Jon Lebkowsky

Current

Cofounder and CEO at Plutopia Productions
Senior Associate at Social Web Strategies
Board Member at Society for Participatory Medicine

Blogger, Technology Director at Worldchanging
Associate at Rheingold Associates
Social Commentator, Cultural Strategist, Blogger at Weblogsky
President at EFF-Austin
Author, Journalist, Blogger at selfemployed (Self-employed)

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Past

Member, Board of Directors at Digital Convergence Initiative
Web Strategist, Project Coordinator, and Web Presence Consultant at Polycot Consulting
Manager, Wireless Future Project at IC2 Institute

Senior Project Manager and Information Architect, Internet Solutions Division at IGS, Inc.
Interactive Community Director and Technology Director at Whole Foods Market
Host, Electronic Frontiers Forum at Wired Online
Interactive Facilitator at Self-employed
Systems Analyst/Project Manager at Texas Department of Human Services
Writer at Mondo 2000
CEO at FringeWare, Inc.

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Education

St. Edward's University
The University of Texas at Austin

Recommended

15 people have recommended Jon

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Internet

Websites

Jon Lebkowsky’s Summary

• Broad experience with web development and production environments, online community and social technology, user experience, information architecture, and web optimization.
• Twenty years experience leading technology projects and initiatives, focusing specifically on the development, deployment, and ongoing management of web sites, social and community technology and systems.
• Acknowledged thought leader about social technology, online community, technology for advocacy, technoculture, Internet policy.
• Experienced online community manager and host/facilitator.
• Skilled writer, communicator, collaborator and facilitator.
• Excellent ability to work with customers and clients, to effectively convey project understanding, and ensure communication about timelines, milestones, and deadlines.

Jon Lebkowsky’s Specialties:

Strategy, social web, social networks, online community, social media, web development, content development, user experience, management, facilitation.

Jon Lebkowsky’s Experience

Cofounder and CEO

Plutopia Productions

(Internet industry)

October 2007 — Present (2 years 3 months)

Plutopia Productions specializes in creating, developing, organizing and producing events, presentations, exhibitions and workshops, research and development and publishing in the fields of entertainment, art and media technology as it relates to future global development.
Senior Associate

Social Web Strategies

(Public Relations and Communications industry)

June 2007 — Present (2 years 7 months)

I was a cofounder of this company, which is a developer and provider of social media training services. I recently changed to the consulting role of Senior Associate and am less involved in day to day operations of the company.
Board Member

Society for Participatory Medicine

(Health, Wellness and Fitness industry)

2004 — Present (5 years )

Tom Ferguson coined the term e-patients to describe individuals who are equipped, enabled, empowered and engaged in their health and health care decisions. He envisioned health care as an equal partnership between e-patients and health professionals and systems that support them.

Before Tom’s untimely death in 2006, he was writing the White Paper (PDF) in consultation with the group of advisors he dubbed the e-Patient Scholars Working Group. That group went on to form the Society for Participatory Medicine. I'm a member of the Executive Committee of the SPM and the Editorial Board of the Journal of Participatory Medicine.
Blogger, Technology Director

Worldchanging

(Non-Profit; Online Media industry)

2004 — Present (5 years )
Associate

Rheingold Associates

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Internet industry)

November 2000 — Present (9 years 2 months)

Rheingold Associates is a business run as a sole proprietorship by Howard Rheingold. The business provides access for clients to Caucus conferencing and other collaborative tools, along with Caucus customization, skilled online facilitation, online facilitation training, knowledge management, distance learning, virtual community design, HTML, graphic design, and other know-how necessary for building virtual communities and knowledge communities.

The services to clients are provided by a network of contractors, known as Associates.
Social Commentator, Cultural Strategist, Blogger

Weblogsky

(Internet industry)

February 2000 — Present (9 years 11 months)

Personal blog. I've been writing for the web since the web first appeared in 1992, created my first personal blog in the late 90s, and that evolved into the Weblogsky.com blog.
President

EFF-Austin

(Internet industry)

1991 — Present (18 years )

EFF-Austin is an independent nonprofit civil liberties organization concerned
with emerging frontiers where technology meets society. We are a group
of visionary technologists, legal professionals, academics, political
activists and concerned citizens who work to protect digital rights and
educate the public about emerging technologies and their implications.

Similar to our namesake, the national Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF),
“the dominion we defend is the vast wealth of digital information,
innovation, and technology that resides online.” The organization’s web site
is http://www.effaustin.org; email is info at effaustin.org.

EFF-Austin was originally formed in 1991 with the intention that it would become the first chapter of the national Electronic Frontier Foundation, however EFF decided not to become a chapters organization, and EFF-Austin became a separately-incorporated, independent nonprofit organization working focusing on cyber liberties, digital rights, and emerging technologies. EFF-Austin became dormant in 1997, and was revived by original co-founders Steve Jackson and Jon Lebkowsky in 2002.
Author, Journalist, Blogger
selfemployed (Self-employed)

(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Writing and Editing industry)

January 1985 — Present (25 years )

I've written about culture, technology, media, sustainability and other topics for over twenty years, and I've been blogging regularly since 2000.

I edited and published the influential magazine FringeWare Review, which had an international distribution. I was Associated Editor of the hardcopy version of bOING bOING, and I've written for Wired, HotWired, Mondo 2000, Whole Earth Magazine, The Whole Earth Catalog, Electric Minds, Mindjack, The Austin Chronicle, Worldchanging, and many others. I was co-editor of the book Extreme Democracy and contributed to Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century.
Member, Board of Directors

Digital Convergence Initiative

(Think Tanks industry)

2004 — November 2009 (5 years )

Organization created to enable and facilitate a public/private collaboration that will transform Central Texas into a global competitor in the emerging Digital Convergence economy.
Web Strategist, Project Coordinator, and Web Presence Consultant

Polycot Consulting

(Privately Held; Information Technology and Services industry)

July 2001 — May 2008 (6 years 11 months)

Our successful consulting and development partnership focused on web site development, social technology consulting and development, web presence management, information design and strategic consulting for interactive environments. I was responsible for the vision, marketing, and strategic direction of the company, as well as sales, product and project management, and contracting. We worked for many and diverse clients, including for-profits, nonprofits, and political consultants and campaigns. The company became inactive when one partner left to attend medical school, and began the work that let to the founding of Social Web Strategies.

While working with Polycot Consulting, I was also actively and effectively involved in conversations with global thought leaders about the evolution of the web, meeting at O'Reilly's Emerging Technology Conference with leaders in the field, helping form an international Social Software Alliance, participating in discussions that led to the concepts of Web 2.0 and Emergent Democracy, working hands-on with the use of social software for advocacy and politics, co-editing the book Extreme Democracy and working with O'Reilly Publishing on a miniconference about online democracy, and creating with Clay Shirky the influential blog "You're It: A Blog on Tagging." I also programmed two complete tracks for SXSW Interactive, one on the future of wireless (2004) and one on digital convergence (2005).
Manager, Wireless Future Project

IC2 Institute

(Internet industry)

July 2003 — July 2004 (1 year 1 month)

I managed this very successful one year economic development project for IC2, a think tank connected with the University of Texas. I managed the production of a successful, influential report on Austin's wireless industry, and a complete conference track at SXSW Interactive in March 2004. I managed a team of four paid interns, and coordinated an advisory board of thought leaders focused on wireless networking. The goal of the project was to build coherence and viability within Austin's wireless industry, which consistend of around 100 companies. I coordinated meetings of all stakeholders over a period of months, and the creation of a report with recommendations that were successfully implemented. I also coordinated and directed a complete wireless track at the SXSW Interactive conference. This work was concurrent with my work at Polycot Consulting.
Senior Project Manager and Information Architect, Internet Solutions Division

IGS, Inc.

(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Internet industry)

July 2000 — May 2001 (11 months)

Managed high-level analysis and architectural design projects for diverse clients of IGS, Inc. Projects focused on web-based application and integration services and infrastructure. All projects were completed within designated time frames, with excellent feedback from clients.
Interactive Community Director and Technology Director

Whole Foods Market

(Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; wfmi; Internet industry)

June 1997 — June 2000 (3 years 1 month)

As the first Internet professional hired by Whole Foods Market, I worked with internal teams on Intranet, Internet, ecommerce, and online community development. I had several roles on the small team that created a comprehensive ecommerce project at WholeFoods.com, which included a robust forums-based online community and regular weekly chat events. I negotiated contracts and agreements with such companies as WELL Engaged, Talk City, Mapquest, and various content providers. I also coordinated expertise throughout the company to participate in community activities and provide ongoing content for the site. I specified, coordinated, and managed various successful subprojects for WholeFoods.com, Amrion, and WholePeople. I was Community Director for the commerce/content/community project at WholeFoods.com, and I assumed the role of Web Technology Director at WholePeople.com.
Host, Electronic Frontiers Forum

Wired Online

(Internet industry)

1996 — 1997 (1 year )

Hosted a weekly online chat discussion focused on technology policy and technoculture for HotWired, which was then the online component of Wired Magazine.
Interactive Facilitator

Self-employed

(Privately Held; Myself Only; Online Media industry)

February 1991 — May 1997 (6 years 4 months)

As a contractor and as a volunteer, I've worked variously as online host, moderator, and facilitator since 1991 for various entities including the WELL, Howard Rheingold's Electric Minds, and Wired Magazine's Hotwired. I'm still a community host on the WELL (http://www.well.com).
Systems Analyst/Project Manager

Texas Department of Human Services

(Government Agency; 5001-10,000 employees; Government Administration industry)

February 1988 — February 1997 (9 years 1 month)

Project Manager/Systems Analyst for the Texas Department of Human Services' WelNet system for eligibility determination. The WelNet system was distributed over 450+ LANs linked through a Unisys mainframe with over 17,000 users statewide. Systems: SAVERR database on Unisys mainframe (COBOL) Worked primarily on the Generic Worksheet, an application for eligibility determination custom-coded using a database environment called Advanced Revelation, and data interchange with the statewide SAVERR database.
Writer

Mondo 2000

(Internet industry)

1995 — 1996 (1 year )
CEO

FringeWare, Inc.

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)

December 1992 — February 1996 (3 years 3 months)

Co-Founder of retail and small publishing company with a strong Internet presence. Probably the first company to attempt e-commerce, and to attempt commerce in the context of online community. Publisher/Editor, FringeWare Review. Moderator, FringeWare email list (later known as FringeWare News Network). FringeWare also operated a mail order operation and a book store.

Jon Lebkowsky’s Education

St. Edward's University

BA , English (Specialization in Writing) , 1983 — 1985

Also attended The University of Texas at Austin through 1973. I left UT in my senior year, working with state poverty programs for a decade before resuming studies at St. Edwards' University.
The University of Texas at Austin

English, Journalism 1969 — 1973

Additional Information

Jon Lebkowsky’s Websites:

Jon Lebkowsky’s Interests:

Society and culture, digital media and convergence, futurism, technology, science, environment and climate, social network analysis and development.

Jon Lebkowsky’s Groups:

Society for Participatory Medicine, ATXEquation, EFF-Austin; Bootstrap Austin; Central Texas Digital Convergence Initiative; Solar Austin; WorldChanging.com; Central Texas Chapter of the World Future Society; Austin Wireless; SalsaNet; Austin Wireless City; University of Texas Science, Technology, and Society Program; Association of Computing Machinery, SXSW