CUWiN Core Staff

CUWiN staff come from diverse backgrounds, just like the communities that we serve. We've asked them to come up with a picture and a short biographical statement to introduce themselves. The staff page does not represent all the people who are working on CUWiN software development or community activism. For a more complete list, consult the contact page.

Sascha Meinrath, Executive Director

Sascha is the co-founder of the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN), an editor for MuniWireless.com, and a regular contributor to GovTech's Digital Communities. In 2005, Sascha was elected to the Board of Directors of CTCNet, a US-based network of more than 1000 organizations united in their commitment to improve the educational, economic, cultural and political life of their communities through technology. In 2004, Sascha organized the First National Summit for Community Wireless Networks, helping to launch what has now become known as the Community/Municipal Wireless Networking Movement. In 2005-2006, Sascha coordinated the Community Wireless Emergency Response Initiative -- helping rebuild mission-critical telecommunications infrastructure during post-hurricane Katrina disaster recovery. Sascha has also worked as a policy analyst for Free Press, a Washington, DC-based think-tank, and regularly briefs Federal Communications Commission and Congressional staff on issues related to CWNs. Leading news sources, including The Economist, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Nation, and National Public Radio, often cite Sascha's work in covering issues related to CWNs. Sascha is a Telecommunications Fellow at the University of Illinois, Institute for Communications Research, where he is finishing up a PhD. Sascha's research focuses on community empowerment and the impacts of participatory media, communications infrastructures, and emergent technologies. Sascha's full bio is available here.

David Young, Chief Engineer

Ross Musselman, Project Coordinator

Ross Musselman is the Project Coordinator for CUWiN and helps direct the day-to-day operations. In addition to bookkeeping and organizational records management, he is responsible for developing and overseeing CUWiN's consulting services. As a member of CUWiN's Board of Directors, Ross has played an influential role in incorporating the CUWiN Foundation as well as developing its organizational structure. Ross assisted in the planning and coordination of the 2006 National Summit for Community Wireless Networks. Last summer, Ross helped oversee the installation of a community wireless network on the Mesa Grande Indian Reservation in southern California. Ross has aided NGOs and municipalities worldwide with their wireless networking needs, from Brazil to South Africa, Serbia to South Korea. Locally, he is the System Administrator and Web Master at the Chapel of St. John the Divine in Champaign, Illinois. He is also a recoving historian, with a special interest in the Balkan Peninsula. Before joining the CUWiN team, Ross was the Managing Editor and Network Administrator for the International Fellowship of Reconciliation.

Matthew Isaacs, Network Engineer

Joshua King, Network Engineer

Joshua King is a graduate of the University of Illinois with experience in the fields of System Administration and Software Development. He is a Network Engineer and founding board member of the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network Foundation (CUWiN Foundation). Josh is also a member of the Acorn Active Media Foundation, a contributing member of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (UCIMC) through the Tech working group, and a System Administrator at UCIMC's Chambana.net Community Web Services Project. In all these endeavors he attempts to apply his skills to the cause of social justice on both a community and global level.

Daniel “Dan Blah” Meredith, Senior Network Engineer

Dan Blah is a highly talented technologist who utilizes over 7 years of experience to apply technology to address social justice and community needs. Blah is one of the founding board members and Senior Network Engineer of the CUWiN Foundation (Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network), one of the world's leading open-source, ad-hoc mesh network research and development projects. Blah is also a leading tech member for both Radio Free Urbana (WRFU 104.5FM), the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (U-C IMC), and the Chambana.net project.