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Nominee for 2024 Python Software Foundation Board Election

Anna Astori

  • Previous Board Service: New board member
  • Employer: Cigna Group
  • Other Affiliations: Python Boston, PyLadies Boston, Django Djangonaut
  • Nominee Statement:

      Introduction

      Hello, my name is Anna Astori. My academic journey began with a passion for linguistics, where I delved into the complexities of human language, its structures, and its nuances. However, in my free time, I absolutely enjoyed developing my first programs in Turbo Pascal on an IBM-386—yes, it was a while ago! These two passions led me to explore the intersections between language and technology, prompting my transition into computational linguistics and artificial intelligence through my master's program at Brandeis University. Since then, I have worked for several AI and data science-focused organizations, where I gained vast experience and an in-depth understanding of both the scientific underpinnings and practical implementations of AI technologies developed in Python.

      Contributions to the Python Community

      For a number of years, my Python journey has been driven by my commitment to community engagement, knowledge sharing, and mentorship. Among the activities I am engaged in are the following:

      ● I maintain a blog where I share tutorials, insights, and experiences related to Python programming. I hope that this platform serves as a resource for developers at all levels for continuous learning and exploration.

      ● I speak at meetups and podcasts, discussing Python trends, challenges, and opportunities, thereby reaching a broader audience and advocating for the language’s benefits and potential.

      ● I have volunteered as a technical reviewer for several Python programming books. This role has allowed me to contribute to the community’s educational resources.

      ● I volunteered as a judge for one of the Women Who Code (WWC) hackathons as a Python expert.

      ● My role on the review committee for one of the WWC conferences has enabled me to ensure that the conference's Python-related content is relevant, engaging, and of the highest quality.

      ● At one of my workplaces, I also mentored non-technical employees, guiding them in their transition into a tech career and helping them hone their Python programming skills.

      ● As a member of the Django’s Djangonaut program, I have started contributing to the Django framework.

      ● My co-organizer, Fay Shaw, and I have revived PyLadies Boston.

      I am particularly passionate about Python and community engagement, which inspires me to continuously contribute to the advancement of Python as a leading programming language across multiple domains.

      Objectives as a Board Member

      Leveraging my two years of experience as WWC Boston Director, one of my objectives is to promote DEI in the Python community and ensure overall thriving community engagement. This experience has also equipped me to work on marketing and fundraising campaigns and grant application procedures. On the other hand, leveraging my seven years of industry experience and deep domain knowledge, I would also like to focus on infrastructure and packaging improvements, as well as the overall advancement of Python as a go-to programming language in the scientific community.