Have you ever wondered why the websites you visit frequently offer products or services that might interest you? For example, an online movie cinema website shows different combinations of movies that usually suit your tastes well. The same can be said about online stores. Whenever you return to the website, it suggests items you'd like to buy. Most of the time, predictions match your tastes. This indicates that such Drupal websites use machine learning to personalise the customer experience.

Passing the Torch to the Next Generation of Drupalist

This Friday, on September 8th, in Atlanta, Georgia, we’re bringing together a gathering of Drupal enthusiasts to discuss the world’s best content management system. We extend a warm invitation to you to join the festivities at DrupalCamp Atlanta.

Since its inception in 2009, DrupalCamp Atlanta has stood as one of the most significant gatherings, uniting web developers, designers, executives, and educators passionate about Drupal. The event was initiated and supported by Dave Terry, then President of Mediacurrent, and swiftly became a cornerstone in the Drupal community. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of hosting renowned keynotes, including Dries Buytaert, David Cummings, Kyle Mathews, Mike Anello, Josh Koenig, Ryan Szrama, Jacob Rockowitz, and more.

My first attendance was in 2011, and I was profoundly impressed by the professionalism and the plethora of opportunities to learn from top contributors. It was an incredible environment to be part of.

In 2014, a dedicated group of volunteers rallied to rejuvenate the Atlanta Drupal Users Group (ADUG). We established bylaws and commenced organizing DrupalCamp Atlanta at Kennesaw State University. However, due to the university’s distance from the airport and the absence of public transportation, we made the strategic decision to relocate to downtown Atlanta. For the following five years, we continued to host the event, always aiming to provide a top-tier experience in a city hotel. Once again, I had the privilege of collaborating with some of the brightest and most enjoyable individuals I’ve ever known, resulting in lasting friendships.

As life evolves, so do our priorities. While my passion for Drupal remains unwavering, perhaps even stronger than ever, the time has come for me to step back and allow the next generation of Atlanta’s Drupal enthusiasts to carry this community to new heights. Therefore, this Friday, September 8th, marks my final DrupalCamp Atlanta as an organizer and I would love to see you join us.

In my last plea to the Drupal Community, I am asking the Drupal Association, Dries Buytaert, Acquia, and Drupal agencies across the nation to reach out to their clients, partners, and employees residing in the Atlanta area and encourage them to get involved in revitalizing this community. Atlanta, as the Southeast’s largest city, boasting esteemed colleges, universities, and multinational corporations, should always be home to a thriving DrupalCamp Atlanta!

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for the love and support you’ve shown me throughout the years. 🙏🏾

This isn’t a farewell; it’s a “see you soon.” 😢 🤗

Kaleem Clarkson
DrupalCamp Atlanta, Project Lead, 2014–2023

My Last DrupalCamp Atlanta As Organizer, Join the Party This Friday. was originally published in Drupal Atlanta on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Currently, the world is gravitating toward no-code development solutions. Lesser development time, negligible requirement of coding knowledge, cost-effectiveness, enhanced productivity, ease of use, enormous scalability, and incredible customization possibilities are some factors responsible for the massive adoption of these no-code tools. As a cutting-edge content management system (CMS), Drupal has always centered itself around no-code/low-code development. 

It has made itself available to support anyone from a non-technical background who aspires to create fabulous websites and apps. In this blog, we’ll discuss why availing Drupal development services is the best option for no-code development despite the availability of a plethora of other platforms.

Having received many compliments and accolades upon its 10th major release, Drupal continues its seamless journey to the future. Fresh on the scene this June is Drupal 10.1, a minor version that showcases the present strides. Meanwhile, the road ahead promises further innovation.

Who are you? (biography/background

Brad Jones is a 14+ year member of the Drupal community and a regular contributor to both core and contrib codebases and initiatives. Professionally, he is founder/CTO at Not Vanilla, Inc., a dating-industry startup with a Drupal and open-source technology stack. He has previously worked in state and local politics, investigative journalism, technology consulting, and served as CTO at a Drupal web development agency. A full-time digital nomad living primarily in his RV throughout the mountain American west, he also serves as a part-time paramedic in a rural Colorado county every summer.

Drupal.org profile: bradjones1

Why are you running for a board seat at the Drupal Association? (mission/motivation)

Drupal was recently recognized as a “digital public good,” and this distinction sums up well the important place Drupal has carved out in both the open-source ecosystem as well as the core global tech infrastructure. As Drupal matures from scrappy roots to a longer-term legacy, so should its caretaker organization. The Drupal Association has grown also, from early conference sponsor to infrastructure caretaker to policy advocate. As the association grows and matures – especially with a new CEO - it is important for its board to carefully craft and guide its strategic vision with care. I believe the Drupal Association can serve as a model for open-source project governance and longevity, but we must stay vigilant to balancing many competing pressures (both internal and external) on its mission.

Why should members vote for you? (qualifications)

My experience as the chairman of the supervisory (audit) committee at a nonprofit $2bn credit union, as well as an agency executive and now startup founder provides me a unique perspective on nonprofit governance and cooperation with corporate partners and individual contributors.

As a board member, I pledge to be open and accessible to stakeholders as we take on important issues of the association’s mission, vision and program execution. While our visions and beliefs may not always overlap, it is important for a strong diversity of ideas to flourish in boardroom discussions with the shared goal of building a stronger and more effective organization. Building on the strong work of the DA to date, I believe the Drupal project’s best days are still before us.

Who are you? (biography/background)

My name is John Doyle (_doyle_) and I run my life, and my career following 3 core principles: #OwnIt , #GiveBack and #BuildItBetter. I am passionate about open-source technologies and believe in the future of open platforms. My career, community, and company is focused heavily around Drupal and I am passionate about continuing to see the technology, the community, and the platform evolve and thrive. 

Why are you running for a board seat at the Drupal Association? (mission/motivation)

I am running for a board seat at the Drupal Association because I believe that Drupal has a future in the industry and I have a passion for making sure this belief becomes a reality. Drupal has enormous power as a content management system and an amazing community of people working on it. 

I’ve built my campaign around the following pillars:

1. The future of the open web depends on projects like Drupal to continue to innovate, thrive, and evolve. The open web is a decentralized and democratic platform that allows anyone to create and share content, and I believe it is essential for freedom of expression, innovation, and economic opportunity. Drupal is a powerful and flexible content management system that can be used to build anything from simple websites to complex applications. But more importantly, it’s an open source platform, which means that anyone can contribute to its development. This makes Drupal uniquely positioned to lead the way in the development of the open web, and I’m committed to helping ensure it continues to play a key role in the future of the open internet.
2. Building the Drupal community will mean supporting and getting support from thousands of volunteers from all over the world who contribute to the platform in a variety of ways – such as writing code, organizing events, and sharing best practices. This is what gives Drupal its power. Drupal is built by and for the community, and it's the community that drives innovation and adoption of cutting-edge web development strategies. I'm committed to working with the Drupal Association to ensure that the Drupal platform continues to be the best it can be, and a large part of that effort will involve supporting and growing this community.
3. Drupal needs to continue to to expand its global reach. Drupal is a global project, but much of the focus and decisions that drive the platform have to date mostly come from North America and Europe. I'm committed to working with the community to expand Drupal's reach to other regions like South America and India to more actively bring the perspectives and ideas and talent of these communities into the conversation. This will help to ensure that Drupal remains competitive and relevant in the years to come.

This is an opportunity to give back to a community that has given so much to me. I am excited to get more involved with the Drupal Association and extend my contributions to the community. 

Why should members vote for you? (qualifications)

I run a successful development agency focused on building open-source applications for organizations large and small. I have been active in the Drupal community for over 12 years and have experience with a wide range of roles in the community including developer, architecture, technology buyer, speaker, module developer and business leader. This experience combined with the wide range of Drupal consulting engagements gives me a unique ability to understand the needs of various user personas leveraging Drupal today and the needs of tomorrow. 

As an active member of the board, I will use my experience, energy and passion for Drupal to help the project and the community thrive.

Introduction:

A visionary technologist and a Drupal evangelist, Saunders has journeyed from a curious developer to a recognized authority in the Drupal community is a testament to his passion, dedication, and innovation.

Early Years and Passion for Technology:

Born in Canada, J. Matthew Saunders demonstrated an early affinity for technology. Growing up in an environment permeated with innovation, he was drawn to computers and programming from an early age. His insatiable curiosity and determination set the stage for a remarkable career in the tech world.

Discovery of Drupal:

Saunders' path took a significant turn when he discovered Drupal, an open-source content management system, in 2006. He attended his first Drupalcon in 2007 and has been to 25 since then.  Enchanted by its flexibility and extensibility, he saw Drupal not just as a tool for building websites but as a canvas for creating digital experiences. He immersed himself in the Drupal community, engaging in forums, attending meetups, and contributing to the platform's development. His expertise quickly grew, and he began to share his insights through blog posts, tutorials, and talks at tech conferences.

Advocacy and Thought Leadership:

Recognizing the transformative potential of Drupal, Saunders became a fervent advocate for the platform. He championed its virtues as a scalable, modular, and customizable solution for businesses of all sizes. Through his engaging talks and writings, he demystified complex Drupal concepts, making them accessible to developers and businesses alike. His ability to articulate the value of Drupal played a crucial role in expanding its user base and solidifying its reputation in the CMS landscape. 

Most recently he has been advocating for neurodiverse members of the technology community, using his own lived experience with Autism, ADD, and Dyslexia. He spoke on this at both Drupalcon Amsterdam https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=DwsHz_SxHbk and Drupalcon Portland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfOYhIXSY3Q. This led to a first series of short videos as well: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4yyIZyjK4ZmJstSzU-wMPqFHlRV0faaH 

Contributions to the Drupal Ecosystem:

Saunders' contributions to the Drupal ecosystem are nothing short of monumental. 

• He was a founder of Drupalcamp Colorado - the longest continuously running camp - in 2007. Since then, he has led the professionalization of the camp and shepherded it to becoming a full-blown educational nonprofit in the US where he currently sits as its chair.
• He was on the founding committee for the Event Organizers’ Working Group and has sat on the committee since its inception in January 2019.
• He has spoken at 9 Drupalcons, numerous camps, and has been interviewed by Drupalize Me, Talking Drupal, and by the Drop Times
• He sat on the Drupal Association Board of Directors from Nov 2013 - March 2016, responsible for increasing the term for At Large Directors from one year to two years
• He is an Admin for the Drupal Facebook Page
• He was the Customer Service Manage and Volunteer Wrangler for Drupalcon Denver
• He is a trained Code of Conduct Contact

Current Role:

Saunders’ currently works for Pfizer as a Director for Health Care Providers’ Experience and leads the backend team using Drupal and a service layer. He is an organizer of Drupalcamp Colorado. He sits on the Event Organizers’ Working Group. He is Chairperson for Drupal Colorado. You can see his LinkedIn Profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmsaunders/ 

Legacy and Future:

As a trailblazer in the Drupal community, J. Matthew Saunders' legacy continues to evolve. His advocacy for open-source principles and his dedication to empowering businesses through Drupal have left an indelible mark on the web development industry. Looking ahead, his influence will undoubtedly shape the future of web development methodologies and technologies, inspiring new generations of developers to build upon his foundation. He believes his value can be used well on the Drupal Association Board once again.

Why Should You Vote For Matthew?

Matthew can leverage his experience from working in nonprofits, with nonprofits, and leading nonprofits to help provide excellent governance within the Drupal Association. He has decades of experience in Canada and the US. He can also bring his experience working with all kinds of Drupal-related organizations ranging from small agencies to international corporations. He has experience working as a Board Member on multiple US based nonprofits including a term with the Association.