Internet Society reappoints two PIR board members

By AI, Created 6:36 PM UTC, May 26, 2026, /AGP/ – The Internet Society has reappointed Saerin Cho and Kathryn Kleiman to the Public Interest Registry board for new three-year terms starting in July 2026 and extended PIR CEO Jonathon Nevett’s term by one year. The moves keep leadership stable at the nonprofit behind the .ORG domain, which supports more than 11.9 million registered names worldwide.

Why it matters: - The Public Interest Registry oversees .ORG, a top-level domain used by organizations, associations, businesses and individuals worldwide. - Board continuity can affect governance, strategy and trust for a registry tied to a large global digital identity platform. - The leadership changes come as PIR and the Internet Society emphasize a trusted, secure and open Internet for mission-driven users.

What happened: - The Internet Society reappointed Saerin Cho and Kathryn Kleiman to the Public Interest Registry Board of Directors. - Both directors will begin new three-year terms in July 2026. - The Internet Society Board also reappointed PIR President and CEO Jonathon Nevett to an additional one-year term. - The board slate effective July 2026 will include Cho, Lena Beck Rørvig, Eric Burger, Michael Silber, Kleiman, George Sadowsky and Oluwaseun Ojedeji. - Jonathon Nevett will serve as a non-voting board member. - Sally Wentworth will serve as liaison to the board.

The details: - Saerin Cho is a lawyer with experience advising mission-driven organizations with global operations. - Cho is currently fractional general counsel to FireWERX, a nonprofit focused on wildfire management collaboration. - Cho previously served as chief legal officer at Mothers Against Drunk Driving. - Cho also teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law. - Kathryn Kleiman teaches at American University Washington College of Law. - Kleiman previously worked at Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth on telecommunications and Internet law and policy. - Kleiman has received awards for work in computing history and women in STEM. - Jon Nevett said PIR appreciates the Internet Society trustees and the PIR Nominating Committee for a thorough selection process. - Nevett said Cho and Kleiman bring continuity and experienced perspectives to PIR’s work. - PIR operates the .ORG top-level domain, which has more than 11.9 million registered domain names worldwide. - PIR is a nonprofit founded by the Internet Society in 2002 and based in Reston, Virginia. - PIR’s mission is to serve as a domain name registry, provide a trusted digital identity and educate groups working to improve the world. - The Internet Society is a global nonprofit founded in 1992 and supported by members, special interest groups and more than 130 chapters worldwide. - The Internet Society works on policies, standards and protocols that keep the Internet open, globally connected and secure. - More information is available at PIR and the Internet Society.

Between the lines: - The reappointments suggest PIR is prioritizing continuity in governance rather than a major board reset. - Keeping executives and experienced Internet-policy figures in place may help PIR navigate trust, security and registry oversight questions. - The board mix also reflects PIR’s ties to both nonprofit mission work and Internet governance expertise.

What’s next: - The new board terms take effect in July 2026. - PIR’s board will continue operating with the reappointed members, non-voting CEO seat and Internet Society liaison in place. - The registry is expected to keep focusing on .ORG stewardship and support for mission-driven communities.