Daniel James Gullo

CSC, ACP, PMP

I have dedicated my whole career to transforming the world of work. As a young entrepreneur selling candy in grade school at lunch time, a self-taught computer technician and programmer in the mid-1980s, a sushi chef in a college town, de facto Practice Manager of a QA and Agile consulting firm, and so on, my focus has always been on delivering customer delight and reducing waste through continuous innovation. I have sought to practice the "art of the possible" by building relationships and helping guide others down the path of self-discovery in order to make the best of all situations.

Scrum Alliance is an organization that I respect, cherish, and wholeheartedly support because it fosters and promotes the same principles that I hold dear. The five Scrum values (Respect, Focus, Commitment, Openness, and Courage) resonate deeply within me and represent the way of the future not only for the world of work, but the world at large.

As a CSC member of Scrum Alliance, I have sought to support the organization and its mission by volunteering in numerous ways: attending Scrum Gatherings and Coaches Retreats, reviewing CSP applications, reviewing proposals for Scrum Gathering sessions, supporting the staff at Scrum Gatherings, serving the Coaches' Clinic at Scrum Gatherings, facilitating the CST/CSC Retreat in Barcelona, mentoring other CSC candidates, and chairing the 2013 Scrum Gathering in Las Vegas.

With each new opportunity to volunteer for Scrum Alliance, I have discovered a deeper sense of fulfillment and purpose that transcends other career-based work. I have also sought other ways to contribute to the Agile community at large by founding and leading the Wilmington Chapter of the Agile Leadership Network and supporting other Agile organizations and forums. My ultimate goal has been to return the blessings I have received from the community.

Scrum Alliance, as a not-for-profit organization, provides many services to the community and opportunities for individuals to volunteer.  However, it is also a business to be run. Scrum Alliance's goal of supporting the craft by promoting Education, Community, and Advocacy is spot on. The board is responsible for shaping objectives to accomplish this goal. With my previous experience as an employee of PMI, I believe my knowledge of certification, education, and building communities would best serve Scrum Alliance as a Board Member. I am dedicated to working with the membership, the coaching / training community, and other board members to evaluate policies, propose initiatives, serve on vital committees, and in general, provide support to the mission of Scrum Alliance. The importance of increasing the visibility and frequency of communication between the membership, the coaching / training community, and the board cannot be emphasized enough. As a board member, I will work toward facilitating more meaningful collaboration by building stronger relationships and lines of communication.

Scrum Alliance has some important questions and decisions before it. I want to ensure that we are looking at these decision points as opportunities to solicit input from the membership, our training and coaching partners, and all other vested stakeholders. We need to take the time to raise awareness by increasing the visibility of our activities as a board. Our community is listening. They want to hear from us. They also have something to say. We should be listening. Overall, we need to continually look for better ways to serve and support our membership.  

My hope is that my contributions, intentions, and reputation paint the picture of a dedicated individual who wants to support an organization that has a tradition of making the world of work, and the world in general, a better place to be.