Bio

I have 20+ years of experience in the open source software industry, and have positively impacted thousands of people. I have expertise in community management and outreach, event management, public speaking, project management, technical and non-technical writing, and working with distributed teams. I have always worked to create a culture of diversity, inclusion and empathy, improving the experience of newcomers to tech (especially those from underrepresented backgrounds), leveraging open source for social good, and helping other developers be the best versions of themselves so that in turn, the tech industry will be a better place for us all. I am currently the Community Manager for CHAOSS, an open source software project under the Linux Foundation, that focuses on collecting and analyzing data and developing metrics with regard to open source community health, something that is dear to my heart. I have written 2 fiction books, 3 technical books, given 37 talks, written 52 magazine articles and blog posts, appeared on 20 podcasts, and organized over 100 events, large and small. Additionally, I am a nature lover and photographer specializing in botanical photography, with a large collection of fine art prints available for sale online. I also post a nature photo a day from my own adventures and license my digital work to musicians, artists, authors, and for personal use. I occasionally work with florists, garden centers, flower growers, nature centers, scientists, educators, and park systems to support them in telling nature's stories through photography, and I am currently available for commissioned work. I also offer support to those working in nature conservation, education, and research through special projects or licensing my digital work. I am a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA), and the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce in Anderson Township, Ohio.