Primary Mission/Objective of the Privacy Foundation:

The Privacy Foundation is based in Denver, Colorado and services a worldwide audience through publishing research findings at its Internet web site, www.privacyfoundation.org, as well as public seminars on timely privacy issues. The Foundation is affiliated with the University of Denver through the Privacy Center at the University of Denver. The Foundation conducts research and educates the public about technologies that affect personal privacy when improperly implemented. Wireless, digital television, satellite, biometric, and Internet technologies enhance the possible tracking of individuals in ways never before imaginable. The Privacy Foundation was formed to research the privacy and security implications of this highly networked world. In researching new technologies – and in describing their business, legal and societal implications – the Foundation serves to identify possible threats to individual privacy. The Foundation also assists media outlets in their efforts to accurately inform and educate the public concerning the ever-present tension between privacy and security. The target audience includes members of the business community, public policy members, academic scholars, privacy advocates, and attorneys.

Executive Director:

John T. Soma, Professor of Law, University of Denver, College of Law. Professor Soma has led a variety of research projects for the Privacy Foundation. He received a J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law, Urbana, Illinois and received his Masters in Economics from the University of Illinois School of Commerce, Urbana, Illinois in 1973. He completed his Ph.D. in Economics in 1975, also from the University of Illinois. From 1976 to 1979, Professor Soma was a Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, Washington, D.C., where he was primarily assigned to the Department of Justice trial team in the U.S. v. IBM litigation. He is a member of the Colorado, Illinois, and Washington D.C. bars. In 1979, he joined the faculty at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law where he has taught Computer Law, Antitrust, Corporations, and Copyright, Trademark and Trade Secrets. In addition to five books on computer law, Professor Soma has also authored over 40 law review articles in the computer law area.

Christian Grothoff, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, University of Denver, earned his PhD in computer science from UCLA, an M.S. in computer science from Purdue University, and both a Diplom II in mathematics and the first Staatsexamen in chemistry from the Bergische Universität Gesamthochschule (BUGH) Wuppertal. His research interests include compilers, programming languages, software engineering, networking and security. In security, his interests are primarily in anonymous communication and the construction of resilient open peer-to-peer networks. He is the maintainer of GNUnet, GNU's framework for secure peer-to-peer networking.

Senior Analyst:

Bob Voorhees began working with computers in 1967 and has held management positions in IT Audit, Security, and Operations. He has been involved in computer forensics and computer crime investigation. He has been a Certified Information Systems Auditor since 1979 and holds a Masters in Computer Resource Management and an MBA.

Jessica Hogan, Manager of Educational Technology, Sturm College of Law.

Chief Administrator:

Diane Bales handles all administrative functions for the Privacy Foundation. She also coordinates all of the Privacy Seminars including managing the mailing lists, reserving rooms and hotels accommodations, and all accounting functions.