Every month, the NetSquared Community comes together offline at Net Tuesday events around the world to mix, swap stories and ideas, build new relationships, and collaborate to help the local community. Our local organizers are volunteers dedicated to helping create local opportunities for learning, sharing and using technology to make a difference.   In this Organizer Spotlight series we bring you interviews with organizers from around the world.

We're happy to introduce: Patrick Kelso!

Patrick is an organizer of the Net Tuesday group in Sydeny, Australia.   You can check out his profile and ways to connect on the Net Tuesday Organizer Team page.   Are you in Sydney?   Connect to the Net Tuesday group here!

Tell us who you are in less than 140 characters:

I'm a long time nerd with a deep interest in community building, and web technologies, I'm also an avid reader, dancer, and cook.

How do you spend your time when you're not organizing Net Tuesdays?

I'm currently in the process of starting my own business translating my 10 years IT industry experience into a consultancy for third sector organisations providing them with the information they need to manage the minefield that is the Internet. When I'm not working I can usually be found either spending time with my family & friends, reading a book or dancing (Irish, Swing & Australian Bush Dancing).

Do you have any side projects, other groups, other things you are working on?

Shameless plug:  www.patrickkelso.com  <== my business :) (work in progress).

What inspired you to organize local Net Tuesday events in your community?

A sudden rush of blood to the head. Seriously though, a chance to give something back to a wide range of charities, far too often as a nerd I don't have a skill that translates well into volunteering, and far to often I hear NGOs lamenting their lack of knowledge and experience with ICT & Web 2.0.

What's the hardest part of the job?

Coming up with witty intelligent answers to this questionnaire.

What's one of your secrets to community organising?

Listen to people. Engage on their interests, not yours. (Amazingly I got this from a dating book).

What are some ideas you're brewing up for upcoming events?

I want to get more speakers involved to cover a wide range of topics, web 2.0, facebook/twitter etc, email marketing without spamming, engaging interest based demographics instead of age based.

What is the local social-web-tech scene like in Sydney?

It's growing larger every day. I'm amazed at the number of people I meet that are involved in it in one way or another.

How do you envision Net Tuesday events evolving over time?

I'd like to reserve this space to answer after I've run a few.

What's your change-the-world philosophy?

Do Good, Do it Well. That's all it takes.

What music are you listening to now-a-days?

I'm such a nerd. I mostly listen to Irish trad.

Learn more:

• Find Net Tuesday in your city
• Learn more about the Net Tuesday Organizers
• Start a group in your city