Web·stock [wëb–stok]
– noun, origin: 2006
Webstock is a range of web-related events with the aim of improving how websites are built through inspiration, education, insightful analysis and practical application. It features industry leaders and kick-ass speakers talking on topics such as accessibility, web standards, usability and other best practices.
Recordings of past events are made available in the interests of knowledge-sharing and good web citizenship.
With WIPA, Webstock is the co-producer of FullCodePress, the geek olympics.
Webstock is the brainchild of a small group of web professionals who've taken it upon themselves to promote raising the standard of websites in their own backyard (and abroad), and have a jolly good time while they're doing it. They are:
Natasha Hall, Senior VP
Advocate of users at Trade Me. Instigator of activities and shenanigans at Webstock.
Mother to Charlie Bird, special-lady-friend to Ben.
Lover of jazz, film, Led Zeppelin, usable interweb sites and Miss Marple.
Bloody mary aficionado.
Mike Brown, Senior VP
Mike Brown, Senior VP still falls in love with the web on a regular basis. In his optimistic moments he thinks it really has changed the world in good ways. He hopes Webstock is part of that change.
Debbie Sidelinger, Director, General Counsel
Debbie Sidelinger, Director, General Counsel, built her first website in 1996, back in the day when personal sites used to be "online journals" rather than blogs. She has been online ever since in various guises.
She used to be a librarian in a former life, but now seems to attend a lot of meetings about developing sites.
When not doing things web, either for work or pleasure, you can find her out taking pictures, flickr'ing, doing laundry and answering the several hundred questions a day that her 8 and 5 year old sons ask of her.
Ben Lampard, Director, Risk Management and Operations
Ben Lampard is Director, Risk Management and Special Operations. His responsibilities include casting his critical eye over other peoples websites; admiring his lovely girlfriend; Webstock; Linux and other Free software; creating lists; and fussing over Charlie Bird the Boston Terrier.
He dislikes table based layouts (who doesn't?); watching TV; bad movies; writing his own bio as though someone else wrote it; the oxford comma; and people who don't care about standards.
Charles Bird, Director, International Markets and Business Development
Charles Bird is Director, International Markets and Business Development and a member of the company’s Executive Council. Named to this position in February 2006, Bird, 3, oversees the company’s international affairs and has leadership responsibilities for 20 Webstock in-country operations throughout the world.
As member of the Webstock Executive Council, he coordinated the company’s Corporate Development function, with responsibility for acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, equity investments and joint ventures.
