Farewell, Sonja

Dear Magento community,

I would like to let you know that I have stepped down from my role as a member of the board of the Magento Association. My maternity leave is just around the corner and I plan to be absent from work for about a year. There are many places in life where you can be replaced by others but your home and your family is not one of them.

Therefore, I prefer to make room for a new member to join the board in my place, someone who has the resources to take on the responsibilities of being a board member, so I can focus on my life’s next chapter with my family.

When the board members reached out to me in early 2021 to fill in a vacant seat on the board, I felt honored to be offered this opportunity. To be honest, I only had a vague idea of what I was getting myself into.

It’s been quite a ride. I’ve experienced quite the revelation of a Dunning-Kruger effect. I thought I knew a lot about the Magento community. However, my time as a member of the board has shown me that there was still a lot more to learn and to consider. If you think Magento is complex, just wait until you meet the Magento community :)

Throughout this time, I’ve been lucky to receive continuous support from my fellow board members and many members of the Association and our wider community. They have helped me learn, adapt, grow and succeed. 

At least from my perspective, the MA is now in a better state than when I joined in 2021: Last year, we did not only launch the paid membership program but also the first direct and slate elections for the board. Our Town Halls and MA Connect events now also include updates directly from the Committees. Many Committees have adopted more robust processes to achieve their goals and a better collaboration.

So what’s next? 

My roles as board liaison on several Committees have already been filled by other board members. My seat on the board will be filled during the next board elections. More information on this will follow here on the Magento Association website and in our social media channels.

I’d like to thank you all for your support and for your care for the Magento Association and our community. And a special thank you to everyone who sent a kind word my way during these two years. Those messages were always much appreciated. They remain in a printed version on my desk as a reminder that this ecosystem is made up of individuals and that our personal connections are the most valuable assets we have.