The ICA is pleased to announce that James Bladel, GoDaddy’s Vice President of Public Policy, has joined the ICA Board of Directors. James steps into the seat previously held by Paul Nicks, who retired from GoDaddy last month after many years of dedicated service to both the company and the ICA community. We are deeply grateful to Paul for his long-standing contributions and look forward to thanking him in person at ICA.Vegas this January.
A Trusted Voice With Extensive Industry Expertise
James is a 20-year veteran of the domain name industry and a familiar presence to anyone who participates in ICANN policy work, registrar and registry discussions, or broader internet governance initiatives. At GoDaddy, he oversees the company’s engagement with governments in the U.S., Europe, and around the world, ensuring policymakers understand the needs of domain registrants and small businesses.
His team also leads GoDaddy’s participation at ICANN across both the Registrar and Registry business units and contributes extensively to industry coalitions and associations—including the ICA—advocating for a safer, more competitive, and more stable domain name ecosystem.
Many ICA members will also know James from his long history of engagement at ICANN meetings, where he regularly briefs the Registrar Stakeholder Group and other community members on ongoing PDPs, working groups, and emerging issues. His practical, real-world understanding of how policy and operations intersect has made him a trusted voice in the community.
Joining the ICA Board
We are excited to welcome James to the ICA Board! James brings not only expertise, but an approach rooted in collaboration, transparency, and pragmatic problem-solving. His experience will be invaluable as the ICA continues strengthening its advocacy work and supporting the businesses and individuals who shape the domain industry.
We’re pleased to share that James is planning to attend the ICA Member Meeting this January at Park MGM in Las Vegas. This will be a great opportunity for members to meet him in person, share perspectives, and welcome him into his new role.
The ICA staff and the entire Board are genuinely excited to have James join us. His long record of engagement, leadership, and thoughtful advocacy makes him an outstanding addition to our organization, and we look forward to working closely together in the year ahead.
Please join us in welcoming James Bladel to the ICA Board of Directors!