Bruce Perens is a former Debian GNU/Linux Project Leader, the primary author of the Open Source Definition, a founder of Software in the Public Interest, founder and first project leader of the Linux Standard Base project, the initial author of BusyBox, a founder of the UserLinux project, and co-founder of the Open Source Initiative (OSI). Perens also has a book series with Prentice Hall PTR called the Bruce Perens' Open Source Series.

Lawrence Rosen (also Larry Rosen) is an attorney and computer specialist. He is a founding partner of Rosenlaw & Einschlag, a Californian technology law firm, specializing in intellectual property protection, licensing and business transactions for technology companies. He also served as general counsel and secretary of the Open Source Initiative, and advises open source companies and projects, such as the Apache Software Foundation, Python software, …

Danese Cooper is an advocate of open-source software. She is on the board of the Open Source Initiative. She came to public attention for her work at Sun Microsystems on promoting open source, and presently works at Intel. Her father named her after his Alfa Romeo. In her twenties, Cooper was in the Peace Corps and involved in management of the Renaissance Faire in California. She worked on the Options Trading Floor at the Pacific Exchange, …

Russ Nelson (born 1958) is an American computer programmer, who is a founding board member of the Open Source Initiative. He is best known for his packet driver collection, begun while at Clarkson University in 1988. He started Crynwr Software to support his open source software Freemacs (currently used by FreeDOS), Painter's Apprentice (a MacPaint clone), and went full-time with the packet driver collection in 1991.

Joi Ito , an activist, entrepreneur and venture capitalist, has received much recognition for his role as an entrepreneur of Internet and technology companies. He has founded companies such as PSINet Japan, Digital Garage and Infoseek Japan and is the founder and currently the CEO of the venture capital firm, Neoteny Co., Ltd.

Rishab Aiyer Ghosh (born 1975) is an Open Source Initiative board member. Amongst other things, he is Founding International and Managing Editor of peer-reviewed journal First Monday, and Programme Leader of FLOSS at UNU-MERIT. He has undertaken several global, high-profile studies on Free/Libre/Open-Source Software (FLOSS). His work helps reshape the global understanding of FLOSS, including in the academic world.

Michael Tiemann is a true open source software pioneer. His first major open source contributions included ports of and enhancements to GCC and GDB as well as the original authorship of the GNU C++ compiler, the world's first native-code C++ compiler. In 1989, Michael's technical successes and entreprenurial spirit led him to co-found Cygnus Solutions, the first company to provide commercial support for open source software.

Chip Salzenberg is an American programmer mostly noted for his involvement in the Perl and Free Software communities. Salzenberg has been involved with Perl development for over 15 years, and with Free Software for more than 20 years. In 1996 and 1997, he was project manager for Perl 5.004, a Perl release widely praised for its high quality. Salzenberg went on to teach Perl and write professionally. He was one of the founding board members of the Open Source Initiative, …

Alolita Sharma is a board member of the Open Source Initiative. She was elected to the board in April 2007.

Raj Mathur is a board member of the Open Source Initiative. He was elected to the board in April 2007.

Mark Radcliffe is a partner and co-chair of the Technology and Sourcing Group of DLA Piper USA, LLP. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry magna cum laude from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Mr. Radcliffe's practice focuses on representing corporations in their intellectual property and finance matters. He has worked with many open source companies and is Chair of the Open Source Industry Group at the firm.

Mark F. Radcliffe concentrates in strategic intellectual property advice; private financing; corporate partnering; software licensing; Internet licensing; and copyright and trademark. The respected English publishers Chambers and Partners names him in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business , describing him as "outstanding. " Mr. Radcliffe is listed in The Best Lawyers in America , 2005-2006 edition.