PyLadies Cochabamba (Bolivia) Leader Organizer.

I'm Ashia Zawaduk. I've been part of the Python Community for the last 10 years or so, starting with software development using Python and Django, and later attending local community meetups, and acting as an advocate for inclusion in and around the Python community.

Soon after I discovered Python, I began attending meetups, and then became a group organizer for the Edmonton Python meetup group. This was a fantastic opportunity to give back to the Python community that embraced me, to offer a space for folks to connect and exchange ideas, and to learn and support each other, together in our own adventures with Python. Throughout my years of being involved in organizing, we grew and fostered the group both in terms of the number of attendees and impact. Our local Python community matured into a positive, supportive, and engaging group.

One of our successes was to push for more collaboration across different meetups. We collaborated with JavaScript groups to exchange presentations on web applications, InfoSec groups to expose community members to tips and tools from the InfoSec community that might help them make their own work more secure, Data Science groups, as well as AI/ML. This ultimately led to a few of us forming an organization called Dev Edmonton Society, which focused on building a collaborative developer community in Edmonton, of which I was a Board Director for 3 years.

I've also had some involvement with Python conferences: - PyCascades 2019 - Reviewer - PyCon Canada 2019 - Program Chair - PyCascades 2020 - Program Committee - PyCascades 2021 - Program Chair (Our first virtual conference)

I am a strong advocate for community and personal mentorship. I’ve mentored with Django Girls (in 2018), and given many hours of informal mentorship through my local community. I am informally known as the foremost Python/Django advocate in the city.

Given my background, here are some ideas I bring to the table:

I’m very passionate about building an engaging community from the ground up, and I think as part of PSF we can do a lot to support meetup groups post-Covid. We’re in a situation where some groups have been continuing virtually, others are getting back to in-person and others that are struggling to pick back up after a long break. It would be great to help support groups and create a space and time where we can exchange ideas about successfully running meetups of all sizes in a sustainable way.

I’m also passionate about collaboration across groups, and would love to get some discussions going around how, as PSF, we can work with groups whose main focus may not be Python, but whose work is influenced by or uses Python in some way. We have a lot of opportunities to do more bridge building to adjacent communities both in terms of the language itself and for the community that surrounds it.

While a major focus of the PSF is planning Python conferences–which bring people together to be a part of a global community–I’m keen on exploring ways we can turn that upside down, and bring the global community to the local community.

My nomination statement in 日本語 and Bahasa Melayu will be after the English statement.

Nomination for 2022 Python Software Foundation Board Election

Who

My name is Iqbal Abdullah. I am a Malaysian, based in Japan and have been actively participating with the Python communities around the East Asia and South East Asia region. I understand fluently three natural languages and am a basic at one. I am a Supporting and Managing Member of the PSF. I make a living by running a small technology company called LaLoka Labs which I am also happy to mention uses a lot of Python.

Why

I first ran for a seat on the PSF board in 2020. I received 11th place out of 26 nominees with 4.78% of the votes. Looking at the results, I realized how little representation the PSF has from the different communities in other parts of the world beyond the United States and Western Europe, even though a significant portion of community work and possible opportunities for technical expertise would come from these communities. I wrote an essay about in my blog titled Diversification is the Future for the PSF.

I ran again in 2021 with a clearer direction on what I think is needed for the PSF, based largely on my thoughts from that essay. To sum it up, in 2021 I wanted to: - Increase representation and acknowledgement of the diverse communities that we have - Increase the portion of the PSF revenues from non-PyCon US, specifically from non-US and non-Western Europe sources.

For 2021, I came in 7th place with 7.34% of the votes. It was an improvement, but not good enough.

This will be my third time running for a seat on the PSF board.

Not much has changed within the past one year, and my objectives running for a seat in 2022 still remains the same as 2021. I believe these are still relevant and needed to be worked upon.

In fact, I am hoping to use my platform as a PSF director, if elected, to accelerate interest within the East Asia and South East Asia region on what and how we can contribute more to the Python community.

We need more people who can be community leaders to give ideas and manage programs, more people that understand how to manage money to support open source, more people that understand law to help support our intellectual properties, and most importantly, more people that care.

What

Other than help managing cooperation between the different Python and PyCon organizing communities within the Asia Pacific region, I am still serving as a member of the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Working Group and the Trademarks Work Group of the PSF.

I was the chairperson for PyCon MY in 2015, the chairperson for PyCon APAC 2017 and served on the board for PyCon JP from founding in 2013 until 2018.

I was one of the panelist for the panel discussion for the Diversity and Inclusion WG for PyCon APAC 2021.

Saying thank you

I was also given the honour to give a keynote for Python Pizza Hamburg where I addressed the issue of open source volunteers being taken for granted and more acknowledgement (including helping them with more money and paying our share) that needs to be done. This is an important topic close to our hearts, so within another business I founded, we annually give out grants to open source projects, including to the Python Software Foundation.

If you've read this far

For 2022, even if not elected, I will be happy if I can get a higher result than my previous elections. This will at least mean that the message and ideas I'm trying to bring has gained some traction among the people that matters and are invested: Those of you who will be voting. I can then bring this along with me in the future and tell my story to anyone that wants to listen with hope.

At the very least, regardless of the results, I hope my experience in participating in the elections will open the minds and hearts of the people around me, and doors for them, as by the people that have gone before me have done for me.

Thank you.

PS: A special thank you to Dustin, Aiko and Kamal for reviewing this nomination statement and its translations.

2022年PSF理事の立候補の表明ステートメント

日本語でお読みになる皆様へ、

人物像

イクバル・アバドゥラと申します。日本に拠点を置くマレーシア人で、東アジアや東南アジア地域においてPythonコミュニティでの活動に積極的に参加しています。３つの言語を流暢に話しますが、一度に一言語が基本です。PSFのContributingとManaging Member です。LaLoka Labsという小さなテクノロジー会社を経営しており、ここでも たくさん Python を使っていることを嬉しく思います。

志望動機

私が初めてPSFの役員に立候補したのは、2020年のことでした。私は26人の候補者のうち11番目で、得票数は4.78%でした。この結果からわかったのは、コミュニティの仕事や技術的な専門知識の可能性となる機会の大半が欧米諸国以外に由来しているにも関わらず、そういった国や地域からのPSF代表はいかに少ないか、ということでした。私はブログに多様化こそがPSFの未来であるというエッセイを書きました。

私は、2021年にも、そのエッセイにある私の考え方に大きく基づいた、より明確な方向性を示し、再度立候補しました。 つまり、2021年、私がやりたかったことは、

• 我々が持っている多様なコミュニティの象りと認知を高める
• 米国PyCon以外からの、特に米国や西欧諸国以外からのPSF収益の割合を増やす ということでした。

2021年には、私は7.34%の得票を得て、7位となりました。内容は良くなったものの、十分ではありませんでした。

PSF役員への立候補は、今回が3回目です。

昨年一年間で大きな変化はなく、2022年の選挙への出馬の目的は2021年と同様です。私の考えていることは、現在も適切であり、かつ即実行する必要がある内容だと信じています。

実際、もし選出されれば、私はPSF理事としての基盤を活用し、東アジアおよび東南アジア地域 Pythonコミュニティに対し、何をどのように貢献していけるかということを加速していきたいと考えているのです。

私達には、考えを持ってコミュニティを導く人、オープンソースの支援に対する資金の管理を理解する人、我々の持つ学術的資産を支援する法的知識のある人がもっと必要なのです。そして最も重要なのは、もっと多くの人々の注意をそこへ向けることだと思うのです。

伝えたいこと

アジア太平洋地域でPythonやPyConを催すいくつものコミュニティの相互協力を束ねているだけでなく、私は PSFの Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Working Group や Trademarks Work Group の一員としても活動しています。

2015年の PyCon MYや 2017年の PyCon APAC では会長職を務め、PyCon JPにおいては、2013年の設立から2018年まで、理事を務めました。

The Diversity and Inclusion WG for PyCon APAC 2021のパネルディスカッションでは、パネリストの一人ともなりました。

謝意を表すこと

Python Pizza Hamburgでは、キーノートを行う機会にも恵まれました。そこで、私は、オープンソースのボランティア達にもっと敬意を払い、より経済的な支援や私達の分担を通じた支援を含めた、認知が必要であるという問題について提議しました。これは大変大きな意味を持つ、重要な議題であるため、私の設立したもう一つのビジネスでは、Pythonのソフトウェアを含めたオープンソースプロジェクトに対して、毎年寄付を行ってきました。

ここまで読んでくださった方へ

2022年について、もし当選しなかったとしても、 これまでの選挙よりも高い結果が得られれば幸いです。それは、私が伝えようとしている考えやメッセージが、重要な関わり合いを持つ人、つまり投票するあなたたちの間でなんらかの注目を集めているということであるからです。そうなれば、私は今後もこのメッセージを携えて行き、私の話を期待感を持って聞きたい人に話し続けることができるからです。

少なくとも、この選挙に参加した私の経験が、これ以前の選挙に参加した先駆者が行ってきたように、私の周りにいる人々の心や概念、人々への扉を開くことを願っています。

ありがとうございました。

Kenyataan pencalonan untuk kerusi Pengarah PSF 2022

Untuk mereka yang ingin membaca dalam Bahasa Melayu,

Siapa

Nama saya Iqbal Abdullah. Saya adalah seorang warganegara Malaysia, bermaustatin di Jepun dan telah mengambil bahagian secara aktif dalam komuniti Python di sekitar rantau Asia Timur dan Asia Tenggara. Saya fasih bercakap dalam tiga bahasa dan pada tahap asas dalam satu bahasa. Saya adalah seorang Contributing dan juga Managing Member untuk Python Software Foundation (PSF). Untuk kerjaya, saya mengusahakan sebuah syarikat teknologi kecil iaitu LaLoka Labs yang saya juga berbangga untuk menyatakan kami menggunakan Python dalam banyak perkara yang kami lakukan.

Mengapa

Pertama kali saya bertanding untuk kerusi dalam lembaga PSF adalah pada 2020. Saya mendapat tempat ke-11 daripada 26 calon dengan 4.78% undian. Melihat kepada keputusan pemilihan, saya menyedari betapa sedikit perwakilan PSF datang daripada komunit-komuniti selain daripada Amerika Syarikat dan Eropah Barat walaupun sebahagian besar kerja komuniti dan kemungkinan peluang untuk kepakaran teknikal turut datang daripada komuniti tersebut. Saya menulis esei tentang ini dalam blog saya bertajuk Diversification is the Future for the PSF.

Saya bertanding lagi pada 2021 dengan hala tuju yang lebih jelas tentang perkara yang saya rasa perlu untuk PSF, berdasarkan sebahagian besar daripada pemikiran saya daripada esei terebut. Kesimpulannya, pada tahun 2021 saya ingin:

• Tingkatkan perwakilan dan pengiktirafan kepelbagaian kelompok dalam komuniti pengguna dan penggiat Python
• Tingkatkan bahagian hasil PSF daripada bukan PyCon US, khususnya daripada sumber bukan Amerika Syarikat dan bukan Eropah Barat.

Untuk 2021, saya berada di tempat ke-7 dengan 7.34% undian. Ia adalah satu peningkatan, tetapi tidak masih belum cukup baik.

Ini adalah kali ketiga saya bertanding untuk kerusi di lembaga PSF.

Tidak banyak yang berubah dalam tempoh setahun yang lalu dan objektif saya bertanding untuk kerusi pada 2022 masih kekal sama seperti 2021. Saya percaya ini masih relevan dan perlu diusahakan.

Malah, saya berharap untuk menggunakan platform saya sebagai pengarah PSF, jika dipilih, untuk memacu pertumbuhan minat di rantau Asia Timur dan Asia Tenggara tentang bagaimana kami boleh menyumbang lebih banyak kepada komuniti Python.

Kita memerlukan lebih ramai orang yang boleh menjadi pemimpin komuniti untuk memberi idea dan mengurus program, lebih ramai orang yang memahami cara mengurus wang untuk menyokong sumber terbuka, lebih ramai orang yang memahami undang-undang untuk membantu menyokong harta intelek kita, dan yang paling penting, lebih ramai orang yang cakna akan apa yang kita usahakan.

Apa

Selain membantu mengurus kerjasama antara komuniti penganjur Python dan PyCon yang berbeza di rantau Asia Pasifik, saya masih berkhidmat sebagai ahli Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) WG dan Trademarks WG PSF.

Saya adalah pengerusi untuk PyCon MY pada 2015, pengerusi untuk PyCon APAC 2017 dan salah seorang ahli pengarah untuk PyCon JP daripada penubuhan di 2013 sehingga 2018.

Saya adalah salah seorang ahli panel dalam perbincangan panel untuk Kepelbagaian dan Rangkuman WG untuk PyCon APAC 2021 .

Mengucapkan terima kasih

Saya juga diberi penghormatan untuk menyampaikan ucaptama untuk Python Pizza Hamburg di mana saya menyentuh isu sukarelawan sumber terbuka sering diambil mudah dan lebih banyak pengiktirafan (termasuk membantu mereka dengan lebih banyak dana dan membayar bahagian kita) yang perlu dilakukan. Ini adalah topik penting yang dekat dengan kita, jadi dalam perniagaan lain yang saya asaskan, kami setiap tahun memberikan geran kepada projek sumber terbuka, termasuk kepada Yayasan Perisian Python.

Jika anda telah membaca sejauh ini

Untuk tahun 2022, walaupun tidak dipilih, saya akan berasa gembira jika saya boleh mendapat keputusan yang lebih tinggi daripada pemilihan sebelum ini. Ini sekurang-kurangnya memberi gambaran bahawa mesej dan idea yang saya cuba bawa telah mendapat sedikit daya tarikan di kalangan orang yang penting dan pemegang taruh: Anda yang akan mengundi. Saya kemudian boleh membawa mesej ini bersama saya pada masa hadapan dan menceritakan kisah saya kepada sesiapa sahaja yang ingin mendengar dengan penuh harapan.

Sekurang-kurangnya, tanpa mengira keputusan yang bakal saya perolehi, saya berharap pengalaman saya menyertai pemilihan ini akan membuka minda dan hati orang-orang di sekeliling saya, dan pintu untuk mereka, seperti yang dilakukan oleh orang-orang sebelum saya untuk saya.

Terima kasih.

Like many others, my career as a Pythonista started after seeking support in learning from community members. I was fortunate that in San Diego, my community included many previous board members and PSF fellows. Over the last few years, my career shifted towards mentorship, encouraging them to become active in the Python community and pursue career paths that would allow them to contribute more actively to the community whether directly or in their spare time. This has included folks who were so encouraged that they spoke on-stage for the first time at PyCon!

The past few years have forced the Python community to change its approach to engagement in many ways. In those years I’ve spoken, co-organized, co-hosted, and volunteered at conferences and user groups both virtual and in-person. I’ve worked to bring new sponsors to the PSF through speaking and direct coordination.

I understand that many organizers and group leaders are experiencing more challenges away from work and code. Many of my recent talks step away from coding and address supporting topics such as career-changing, mental health, and neurodiversity. I’ve also connected with conference and meetup organizers regularly to learn how to best support them as they begin transitioning to in-person and hybrid events.

I believe the PSF can continue to adapt to the many new industries, communities, and technologies that have blossomed around Python. If elected, I hope to continue the positive progress in encouraging new and diverse voices.

I also hope to empower new faces to get involved faster and easier than ever with mentorship and support! This involves pushing for new types of events to create safe ways to connect with Pythonistas in formats comfortable to them.

Finally, I hope my background in content creation can also expand the PSF’s reach to those who aren’t yet prepared to meet in person and hope to still connect with others.

I became involved with the Python community 3 years ago while pursuing a Computer Engineering bachelor’s degree at NMIMS Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering, Mumbai in India.

When I joined the Python community I couldn’t believe how welcoming and friendly everyone was. My experience helped me stay in tech and since then my goal has been to welcome others into the community in the same way. In the years since I’ve been involved in the Python community as a developer, teacher, mentor, and conference and event organizer and have spent a significant amount of time volunteering. I mentored a lot of students in my colleges to get into the world of Python programming.

I've had the opportunity to teach others by speaking at various online/offline meetups around the world when the Covid-19 hit up. My goal with talks has always been to take topics that may seem complex or unapproachable to beginners and break them down to make the concepts clear for Python developers at any level. I was also a nominee for the 2021 Python Software Foundation Board Election.

As a member of the PSF board, I’d like to focus on the following areas:

We need to build remote communities, create engaging events and have opportunities to collaborate on open source projects via sprints in a way that spans borders and timezones. I’d also like to help the PSF navigate this issue from a financial aspect given a decrease in funding from canceled in-person events worldwide. My experience with streaming, recording and speaking at online conferences as co-chair will help me achieve these goals.

Second, as a mentor, I'd like to bring my experience to the table to help the PSF continue to support new and diverse perspectives in our ecosystem. We need to ensure we can provide adequate support and online mentorship opportunities remotely, be able to welcome a new set of open source contributors, support those who speak other languages with translations, and ensure that remote events are accessible by exploring opportunities and funding to provide captions and follow other accessibility-friendly best practices. We need representation to ensure the Python community remains welcoming to everyone even as we move online. I’d like to form or strengthen working groups to achieve these goals

I, Chukwudi Nwachukwu, nominate myself to serve on the board of PSF. I have been working in my own capacity, helping Python users around the world in general and Africa in particular.

By June, the Q of 2018, I was awarded the PSF Community Service Awards for my contribution to spreading the growth of Python to the Nigerian community and for my dedication and research to the PSF grants work group. And between that time and now, I have helped Python Ghana, Python Benin Republic along the way too. Plus, I was also among the team that held the first Python Africa conference.

I have been able to use all the spare time I have to spread everything and anything about Python (through meetups and conferences) e.g Django Girls, Python Nigeria Conferences, Flask Conference, and more.

As a member of the board, I will further reach out to the large community in Africa and ensure that places where we have under-representation are duly represented. I will also help to ensure that more Python events come up and this will spread the Python gospel all round.

I can do this because before I started on my mission to spread the Python word in Nigeria and beyond, Python wasn't a much talked about language, and in my time, the Nigerian Govt has been able to adopt Python as a core language in its home grown training program called NPOWER. I have also helped some startup companies incorporate Python as part of their stack, and IT companies training people to code in Python have all made Python a leading programming language in Nigeria and beyond.

There is also Data Science Nigeria where I have a good working relationship with the founder and have helped in the past too. They make use of Python as one of their tools in data science and analysis.

My role in helping PSF Grants Team sponsor events worldwide is well known. And I am thorough and meticulous in my research and findings. This has helped us save a lot of money.

What’s more? I am with the PSF Fellow Work group too. But then, I want to help more at the Board level.

Help PSF to with it's priorities & improve the community engagement with diversity. Helping in achieving it's shot and log term goals by helping in several working groups.

Throughout my 15-year career in quantum computing, Python has been an immense resource for research, for creating and running quantum programs, and for exploring quantum mechanics. Python has helped me to teach scientific computing skills to research students, to write books that introduce quantum computing to new communities, and to collaborate on libraries like QInfer, InstrumentKit, QuTiP, and QCoDeS that help enable quantum computing research.

I would love the opportunity to share what I’ve learned on this journey to help make Python an even better choice for scientific programming, and to learn from others working to make the Python community even more inclusive and empowering.

I’m Christopher Neugebauer (he/him/his), a long-time organiser in the Python community, originally from Australia, and now based in the United States. I’m a maintainer of the Pantsbuild open source project, am a past PyCon Australia organiser, and current (dormant) North Bay Python organiser. I served as a past board member in 2018-2021.

My priorities for this term are:

• Reducing the foundation’s reliance on PyCon US’s success to fund our work
• Ensuring that PyCon US remains a place where the entire community can gather safely
• Rebuilding our Grants policy to support an environment where online and hybrid events are more common

I served on the board from 2018 to 2021, and am looking to return as the Foundation needs to make some significant decisions as we emerge from the shadow of COVID. My focus is on making sure that the board functions well, so that we can equip the rest of the community to do good work.

During my first term, I served on the PyCon US Committee, helping to guide the conference through its abrupt cancellation in 2020, the online event in 2021, and advocated for the process that secured PyCon’s location through to 2025, putting the entire PSF on very strong financial footing despite the pandemic.

The Foundation is also due to embark on a site selection process for PyCon US 2026 and 2027 within the next year. As the environment for non-US nationals, LGBTQI+ people, and women is becoming increasingly tenuous in many US states, I will ensure that our host city selection process considers local barriers to inclusivity as strongly as we consider the financial aspects of any host city.

Ensuring that we can make good choices of host city means reducing the PSF’s dependence on PyCon US as a revenue stream. In my first term, I advocated for what became the PSF’s current sponsorship policy. Now that sponsorship is no longer focused around PyCon US, the Foundation has become better at offering sponsorship opportunities. The resounding success of the Developer-In-Residence program has shown that if we can create opportunities, sponsors will come. I want to encourage the foundation to open up more opportunities, without compromising our focus on the community.

Over the last year, I’ve continued my involvement in the PSF’s grants workgroup, making sure that as the world starts returning to in-person events again, we maintain our focus on diversity and inclusivity, especially as the community’s expectations have evolved throughout the pandemic. Currently our policy is not suited to the increased number of hybrid events that are popping up around the world, and we need to make sure that Python events around the world can get the support they’ve come to expect from the foundation.

If I return to the board, I’d be using that opportunity to update our Grants policy to reflect the changed environment for in-person events, especially the increased appetite for hybrid options.

In my first term, I spent hours working behind the scenes to help build consensus around difficult decisions, especially around adopting our new Code of Conduct, and around how we communicated the cancellation of an in-Person PyCon US 2020. While I always hope we don’t have many crises during the upcoming term, I’m ready to face whatever comes up in service of the entire Python community.

If you’ve any questions, please email me: [email protected] or tweet @chrisjrn. I hope to earn your vote.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you and your loved ones are doing well and safe.

About Me

I am Gajendra Deshpande and I am using Python since 2013 for academic research and development activities. I develop prototypes and applications in Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, Cyber Security, and Web applications using Python and its ecosystem. I am working as a faculty of Computer Science and run a start-up in cyber security. I am an active member of the PyCon India community and served as program committee lead for PyCon India 2021. I have presented approximately 80 talks, 20 Workshops, and 15 posters across the globe at prestigious conferences like PyData Global, PyCon APAC, PyCon AU, EuroPython, DjangoCon US and Europe, SciPy India, SciPy USA, PyCon USA, JuliaCon, FOSDEM, and several other Python and FOSS conferences. I have helped Python and FOSS Conferences by reviewing the talk and tutorial proposals, mentoring first-time speakers, participating in the discussions, and organizing the events. I am passionate about community work and would love to continue contributing to the Python community. I believe that as a member of the PSF board I can contribute to the community more effectively.

Conference Talks

• PyCon DE and PyData Berlin 2022
• Python Web Conference 2022
• PyCascades 2022
• PyCon Iran 2022
• Scipy India 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017
• EuroPython 2021, 2020
• PyCon AU 2021, 2020
• DjangoCon US 2021
• DjangoCon EU 2021
• DjangoCongress Japan 2021
• PyCon JP 2021
• PyCon SE 2021
• PyCon ZA 2021
• PyGotham 2021
• PyCon Namibia 2021
• PyCon Colombia 2021
• esLibre 2021
• BelPy 2021
• FOSDEM 2021
• FOSSCOMM 2021 Greece
• AI DevWorld 2021
• PyCon Taiwan 2021, 2020
• PyCon APAC 2021
• Python Pizza Hamburg 2021
• XtremePython 2021
• PyData Global 2020
• PyCon France 2019
• JuliaCon 2021, 2020, 2018
• COSCUP Taiwan 2021, 2020
• BuzzConf Argentina 2020
• PyCon Africa 2020
• PyCon Tanzania 2020
• PyCon Indonesia 2020
• PyCon ES 2020
• PyCon Korea 2020
• PyDay BCN 2020
• PyConf Hyderabad 2020
• GirlScript Summit India 2020
• PyJamas 2021, 2020
• PyCon Hong Kong 2021, 2020
• HoneyCon 2021, 2020
• PiterPy Russia 2020
• Geekle’s python Universe WEB Edition Global Summit
• Geekle’s Cyber Security Global Summit
• PyOhio 2020

Workshop Presentations

• PyCon India 2021
• FOSSASIA 2021
• SciPy India 2020
• Conducted Python workshops in a few institutes (Refer to website link at the end of this page )

Poster Presentations

• PyCon US 2022, 2021
• SciPy US 2021, 2020, 2019
• JuliaCon 2020
• CMU AIDR 2020
• SMILES 2020
• IRISS 2019, 2016

Upcoming Workshop Presentations (As of May June 16, 2022)

• EuroPython 2022

Upcoming Conference Talks (As of May June 16, 2022)

• PyCon Columbia 2022
• PyCon APAC 2022

Conference/Meetup Organization and Non-profit

• BelPy 2022 and Django Summit 2022 (Planning in October)
• Session chair PyCon US 2022
• PyCon India 2021, CFP Co-lead
• BelPy 2021, Organizing Chair
• Treasurer, Gangadharrao Deshpande Memorial, and Museum, Belagavi (Project by Govt. of Karnataka, India)
• FOSSCon India 2019, Organizing Co-Chair
• PyData Belagavi, Lead
• OWASP Belagavi, Lead
• PyCon India 2020, Volunteer

Reviewer

• PyCon US 2022
• EuroPython 2022
• PyCon India 2021, 2020
• SciPy US 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019
• SciPy Japan 2020
• PyData Global 2020
• JupyterCon 2020
• BelPy 2021
• Journal of Open Source Software
• Journal of Open Source Education
• Manning Publishers, USA
• Oxford University, Press, India

Membership in Professional bodies

• Managing Member Python Software Foundation
• Individual Member Django Software Foundation
• Senior Member IEEE
• Life Member OWASP
• Professional Member ACM
• Professional Member British Computer Society
• Member of Computer Society of India

Mentorship

• Winning team of Manthan 2021, National Security Hackathon organized by the Government of India
• Winning teams of Smart India Hackathon 2020, 2019, and 2018 organized by the Government of India
• Top 7 Teams of CERN WebFest 2020
• First Time speakers of PyCon US 2022, 2021, EuroPython 2021, SciPy India 2018 Projects
• Ensuring inclusive language in speech and writing. The project is being implemented in Python.
• Inventing Curriculum using Pointer-Generator Network: Received $5000 in Google Cloud Research Credits. The project is being implemented in Python
• Flowgorithm Flow Chart Interpreter: Contributing as a translator for Kannada, Marathi, and Hindi languages to enable non-native English speakers to create executable flow charts in their own language.
• Julia code generator for Flowgorithm.

Goals as a PSF board member (2022 - 2025)

• Start student chapters and professional chapters to spread awareness about Python and Open Source Projects. Introduce more people to the Python community and facilitate them to become contributors to the community in various capacities such as Speakers, Volunteers, and Core Python developers.
• Work as a facilitator to start more regional Python conferences and City level chapters in the Global South. I started the BelPy conference in 2021 which is a regional conference in Belagavi, India. I have Initiated the organization of Django conference and grow it to DjangoCon in ASIA region like DjangoCon US and DjangoCon EU. The Django Conference is in the planning stage and will be organized in the last week of October or the first week of November.
• Work with industries to develop Python courses and enable the adoption of industry-aligned Python courses in Universities and colleges. These courses can be offered as a part of the curriculum wherever possible or as add-on courses. The goal is to make more people employable in a short time using the “Train-to-Deploy” approach. The courses shall be made affordable to the Python community and especially for those who are suffering from economic hardships.
• Work with start-ups for adoption of Python in product development thereby encourage them to contribute towards and Python community and PSF.
• Create awareness among people regarding the activities of PSF, Python conferences, Projects, and grants. Motivate and mentor people from diverse backgrounds to apply for grants and projects.
• Study the financial models of other technical communities and non-profit organizations and adopt proven and innovative ideas for sustainability.
• Work with present PSF board members and actively contribute to the Python community.

For more information about me kindly visit https://gcdeshpande.github.io/

Thank you everyone for stopping by and going through my nomination. I ask for your vote and I look forward to earning your trust to serve the Python community.

Stay Safe. Take Care.

Best Regards

Gajendra Deshpande

Dr. Sandhya Prabhakaran is a Research Scientist at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Centre, Florida. Before that she was a Research Scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre and Columbia University. Her Ph.D. in Computer Science is from University of Basel and her Masters in Intelligent Systems (Robotics) is from University of Edinburgh. Her research deals with developing statistical theory and Bayesian inference models, particularly to problems in Cancer Biology and Computer Vision. I mostly code in Python and also in R and Java. My github handle is @sandhya212. Prior to academics, she was an Assembler programmer working with the Mainframe Operating System (z/OS) at IBM Software Laboratories and has developed Mainframe applications. She has completed 4 out of the 6 World Marathon Majors. I love teaching and mentoring, and have been a STEM mentor since 2016. I look forward to imparting my learnings as well as contributing to the community by being on the Board.

I am a Geek turned Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Startup Advisor, and Mentor. I am also the founder and curator of Python Weekly, one of the most popular weekly newsletters for Python. For over ten years now, I have kept the Python community up to date with what's happening in the Python world via Python Weekly. I have met/connected with many exceptional Python engineers through my work with Python Weekly. In addition, I built my previous startup using Python. I am super connected and very active in the startup world and continuously advocate the use of Python and various related technologies to the founders and builders.

As a language, community, and ecosystem, Python has held a special place in my heart ever since I first picked up the metaphorical pen in 2012. Since then, Python has returned the favor by serving as the platform for my career, both in a professional sense and a personal one. With it having such a dramatic impact on my life, I am applying to serve on the PSF Board so that I might be able to help others find the same resources, support, and success.

Though I've worked with Python professionally since 2015, it's 2017 that holds the most meaning. In April of that year, I co-founded the accessibility initiative TranscribersOfReddit, a job board on the news aggregation site reddit.com for taking images, audio, & video and crowdsourcing the transformation of that content into plain text: a format that everyone can access. TranscribersOfReddit, and the resulting 501(c)3 we founded to maintain it, is powered entirely by Python and I fully believe that without the incredible community that we are so privileged to have, our idea may have never gotten off the ground. 250,000 transcriptions and 5,500 volunteers later, Python has helped us bring millions of people a laugh, a chuckle, a shake of the head, or a greater understanding of something that was previously out of reach.

Through my nomination to the PSF board, I would like to focus on two things:

Assisting with grants and monetary resources to help spread Python knowledge

Not everyone has the financial capability to attend PyCon or put on an event in their area, and I feel strongly that the contributions and assistance of the PSF are what help make these dreams come true. As a former recipient of the travel grant, I can attest the importance of being able to attend PyCon as a junior developer and how the program specifically helped me achieve professional goals. I want to assist in streamlining the process and making it more accessible wherever possible.

Literally everything relating to PyCon

I've accumulated roughly 13 years of experience putting on trade shows and conventions, filling roles ranging from security to vendor to assistant director of the expo hall. My prior experience will directly help grow and strengthen PyCon.

Something specific I would like to see implemented is a set of welcome / walkthrough videos detailing how each part of the PyCon experience works. The new attendee orientation is a wonderful resource, but not all new attendees can take advantage of it. For neurodivergent folks, those struggling with extreme anxiety, or folks who just can't make it on Thursday, it would be beneficial to have a set of resources that physically demonstrates what different processes at PyCon look like ("The Registration Desk", "The Expo Hall", "Attending a Talk", "Getting Food During a Break", "Finding Help", "Navigating the Hallway Track", etc.) so that anyone interested in attending but terrified at the idea can get the information they need to feel confident before ever setting foot in the convention center.

---

Everyone deserves access to information. The work of the PSF is instrumental in ensuring that information, knowledge, and irreplaceable experience continues to flow throughout the community and help us all.

I have experience writing step-by-step articles with several Python open-source tools, giving talks on webinars, several pycon and open source tech conferences virtually and in person. I have shared lots of tweets, threads, and posts on python open source software, its usage, and guide enthusiasts on how to use these tools. I am an advocate of telling people to be proactive in the data community, which is why the African data community newsletter where part of my primary goal is to inform Africans about tech conferences happening in different African countries including Pycon Kenya, Pycon Africa, and so on, and also inform about the recent open-source data tool to contribute. My love for the data community made me a co-organizer and Head of Community for DataFestAfrica. I'm currently among the planning team for MLOps Africa where python is our primary language and remote volunteer operator for the upcoming Europython 2022.

Jannis who?

My name is Jannis Leidel, better known in the Python and Django community under my alias jezdez, and I have been a Python developer for over 15 years. I'm running for the Python Software Foundation board again after I first served between 2019 and 2022.

During my first term I've:

• Co-facilitated the strategic discussion around improving the representation of world-wide community members, especially those that are underrepresented. This remains an unsolved problem.
• Served as the co-communications chair and co-organized public announcements and weblog publishing.
• Served on the PSF finance committee and oversaw with my colleagues the uncertainties of the pandemic and contributed to the ongoing financial review and auditing process.
• Responded to the extraordinary situation the pandemic created in terms of project funding, grants giving and organizing events (besides being personally impacted as well).
• Participated in the search for the new Python Software Foundation executive director.
• Became member of the Python Packaging and Project Funding working groups and rejoined the Python Packaging Authority (PyPA) after a hiatus of a few years.

Personally speaking, for the last year I’ve worked as a Software Engineer at Anaconda on the conda project, an advanced, cross-platform package manager written in Python that was instrumental for the success of Python in the data practitioner community. I've co-led the development and brought my past experience with Python packaging tools and standards to the conda ecosystem. My high-level goals for conda are to build bridges, tackle user experience problems and make conda a multi-stakeholder, cross-organizational Open Source project.

Before that I worked 8 years at Mozilla, first as a web developer on the Mozilla Developer Network (MDN web docs) and later as a software and data engineer working on data analysis tools for the Firefox Data Pipeline.

Experience

I have experience in writing, maintaining, managing and leading Open Source projects, e.g.

• Google Summer of Code student for Django, to integrate it with Python packaging tools, 2007
• Django Core Team member 2009-2018
• translation coordinator
• Technical Board member
• founder and member of Django Ops team
• maintainer of the Django website
• co-lead of first Django fundraising campaign and platform
• Founder and member of the German Django non-profit, since 2009
• pip and virtualenv core developer and release manager, 2009-2013
• Chairman of DjangoCon Europe, 2010, Berlin, Germany
• Founder of the Python Packaging Authority (PyPA), 2011, to take ownership for pip and virtualenv from original author Ian Bicking
• Developer and admin for the Python Package Index (aka Cheeseshop), 2012-2013
• Django Software Foundation board member, 2014-2015
• Mentor at first Django Girls tutorial, 2014, Berlin, Germany
• Google Summer of Code mentor and admin for Django and Mozilla for multiple years
• Caniusepython3.com — Developer of the web version of Brett Cannon’s caniusepython3 CLI tool
• Jazzband — Founder and “roadie” of a collaborative community on GitHub to share the responsibility of maintaining Python projects with over 1200 members and close to 70 projects
• Mozilla-internal champion for the successful MOSS (Mozilla Open Source Software program) grant for the PSF to improve sustainability of the Python Package Index (PyPI)
• Co-maintainer of Redash — A Open Source software for teams to query, visualize and collaborate with data, since 2018-2021
• conda core developer and steering council member, senior software engineer on the conda team at Anaconda, since 2021
• Contributor to the PyScript project, since 2022
• Developer or maintainer of many other Python packages: PyPI, GitHub

Nothing of this would have been possible without the support and encouragement from strangers that I met on the internet.

Personal board goals

If elected again, I'd like to:

1. Continue my work to be a voice and ally for the people in our diverse, global Python community, especially when they are underrepresented in the PSF board and related committees. This is critical to continue to serve our mission, especially given the growth of our community in areas that are not in North America or Europe.

2. Continue to support research and development efforts in strategic areas such as supply chain security, cross-platform compatibility/usability and emerging technologies such as WASM (WebAssembly). That includes making it easier to fund these efforts and expand our developer in residence program.

3. Build new relationships with organizations and stakeholders in communities related to Python such as the Scientific Python community or the packaging community, to more closely engage with the Python language community, such as NumFOCUS and CZI, but also the Rust Foundation etc. This also includes seeking new commercial partnerships.

Guiding principles

• Community building means clear values, an ethical mission, obvious organization, diverse backgrounds and respectful collaboration.

• Trust those with domain knowledge and support everyone, anywhere to attain it.

• Build bridges, not silos.

Hi I’m Georgi, I’m a fellow member and a mother of 2 teenage kids. I received the PSF Community Service award in Q4 2020 and this is the first time I’m running for the board of Directors. The Python community is not only people who help improve the language and packages, but also people behind the backstage organising meet-ups, conferences, or forums. I belong to the 2nd group. I speak 8 different languages and code as a hobby. Being a novice in Python, I don’t give talks on 101 Python tips and tricks but I contribute to what I’m good at: design, project managing, marketing and events. I learn when developers give their talks and share their experiences in events I help create. Contributing as a volunteer is never a bed of roses. But the Python community has always been extremely helpful and supportive. Many successes would not have happened without these friends. Being an immigrant living in several countries, a woman over 40 with no CS certification, a lefty with atypical learning path, an ex-teacher for students with mental disabilities, I also advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Below is an overview of my contributions to the community -

Community contributions

In Thailand and APAC:

• Helped design PyCon TH logo in 2018
• Managed marketing for PyCon TH in 2019
• Conference lead PyCon TH in 2019 (which unfortunately had to cancel due to COVID)
• Conference lead PyCon APAC in 2021
• Advisor for organiser of CUPy (Chulalongkorn University Python)

In PyLadies community:

• Co-founded PyLadies Bangkok
• Part of the global PyLadies Interim council
• Assisted in translation to French and Chinese in documentation
• Co-organised the first PyLadies International Women’s Day along with Lorena Mesa (Chicago) and Tereza Iofciu (Hamburg)

In DEI efforts:

• Member of the PSF D&I Workgroup
• Spoke in D&I panel at PyCon US 2022, PyCascades 2021, PyCon APAC 2021
• Assisted the formation of Microsoft APAC’s “Code; Without Barrier”
• Spoke at Microsoft APAC’s “Code; Without Barrier” launch in 2021
• Spoke about Bridging Differences in Microsoft APAC’s “Code; Without Barrier” in 2021
• Studied Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace offered by the University of South Florida Muma College of Business
• Collaborated with PyCon organisers in Asia for PyCon APAC 2021 to create more diverse Asian represented talk contents
• Included multiple language chatrooms in PyCon APAC 2021 to create a more diverse environment for attendees

Others projects:

• Spoke in Open Source and Community Building led by Abigail Mesrenyame Dogbe
• Spoke in “A Day in a life of a WFH Pythonista” by Python PH
• Author of PyCon Organiser’s handbook
• Wrote "How to give Positive Criticism"”, on Revue
• Designed PyCon US 2022 and fund-raising assets. (Web, swag, on-site and online visual materials)
• Designed PyCon US 2021 online platform assets
• Co-organiser of Bangkok.RB and RubyConf Thailand 2019
• Co-organised and assisted in events such as Codewar and Hacktoberfest BKK for developers of all languages.

Goals as a board member:

Expanding awareness about PSF membership During the year leading PyCon APAC, I realised that many developers and active community leaders (outside EU and US) were either not PSF members or have not even heard of the PSF membership. I hope to continue drawing more awareness to the works of the PSF to regions of active Python developers similar to the membership campaign created in Thailand where all 14 of the PyCon APAC organising team signed up as members to help push the membership drive.

Create a more diverse and inclusive Python ecosystem Although the most number of Python users comes from Asia, Africa and South America, the current votes and seats in the PSF board are not projecting a balanced and healthy geographical representation. I hope to help create a more welcoming environment for a diversified community just like how Python is spread around the world.

Create lower learning curve for new contributors to the Python language, packages and infrastructure around the community. Attending PyCon US 2022 in-person and interacting with core developers and active community leaders has given me a clearer perspective on the future of Python. I look forward to contributing in this aspect and help encourage more new contributors from different aspects.

Create accessibility to welfare for Python community Python community thrives not only because the language is versatile, but also because of the humanity among the contributors in the community. While the language is what brought everyone together, people is the key to the growth and sustainability of the community. I believe by creating easier accessibility for those who need positive encouragement, mental support, guidance, and empathy could reinforce PSF and the future of Python.

Finally, I hope if elected, my presence on the board will encourage more under-represented Python contributors and community leaders to step up in future.

The Python ecosystem has done so much for me both educationally as well as professionally. I have learned so much as a regular user of the Python Data Science stack for more than a decade, I felt it was time to give back in whatever small way I could.

Introduction

My name is Cristián, and I have been using Python for a long time, without realizing it, I have been advocating Python in the different stages of my life, from my initial studies to my current work.

Due to my contributions, I had the honor to become a PSF Fellow in 2021.

Before COVID, I spent most of my time participating in local Python-related meetups, helping PyLadies Berlin and other local Python groups, and attending (sometimes as a speaker) conferences in Germany and other countries, but due to this situation I was able to approach many other communities in the World, which enabled me to get a better understanding in community duties, conference organization, sponsorships, and the pain points from many communities.

Contribution to the Python Community

At the moment, this is how I'm helping the Python Community:

• I'm one of the organizers from Python Chile where we organized the first PyDay and PyCon Chilean event. Currently, we are organizing three PyDays and the national PyCon. My direct contributions are maintaining the Discord Server (main communication platform), communication and marketing, web development, and task automation.

• I'm an active member of Python España being part of many working groups like Communication, Web/Infra, PyConES, and other tasks.

• With many Spanish-speaking communities, we have been pushing for the Python en Español initiative where I have been maintaining the Discord server, the bots, and the website. Additionally, I'm one of the admins of the Telegram group. I'm actively interacting on both platforms, moderating and helping other people.

• I'm one of the contributors to the Spanish translation group, in charge of translating the official Python documentation: Besides translating, I have been helping other people to start with their first contributions, automatic tasks via bots, and presenting the project in different events.

• With other communities, we started the Spanish version of the Hacktoberfest event, and for the last years we have been organizing a special side-event, and my contribution has been maintaining the Discord server, organizing Python-related projects, and participating in sessions to help newcomers.

• This year, I was a co-chair of the PyCon Charlas, the Spanish-speaking track of the PyConUS, where I plan to continue helping in the next versions.

• This year, I started to help the Python Package Authority and became a moderator, helping with the handling and resolution of PyPi issues.

Besides this, I have been participating in many other communities through events, from being a session host, volunteer, attendee, or speaker, like in PyCon Argentina, PyLatam, Python Brasil, etc.

Goals

The goals of my candidacy focus on four main ideas:

1. PSF International Advocacy

Many people in the PSF have been doing their best to reach communities all over the world, but still, it’s an important pending task that the PSF has. I will join current efforts and start new ones to make the PSF a globally recognized institution, prioritizing communities and countries that are not aware of all the help they can get from the PSF.

The ideas, activities, projects, etc will be properly documented so other communities that share a common language would be able to replicate them.

Complementary, I would like to contact research and educational institutions to explore new ways of funding and development for the community outside the US.

1. PSF i18n

I will push for the translation of PSF resources, like the main website, documentation related to processes, forms, and even important blog posts. I’m certain we could offer the option to translate those resources into different languages, to at least break the initial barrier many people might have due to English not being their mother tongue. This has been started already, with initiatives that enable the different languages, as the official documentation.

1. Divide and Conquer

I would like "spread the knowledge" and motivate more members of the community to share duties that are currently on the shoulders of only a few people.

I plan to start a mentoring program to train people for them to take responsibilities within the PSF, keeping an open registration for the many working groups to get help from a pool of people willing to help with the many tasks inside the PSF.

At the same time, I would like to gather 'low hanging fruit' tasks within the PSF, improving the onboarding process for newcomers.

Conclusions

I spend most of my spare time in Python-related activities, and I love to help the community: answering questions on different platforms, helping teaching initiatives, organizing local and global events, and many other activities to bring more people to our beloved community.

I firmly believe that the duties of being a PSF Director will blend perfectly with the current activities I'm involved in.

With every little action, I’m trying to show everyone how important is to be actively involved in the Python community, and the fulfillment you can get from helping and connecting people. My /evil/ plan is to motivate people to be more involved in the many initiatives we have, both locally and globally, so we can altogether improve Python every day.

Introduction & Background

My name is Reshama (she/her), and I live in New York City. I was born in India and moved to the United States when I was six. One of the benefits of straddling the East and West in culture, language and religion is that it provides an added global perspective to my life. This in turn impacts how I see the world and my place and contributions within it. And it is what makes me particularly passionate about open source and Python, because they connect the world in a positive way and are unconstrained by political or geographic boundaries.

As a statistician, I began my career using SAS and Rstats, in the 90's. I have been using Python since 2012; the conversion from R/SAS to Python was both bumpy and irresistible, because python is so alluring.

I have contributed extensively to the community, both in education and in supporting people from typically underrepresented groups. I also wrote the viral blog Why Women are Flourishing in the R Community But Lagging in Python, which was considered by many to be provocative, though by me it was an objective deep dive with statistical perspective into dimensions related to the R and Python communities.

Community Award

In 2019, I received the NumFOCUS 2019 Community Service Award >Reshama was selected to receive this award in acknowledgment of the strong positive impact she has had in diversifying the NumFOCUS community, particularly by focusing on the inclusion of more women. She served on the NumFOCUS Diversity & Inclusion in Scientific Computing (DISC) Steering Committee from 2017-2019 and has exemplified leadership by producing thoughtful, thought-provoking, and data-driven blogs that challenge the community to look squarely at our diversity problem and take action to correct it. Reshama was also instrumental in developing open source contributing sprints as a partnership between scikit-learn and Women in Machine Learning and Data Science, in an effort to get more women involved in the machine learning community.

Data Umbrella

Data Umbrella (2019-present): Seeing a need for this, I founded a community for underrepresented persons in data science. I have built a wonderful team of contributors and within only 2.5 years (almost all during the pandemic), we have accomplished so much. We have organized 6 open source sprints for the scikit-learn and PyMC Python libraries and over 50 online events; our Data Umbrella YouTube channel has over 1.5K subscribers. Our open source contributing sessions have successfully focused on and included community contributors from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and other regions in the world. It's been incredibly gratifying seeing the Data Umbrella Impact around the world.

Community Contributions

Below is a subset of my community contributions.

• New York City chapter of PyLadies: (2017-present) I have been a very active organizer to the NYC chapter for the past five years. The NYC chapter is the 3rd largest PyLadies chapter worldwide. I was instrumental in reviving a dormant chapter, mentoring new organizers and initiating the International Women's Day social media highlight campaigns in 2019 and 2020. I initiated and project managed the PyLadies Dashboard which provides an interface to easily access Meetup data which is beneficial for the community and the PSF. Another significant PyLadies contribution is my video and blog on the "2021 State of PyLadies" to celebrate this organization's 10-year anniversary.
• Git Workshops: Between 2016 and 2020, I gave over 15 Git workshops to the community to alleviate the barrier that not having Git skills is to open source and career development.
• JupyterCon 2020 Diversity Chair (Jan-Oct 2020). Through my research and experience in diversity and community work, I discovered and invited world-renowned researcher in racial justice and equity Tema Okun as a Keynote Speaker to this conference.
• Women in Machine Learning & Data Science (WiMLDS): (2015-2020) Board Member, Global Leadership Team Member and New York City chapter organizer. I organized over 2 dozen events and 5 open source sprints in New York City, Nairobi and San Francisco.
• Blogs: I have written dozens of blogs on topics related to Python, data science and diversity and inclusions. A number of my blogs have over 10K visits.
• Open Source Sprints PyCon DE Keynote: 5 Years, 10 Sprints, a scikit-learn Open Source Journey; this keynote summarizes the trials, tribulations and joys of organizing a series of sprints, around the world.
• NumFOCUS Diversity in Scientific Computing (DISC) Steering Committee 2017-2019
• Community Talks: I've given a number of talks on Python, plotly, git and diversity over the years, many of which are available on the YouTube playlist.
• Resources: have created commmunity resources on my website and GitHub with tutorials, blogs and documentation.
• PSF CoC Workgroup: (2020-2021)
• Partnership on AI, ABOUT ML Steering Committee: (2019-2020) Facial Recognition Workgroup
• SciPy Data Driven Discoveries Track co-chair: (2019)
• ICML Communications: (2016-present)
• scikit-learn Contributor: (2016-present)
• scikit-learm Contributing Team: (2020-present)
• PyMC Contributing Team: (2022-present)

Goals

• Have the PSF be more connected to the community.
• Provide an avenue for the community to be connected to PSF for those folks who do not attend PyCon, like me (I have never attended a PyCon or SciPy).
• Support underrepresented persons in the Python community.
• Increase the global reach of the PSF.
• Provide more Python resources for the community.
• Increase open source literacy in the community.

Education & Work Background

• 10+ years experience as a biostatistician in the pharmaceutical industry
• 5+ years as an independent consultant
• experience teaching statistics, math, Git, Rstats
• MS in Statistics, MBA in business

More Information About My Work

• Blog: https://reshamas.github.io
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reshamas/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/reshamas (@reshamas)
• GitHub: https://github.com/reshamas
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg4KQCow9KAqrAmKb0SxXUA
• Medium: https://medium.com/@reshamas
• Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=LBoPoO4AAAAJ

I am a public interest technologist working for Sunet (Swedish University Computer Network). I actively participate in various Python communities, including PSF grants working group. I used to be one of the communication officers of the PSF board. I was also conference staff of the PyCon US and part of other Pycons in various forms.

I spent my life in different FOSS communities, both professionally & personally. I am a CPython core developer, a fellow at PSF, and part of the Tor Project core team. I also contributed to the Fedora Project for over 16 years. I help to maintain SecureDrop, which is an open-source whistleblower submission system (written in Python) that media organizations and NGOs can install to securely accept documents from anonymous sources.

Goals for the board in 2022:

• To continue building up the Python community worldwide and connecting people to the Python Software Foundation. I have a unique opportunity as I recently moved to Sweden and became part of the Python communities in both Asia & Europe actively. I want to ensure that the PSF board has the input from the rest of the world (than the majority of the board members). I hope my experience working in both non-profit & public sectors will bring a different perspective to the board.
• To focus on the smaller active Python communities (PyLadies groups especially, & other groups focused on particular use cases) and ensure they get the support as required. Part of this is about working as a bridge for these communities & bringing in the members from the same groups into the upstream groups.
• To refocus on the grants work group activities. The post-COVID world is different. Now, as a community, we can do much more with grants and related online activities around the world (as online events have become a norm in the last few years).
• Helping out in the regular activities of the PSF as required.

18+ years of software industry experience with 7+ years in leadership roles driving digital transformation. Proven & successful track record of building massive-scale cloud-native digital solutions for Fortune 500 Enterprises using cutting edge technologies. Exceptional track record of leading product engineering for rapid development using SAFe. Expertise in building solutions for scale, agility, security & availability. Cross-functional domain expertise by working with large financial institutions & retail organizations. Expert in digital strategy, solution & execution with Cloud Native technologies, Scaled Agile, DevOps & Data Transformation.

Avid learner , Microsoft Certified Python Developer, 2020; Apache Certified Kafka Developer , 2019; SnowFlake Pro Certification, 2020; AWS Certified Solution Architect– Associate, 2018

https://github.com/lavnishl https://www.linkedin.com/in/lavnish/

I probably have the least PSF-y experience of all candidates applying for this position. I've attended two Pycon and was really impressed with the passion and creativity of the Python developer community. Where else can you find a conference where developing a program to manipulate knitting patterns coexists alongside a just-in-time compiler and writing beautiful technical documenation? I won't say I fell in love with the Python community but I've come to respect the diversity of the Python user base. In my day job, I'm also impressed (and sometimes struggle with) the myriad of ways developers use Python.

I realize that I'm still only seeing the tip of the iceberg. The Python Software Foundation's challenge is to figure out how to give the next generation of Python developers a jump start. This is problematic if the non-Python user doesn't know where their battery is or that they even have a battery. I faced the same problem in my current position, that is, how to challenge teams to think beyond the "normal" Python use cases. Companies with large Python code bases often forget how they initially grew from "hey, I've got this interesting idea" and "what is Python?"

*My goal in joining the PSF is to challenge the board to reach the next X0 million Python developers. *

I want to think about strategies such as crossovers with social platforms such as WeChat and Instagram as well as business platforms like LibreOffice (e.g. how can we tap into a highly engaged demographic to further increase Python awareness/adoption?) One demographic I feel is underrepresented in the Python community are the differently-abled. As a member of the PSF, I would like to champion programs that target neurodiversity (those with different learning styles like visual, aural, reading/writing, touch, etc). I would like work with the language teams to make Python easier to understand by folks who have difficulty with the current approaches to programming education.

Abstract:

• Helped organize 7 Python conferences and 3 Django Girls Events.
• Wagtail CMS Core Team Member since 2019.
• Open Source contributor for 4 years.
• Sponsor Chair for DjangoCon US 2021, 2022.
• Sponsor Co-Chair DjangoCon US 2019.
• Sponsor Team Volunteer for DjangoCon EU 2019.
• Django Girls Organizer 2019 (Copenhagen), 2021 (Philadelphia), 2022 (San Diego).
• Wagtail and Google Summer of Code mentor and organizer 2021 and 2022.
• Founder of At The Root, The organization that produced the first Anti-Racist Ethical Source License and developing the Anti-Racist Python SDK.
• Volunteer with Organization for Ethical Source, An organization dedicated to Ethical Source Licenses and creators of the Hippocratic License.

Conference Talks:

• Inclusive Product Week - San Diego - May 2021
• Pycon AU - September 2020
• Wagtail Space - June 2018

Podcast Appearances:

• Open Source Stories - May 2022
• Django Girls Official Podcast - January 2022
• Django Chat - Feb 2021
• #CauseAScene Podcast - Feb 2021

I am a community-taught developer and Python engineer of 7 years.

Doing justice to my entire software journey, it started back around 2005. I treasured my time on MySpace — adding media players and backgrounds affects to profile. I began learning in the open and never stopped. Years later, after realizing the world of finance wasn’t my road, I came back to tech as a SQL Analyst then Marketing Analyst, Project Manager, Python and Django Consultant, Open Source Core Team member and Research Analyst — never straying far from my desire to learn and share in the open.

I learn and mentor in the open with Open Source.

I am a proud product of the DjangoCon community, the annual Django Conference, and have devoted my time to DjangoCon US and EU in various roles since 2018 — mostly on Sponsor teams — through which I’ve been an active participant in the day-to-day ways individuals and organizations invest back into our larger Python body as well as reckoning with the practicalities of funding the budget of a software community. Django Girls and mentoring has remained close to my heart. I’ve held several more Django Girls events including the Django Girls coming to DjangoCon 2022, since my first Django Girls as an attendee in 2016.

I am a steward of my communities and contribute to tools that help members feel seen and safe.

I am a Python tool-maker with and for Python tool-makers. Many code and no-code solutions have revolved around improving the developer experience of Python software contribution. Specifically with the Wagtail CMS organizing team, I am one to raise my hand when there is work to be done. I have helped organize Wagtail Space since 2018 — the conference for the Django-based Python CMS called Wagtail, given conference talks, participate in working groups and mentored in formal and informal settings. I try to make coding fun and approachable. I do similar work to a greater extent in some respects for the Organization for Ethical Source and At The Root — two groups dedicated to Ethical Source Licenses, Django Girls, and DjangoCon.

I am thrilled to continue helping with the day-to-day responsibilities in the Python community.

Doing “the work” comes in the form of hundreds of emails, dozens of PRs and comments, core team votes, press releases and hundreds of contracts over the years. I’m focused on work that keeps the “trains running on time” and provides new modes of transportation (to extend the metaphor) with the Python community.

Goals

• Create ways for Black, Brown, Indigenous, gender-marginalized, disabled and queer people to participate in the open source community using existing patterns that have already proven successful including, but not limited to: apprenticeships, hack-a-thons, formal mentoring, video stream events tailored to safe communities, first-time contributor series, documentation, etc. For each intersection, future Pythonistas require representation and space show up fully.
• Generate sustainable models for Python Software Foundation workgroups to push the initiatives forward.
• Increase Python Working Group engagement.
• Increase the number of Python Sprint events.
• Create thoughtful, sustainable solutions for PSF’s financial security.

It would be a great privilege to give back to the community that has already given so much to me.

I'm KwonHan in South Korea me and other people include younggun started PyCon Korea and Python User Group in Korea since 2014. every year PyCon KR's attendee increased and at 2016 PyCon KR team hold PyCon APAC 2016 with about 1500 people, 3 days full conference event. also we adopted ChildCare, O.S.T and code for kids. at 2019, exnted to 4 days event include tutorials and sprint. before covid-19, KR team had about 10K people to attend PyCon KR.

as holding more conferences, I think we need to increase diversity in python community to meet more people with python.

Introduction

My name is Jon Banafato, and I'm a Python user and community organizer. I've spent the past decade organizing events for the Python community in New York City, including meetup groups, one-off hackathons and educational events, and most notably as a PyGotham organizer since 2014. I've served my local Python communities over the past ten years with a sense of pride and duty and aim to bring that same passion to a Python Software Foundation board position if elected.

Background

• I began contributing to the Python community by hosting a weekly "office hours" meetup under the NYC Python meetup group in 2013. I spent the next several years on the core organizing team for NYC Python and helped found it's partner group Learn Python NYC hosting an average of 3 - 4 events per week across the two communities.
• I was part of the team that brought PyGotham back from a hiatus in 2014 and have served as an organizer of the conference every year since, including as conference chair since 2016. PyGotham has held successful online-only events in 2020 and 2021 and continues to evolve its format to meet the needs of the community while emphasizing attendee safety.
• I volunteer with other Python conferences wherever I can be of assistance leading up to and during events.
• I've spoken at PyOhio, PyTennessee, and PyCon US.
• I host a monthly video call for conference organizers that has regular attendance of meetup, conference, and other community leadership. This call provides a regular venue for community organizers to share experiences and learn from one another, especially during a time when we don't see one another at in-person events as frequently as we used to.

Goals

My priorities as a board member would revolve around increasing the PSF's role as a support structure for Python communities in addition to its substantial role in producing PyCon US. The PSF has provided valuable grants to community events to help offset costs, and the expanded fiscal sponsorship program has reduced the barrier to entry for events and open source projects to accept sponsorships and other sources of funding in recent years. I hope to see and will work to expand these support structures in the following areas:

• Operating costs: starting a new event, especially a conference, can incur significant costs such as venue, catering, and other vendor deposits even before a conference is officially announced. In addition to the support the PSF provides via the existing grants and fiscal sponsorship programs, it has leverage and experience in running conferences that new organizers may lack; this experience and the backing of a larger organization can help conferences obtain more favorable terms and pricing with vendors during the negotiation / booking stages. The organization could also expand its grants program to aid events with initial deposits before they're able to raise sponsorship funding or ticket sales to reduce financial burden on individual organizers.
• Sponsorship: sponsorships of meetups and conferences are often facilitated by relationships. An organizer of a new or expanding event may not have the proper contacts at prospective sponsor companies, whereas the PSF has ongoing relationships with large sponsors who often require lead times longer than new or small conferences can accommodate. The PSF can keep these other events on the radar of larger sponsors to ensure that they're prepared to sponsor an event when the time comes and work with events to create attractive sponsorship packages that secure funding for several events at once.
• Other event support and advice: many organizers share their experience and support with each other while together at events like PyCon US. To reach a wider audience and include organizers that don't regularly attend conferences in the US, the PSF should offer additional organizer resources either directly or by connecting new organizers with experienced mentors in the community.

Conclusion

Those that know me in the Python community know that I'm always eager to help others and put the needs of the community first. I hope to earn your vote to continue to support this community at the Board of Directors level. You can reach me at [email protected] or https://twitter.com/jonafato if you have any questions about my self-nomination.

Hi, I'm Simon. I've been a member of the Python community for over twenty years and an active contributor to a large number of open source projects written in Python.

In 2004 I co-created the Django web framework. In 2017 I created Datasette, around which I have been building a larger ecosystem of Python tools for data journalism and data analytics.

I'm currently self-employed, working on turning my Datasette open source project into a sustainable business.

There are two areas in particular that I would like to focus on as a board member: ensuring that getting started with Python is as easy as possible for new developers, and ensuring that applications developed using Python can be easily distributed to end-users.

Experience

• I've been blogging about Python since 2002.
• In 2004 I helped create Django, while working at the Lawrence Journal-World newspaper.
• I've presented talks and tutorials at dozens of Python conferences around the world, including EuroPython, PyCon North America and DjangoCon.
• In 2010 I co-founded a startup, Lanyrd, which used Python and Django to provide a service for discovering and making the most out of conferences. We were acqired by Eventbrite in 2013.
• I have 172 projects on PyPI.
• In 2017 I created Datasette, "an open source multi-tool for exploring and publishing data". Datasette is written in Python and supports plugins, of which there are now 90. Each plugin is a package on PyPI.
• In 2018 I released sqlite-utils, a Python library and CLI tool for manipulating SQLite databases. It recently reached its 100th release.
• I've volunteered as a mentor for Hackbright Academy in San Francisco, helping several students there graduate the program and start their careers as Python developers.

My goals as a board member

I believe there are problems facing the Python community that require dedicated resources beyond volunteer labour. I'd like the PSF to invest funding in the following areas in particular:

• Improve Python onboarding. In coaching new developers I've found that the initial steps to getting started with a Python development environment can be a difficult hurdle to cross. I'd like to help direct PSF resources to tackling this problem, with a goal of making the experience of starting to learn Python as smooth as possible, no matter what platform the learner is using.
• Make Python a great platform for distributing software. In building my own application, Datasette, in Python I've seen how difficult it can be to package up a Python application so that it can be installed by end-users, who aren't ready to install Python and learn pip in order to try out a new piece of software. I've researched solutions for this for my own software using Homebrew, Docker, an Electron app and WASM/Pyodide. I'd like the PSF to invest in initiatives and documentation to make this as easy as possible, so that one of the reasons to build with Python is that distributing an application to end-users is already a solved problem.

Where to find me

• simonwillison.net is my blog. I recently posted highlights from 20 years of my writing there.
• @simonw on Twitter
• simonw on GitHub