Thursday was my last day at O’Reilly Media. The past three years have been extraordinary. No other professional experience I’ve had even comes close to matching it.
Tim gave me the opportunity to have an impact on the world in the spring of 2010 and I took it and ran with it for all that I was worth. I started my career at O’Reilly by interviewing Tim Berners-Lee, live on the Internet, and I finished by sharing the stage with Al Gore and Madeline Albright at Stanford, albeit in a non-speaking role. (Recognize that young looking fellow below?)
As I’ve navigated the corridors of power in DC, statehouses, boardrooms and legislatures around the world, O’Reilly’s name and reputation opened doors everywhere. I lost count of the number of times that I pinched myself during my travels.
I also lost count of the number of the hundreds of articles I wrote over the years, bracketed by videos, annotated pictures, and tens of thousands of tweets and status updates on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr and other services. My wonderful editor, Mac Slocum, encouraged me to use the Web and social media as a platform for narrative expression, increasing the surface area for ideas and amplifying the work of people innovated at the edges of society and social change.
I was blessed with brilliant, supportive colleagues who approached collaboration and work with purpose, good humor and wit. I’m deeply grateful for all of the advice, mentorship, teamwork and wisdom that they offered over the years.
I enjoyed the support of an amazing executive team when I spoke truth to power and pushed for change on important issue. Few companies would have provided the degree of editorial freedom and institutional support that I had from my very first day. I saw the work we did together had a positive effect upon the world, from Israel to Africa to Australia to Australia to San Francisco — and I heard about it from people in those places and many more. I’m deeply honored to have spent this time with O’Reilly.
Briefing the president and cabinet of Moldova about the Internet and the next generation of open government remains a highlight, as was my interview of the prime minister of Georgia and delivering remarks in front of the Brazilian Congress. There are also thousands of other moments and memories that I treasure that will never be as public but will be remain important to me in the years to come. Thank you all for your confidence and trust.
My email address at oreilly.com may no longer be a secure direct connection to me but I welcome your news, tips and ideas through more than a dozen social media channels.
I’ll have more to share with the world about “what’s next” for me in the days and weeks to come. For now, I’m looking forward to becoming a father for the first time in about 40 days.
Thank you to each and every one of you who have read, commented, replied, retweeted, reshared, picked up the phone and offered your time for interviews and reflections.
I look forward to seeing you online and around the world.
Best wishes on whatever is next, Alex. I don’t envy the person who will have to fill your shoes at O’Reilly (OK, well, maybe a little…).
Thank you, Saleem. No one will be filling my shoes at O’Reilly, though: the position no longer exists.
We will miss reading you at OReilly, Alex. Your work was always the most rigorous, forward thinking and edge cutting. You stood for good questions, the users/readers and never delivered rotten fish wrapped as news. Best of luck with parenthood and your next steps.
See you on the web.
Cheers
That’s extremely kind, Miguel. I’m humbled that you think so and appreciate the good wishes.
Bangarang!!!!!!
You will be an awesome dad. Excited to see what is next
I appreciate the confidence! Me too.
As I said on Twitter: congratulations on a job well done. We’re all looking forward to seeing who’s smart enough to snap up your talents first.
Thank you, Tom.
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Alex, you’ve definitely done great work for the open government community while at O’Reilly. Its sad to see them exiting from this space, but they ahve made a terrific contribution.All the best in what comes next!
Thank you, Noel.
Geez, I look away for a moment and this happens. Glad to realize (from your continuing tweet volume and other writing) that you are swimming forward full-kick, and I look forward to hearing what’s next. Most importantly, best of luck next month with the baby! Let me buy you lunch sometime before that….Very best wishes!