Christian Dawson Named Chief Evangelist of CloudFest Americas

Miami, FL  – April 9, 2026 – CloudFest Americas and the Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition) yesterday announced a strategic partnership to establish CloudFest Americas as the premier annual gathering point for the Internet infrastructure community in North, Central and South America.

The collaboration brings together two leading industry conveners. CloudFest is the world’s largest cloud and hosting event series, and i2Coalition represents the companies that build the infrastructure of the Internet. Together, they are creating a shared space for operators, policymakers, and technology leaders to engage on the issues shaping the Internet’s future.

As part of this partnership, Christian Dawson, Executive Director of i2Coalition, will serve as Chief Evangelist of CloudFest Americas, helping connect the event more deeply with the global infrastructure and policy community.

“This is about building something the industry genuinely needs,” said Dawson. “The companies running the infrastructure of the Internet are being asked to navigate technical change, policy pressure, and economic uncertainty all at once. They need a place to come together, not just to do business, but to make sense of where things are going. CloudFest Americas has the potential to become that space.”

CloudFest Americas (co-located with NamesCon Global), taking place November 11–12, 2026 in Miami, will bring together cloud providers, hosting companies, web agencies, domain name ecosystem participants, security leaders, and policymakers for two days of programming focused on the future of Internet infrastructure.

A Natural Alignment of Communities

CloudFest Americas and i2Coalition serve deeply overlapping audiences across the Internet infrastructure ecosystem. This partnership formalizes that alignment while maintaining the independence of both organizations.

Through this collaboration:

  • i2Coalition members will receive exclusive discounts on CloudFest Americas tickets and sponsorship opportunities
  • i2Coalition will support speaker development, programming input, and executive-level participation
  • The organizations will work together to bring policy, infrastructure, and operational conversations closer together on stage

CloudFest Americas will be recognized as the Official Conference Partner of i2Coalition in North America, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening the industry’s collective voice.

Expanding Industry Participation

The partnership will also support broader ecosystem engagement through i2Coalition-affiliated initiatives, including:

  • Secure Hosting Alliance
  • Domain Name Association
  • VPN Trust Initiative
  • Ethical Web Data Collection Initiative

These communities will be encouraged to participate through targeted outreach, programming collaboration, and access opportunities, helping ensure the event reflects the full scope of today’s Internet infrastructure landscape.

“CloudFest has always been about bringing the industry together, but this is a step change,” said Anthony Pombal, VP of Partnerships. “By working more closely with i2Coalition, we are not just expanding an event. We are helping create a true gathering point for the Internet infrastructure community in the Americas. That means deeper conversations, stronger connections, and a more unified voice for the industry.”

Building a Flagship Moment for the Industry

The partnership is designed to support CloudFest Americas as a central convening point for the Internet infrastructure community in the Americas. It brings business, technology, and policy conversations into a single environment.

Both organizations emphasized that the partnership is non-exclusive and non-financial, focused on collaboration, visibility, and shared community growth.

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About CloudFest Americas

CloudFest Americas is the convergence point for the cloud ecosystem across the Americas. As part of the global CloudFest event series, it brings together the full internet infrastructure value chain, from cloud and hosting providers to platforms, developers, agencies, and enterprise buyers, to do business, build partnerships, and shape what comes next. More than a conference, CloudFest Americas delivers high impact content, curated connections, and a culture driven experience that reflects the energy and innovation powering the internet.

Learn more at www.cloudfest.com/americas.

About the Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition)

The Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition) represents the companies that build and operate the infrastructure of the Internet. Its members include web hosting companies, cloud providers, domain registries and registrars, and other foundational Internet service providers.

Media Contact:

Ollie McCullough
Email: ollie@cloudfest.com