Keynote Speaker Biographies

Keynote SpeakersClaudia LuxFor the last two years Professor Claudia Lux, has held the position of Director General of the Foundation Central and Regional Library, Berlin, (the biggest Metropolitan Library in Germany). By the time Professor Lux speaks at the LIANZA Conference 2009 in October she will be the outgoing IFLA President with current "president-elect" Ellen Tise filling the role. The Conference Programme Sub-committee is excited to present someone of Claudia's knowledge and international standing to participate in this year's conference.Sir Tipene O'ReganSir Tipene O'Regan is Assistant-Vice-Chancellor Maori at the University of Canterbury, Chairman of Ngā Pae o Te Maramatanga, the Centre for Maori Research Excellence at the University of Auckland and Upoko of the Awarua Runanga of Ngai Tahu. He has published and lectured extensively over many years on Ngai Tahu traditional history, Polynesian migration, Treaty issues and the evolution of biculturalism and the wider politics of Māoridom.Hana O'ReganHana O'Regan was raised in Wellington in a family immersed in Māori Treaty and identity politics. She received her secondary schooling at Queen Victoria Māori Girls Boarding School in Auckland before becoming an American Field Scholar in Thailand for one year. Hana returned to pursue an undergraduate degree with a double major in Māori Studies and Political Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington.Hana has been a member of The Māori Language Commission - Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori - since 2003. The bulk of Hana's recent publications has been centred on Kāi Tahu tribal stories and histories for rakatahi, and most recently published an anthology of Māori poetry, Kupu with co-author Charisma Rangipunga.Richard StallmanTwenty-five years ago he launched the GNU operating system. GNU is free software: everyone has the freedom to copy it and redistribute it, as well as to make changes either large or small. The GNU/Linux system, basically the GNU operating system with Linux added, is used on tens of millions of computers today. Stallman pioneered the concept of copyleft, and is the main author of the GNU General Public License, the most widely used free software license.Jessica Dorr - Program Officer, Global LibrariesJessica Dorr's work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation began in 1997, as a technology trainer for West Seattle Learns, a community technology centre. She currently oversees grants to Mexico, Latvia, and Lithuania and supports the foundations' annual Access to Learning Award. Jessica has experience with both school and academic libraries and holds a BA from Georgetown University and an MLIS from the University of Washington.