertise in the development and evaluation of the Third Party Risk Management and Identity Proofing RFPs,” said Sue Gavazzi, contract analyst and vendor manager. “Through your effort, other institutions can leverage the competitive process to meet their procurement needs.”

“Eventually, NET+ agreements made their way to my desk. While I noticed opportunities for NET+ agreements to better serve Carnegie Mellon’s needs, I also saw a chance to influence broader change within the community. I believed that there was room for greater alignment across institutions of all sizes to address diverse requirements more effectively. Recognizing this, Sean O’Brien invited me to join BPLAC, where I’ve gained valuable insights and a deeper understanding of the collaborative potential within NET+ and the positive impact it can have across our community.”

— Matthew D’Emilio, Director, University Contracts Office, Carnegie Mellon University

These volunteer contributions and many others enable us to provide services that minimize your risk, but maximize your opportunity, in the cloud. Because of NET+ volunteers, there’s always a silver lining.

Our heartfelt thanks goes out to our current and past members of NET+ governance and advisory groups, which include the NET+ Program Advisory Group, the Business, Procurement and Legal (BPLAC) and Cloud Services Technology Architecture (CSTAAC) advisory committees, and service advisory groups (SAGs).

Are you interested in getting involved? New volunteers are always welcome. There are some immediate opportunities to get engaged. To get involved, email us. By volunteering, you can change everything about the future of the cloud for research and education and streamline its adoption at your institution.