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WG Chair Biographies

Will van Gulik

Will van Gulik

Connect Working Group Chair

My interest in the Internet started around 1993 when I was connecting to remote machines across the world using telnet from my school, without exactly knowing how that was possible. In 1995, I went online by myself using a dial-up connection.

In 2001, I worked as a support clerk and then systems administrator; positions that would bring me closer to those details.

In 2007, I reached the DFZ and started exploring the marvels of BGP and peering as part of my daily job.

I started attending RIPE Meetings in 2014, got my own ASN in 2015 and started an IXP in 2017. I currently work for Saitis Networks, a FTTH/B network in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Stavros Konstantaras

Stavros Konstantaras

Connect Working Group Chair

Stavros Konstantaras is an enthusiastic all-around network engineer, holding an MSc from University of Amsterdam in the field of System & Network Engineering. His experience at NLnet Labs and the University of Amsterdam has supplied him with valuable skills and knowledge like scripting, system virtualisation and network programming. 

He has been working with AMS-IX as a network engineer for the past eight years under the NOC team, which is responsible for the deployment and management of all AMS-IX instances around the world.

His interests reside in the fields of network automation, routing security and protocol implementation. Stavros is an active member of the open communities of RIPE, EURO-IX, NLNOG and GRNOG and a thesis supervisor of various MSc/BSc projects at UvA.

Paul Hoogsteder

Paul Hoogsteder

Routing Working Group Chair / Connect Working Group Chair

Paul started a Dutch dial-up Internet business in 1994. Since then he has worked for a number of Netherlands, UK and US based companies, including Extreme Networks and PSInet.

Currently he runs Meanie, his own little conglomerate that supports several Internet companies all over the world as well as Meanie Distilling, which produces a range of award-winning spirits.

An active member of the Internet community since the 90's; attending his first RIPE meeting in 1998. Paul has been an AMS-IX board member and actively promotes IPv6. He has keen interests in BGP, IRRs, RPKI and transmission technologies.