August 4, 2025 ISC Meeting
Agenda:
Committees Update
ISC Actions/Update from last week
ISC Survey (Intersect Role & Identity)
Committee Stipend
AOB & Meeting Close
Attendees:
Name
Attendance
Role
Voting Seat (Y/N)
Jack Briggs
No
Interim Executive Director
Y
Nick Cook
No
Director - Operations (Interim)
Y
YUTA
Yes
Community Member Seat
Y
Phil Lewis
Yes
Community Member Seat
Y
Sheldon Hunt
Yes
Community Member Seat
Y
Fred Tanaka
Yes
Community Member Seat
Y
Pedro Lucas
Yes
OSC Chair
Y
Samuel Leathers
No
Product Chair
Y
Darlington Welsh
Yes
MCC Chair
Y
Kristijan Kowalsky
Yes
CBC Chair
Y
Kevin Hammond
No
TSC Chair
Y
Wes Parkison
No
GMC Chair
Y
Nicolas Cerny
No
Interim CCC Chair
Y
Christian Taylor
Yes
Head of OSO
N
Lorenzo Bruno
Yes
Head of Product
N
Matt Davis
No
Head of Tech Operation
N
Tim Richmond
Yes
Head of Comms
N
Duncan Soutar
No
Secretary of TSC
N
Lloyd Duhon
No
Secretary of Budget Committee
N
Larisa Mcfarlane
No
Secretary of CCC
N
Terence McCutcheon
Yes
Secretary of OSC
N
Discussion/Action:
1. Committee Updates
Budget Committee reported that the budget retrospective and future process survey was published and is open until 22 August. The committee is promoting the survey at Rare Evo and emphasized the importance of feedback from active Intersect members. The committee has also shifted from budget task force meetings to a single weekly session focused on improving the overall budget process. Additionally, the committee is in the process of selecting a new audit partner and is currently interviewing firms, including one of the Big Four.
Product Committee shared that the first draft of the Cardano 2030 Vision is now available on their GitHub. A workshop will be held at Rare Evo, with a follow-up remote session scheduled. Committee members and ISC participants were invited to provide comments via GitHub or attend the upcoming sessions.
Growth & Marketing Committee (GMC) released a community survey focused on future marketing strategy and budget expectations for 2026. The aim is to gather sentiment and direction from the broader ecosystem. The committee is also planning related outreach during Rare Evo.
A side discussion emerged around the roles and scope of GMC vs. Intersect’s comms team, clarifying that GMC has a broader mandate beyond Intersect, while the Intersect comms team focuses on internal and cross-committee coordination. Further alignment discussions were proposed to clarify boundaries and collaboration between the two.
2. Action Item Updates
Decision-Making Framework: Work is ongoing within the Governance Working Group. A BPMN diagram is being finalized by Intersect staff and will be shared for ISC review in the coming weeks.
Committee Funding for Unfunded Groups: Still pending; expected to be addressed by the Intersect team in mid-August.
Intersect Identity Discussion: Integrated into a newly proposed survey initiative led by ISC to gather member input on Intersect’s evolving role.
3. ISC Survey Proposal: Intersect Role & Identity
A new survey was proposed by an ISC member to gather feedback from Intersect members on the organization's identity, role, and committee structure. The context reflects changes made earlier this year - especially the shift in Intersect’s function from internal facilitation to broader ecosystem coordination.
The survey aims to understand whether members support continuing the expanded role or reverting to a more narrowly defined mandate. Proposed questions include:
Should Intersect continue acting as a budget facilitator for the whole ecosystem or refocus on internal priorities?
What role should committees play in defining budgets?
Is the current committee structure effective, or should it be revised?
Open-ended feedback from members on Intersect’s value and direction.
ISC members were invited to review and comment on the draft. As there was no quorum, no vote was taken. Members agreed to revisit the proposal next week to determine whether the ISC will formally adopt and distribute the survey.
4. Committee Stipend Policy Review
The ISC revisited the committee stipend decision originally approved in November 2024. The policy provides for 500 ADA/month for committee members and 1,000 ADA/month for chairs, beginning once treasury withdrawals are executed.
Key discussion points included:
Start Date Ambiguity: Some members assumed the stipend would be backdated to January 2025, while others believed it should align with the current Intersect budget cycle (June 2025–June 2026).
Double Stipend Concerns: Questions were raised about members serving on multiple committees or holding elected seats on the ISC - whether they would be eligible for multiple stipends.
Equity & Workload Variation: Members noted unequal contributions across committees and recommended exploring a performance-based or contribution-weighted payout model. A proposal was made to allocate a portion of the stipend based on peer assessment.
Non-Elected Contributors: Several committees rely on active non-elected participants, and some members suggested future stipend discussions should consider recognizing their contributions as well.
The ISC agreed that while the original decision remains in place, a structured annual review is required. A follow-up process was proposed:
The Governance Working Group could host deeper discussions and return with recommendations.
A clear operational model (including roles, eligibility, and backdating policy) should be developed by Intersect staff.
A formal motion and possibly a special session will be needed if changes to the existing policy are pursued.
5. Next Steps & Actions
ISC members to review the proposed Intersect Identity & Role Survey and prepare feedback for discussion in the next meeting.
Committee stipend policy to remain a standing agenda item for follow-up. Continue discussion on this topic.
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