Abstract: The years following the United Nation's World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) have seen much technological change related to the Internet as well as significant innovation related to the discussion of Internet policy issues. Reporting on an institutional innovation in the Internet governance ecosystem, the research to be discussed examines the approximately eight-year-old Internet Governance Forum, highlights the growing roles of civil society including academics and technical experts, and tracks especially recent tensions among ecosystem actors. It also highlights the ecosystem's evolution and the roles of Multistakeholderism. Finally, it analyzes recent developments and identifies future directions. Biography: Nanette S. Levinson is Associate Professor of International Relations, School of International Service, American University and Academic Director of the SIS- Sciences-Po Exchange. She is a past Chair of the Global Internet Governance Academic Network (GigaNet) and Editor of the International Communication Section in Robert Denemark, Editor,The International Studies Compendium Project. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. From 1988-2005 she served as Associate Dean of the School of International Service.Recipient of awards including those for outstanding teaching, program development, academic affairs administration, multicultural affairs and honors programming, she has designed co-curricular collaborative learning opportunities including the Freshman Service Experience and the Graduate Portal Program. Additionally, she has crafted and implemented research-based training programs for the private and public sectors. In 2011, the Ashoka Foundation presented her with an "Award for Outstanding Contributions to Social Entrepreneurship Education" and included her peer-reviewed syllabus in its list and publication of the top ten syllabi in the field. Her research and teaching focus on knowledge transfer, culture, and innovation in a range of settings including cross-national alliances; internet and global governance; cross-national, virtual collaboration; and social entrepreneurship. Also included is work centering on interorganizational learning and institutional change with special focus on new media and technology policy issues in the developing world. Prof. Levinson's writings appear online and in journals ranging from Information Technologies and International Development to International Studies Perspectives. She received her bachelor's, masters and doctoral degrees from Harvard University.