How have you been involved in the Magento ecosystem?

For over 12 years now

In what ways have you contributed to the Magento Association and/or other non-profit communities?

I have not contributed to Magento Association because under the previous board, before Mathias has joined in, it was a closed club and nobody knew what it was doing.

As for other non-profit communities it is only on a local level - I supported a local school with computers and hardware few months back.

What value would you add to the Board to help us advance our mission?

As an active developer, I maintain close connections with the people who are deeply involved in the day-to-day coding and content creation within their Agencies. This allows me to be a ‘voice from the ground,’ bringing forward valuable insights from those who are working directly with Magento and its ecosystem. I can contribute a practical and real-world perspective on what developers and users expect from the Magento Association, while also understanding what they can offer to it in return. By representing this important group, I can help ensure that the association’s decisions and strategies are well-aligned with the needs and challenges of the broader community, driving meaningful impact and engagement.

What are the top 3 initiatives you want to see the Board accomplish in the next 6 months?

1. Bring Back Hackathons: Reintroducing hackathons would reinvigorate the Magento community, offering developers and contributors a collaborative space to innovate and solve real-world problems. These events foster creativity, build relationships within the community, and encourage new talent to engage with the Magento ecosystem.

2. Increase Community Contributions: The Board should create programs that actively encourage and reward more community contributions, from developers to content creators. This could include new recognition systems, more accessible contribution guidelines, and mentorship programs that help newcomers and experienced contributors alike to engage more fully.

3. Enhance Communication Between the Association and the Community: Establish more transparent, consistent communication channels between the Magento Association and its community members. This could involve regular updates on ongoing projects, soliciting community feedback, and creating forums or webinars where members can interact directly with the Board and Magento leadership. Clear communication will foster trust, keep the community engaged, and ensure alignment between the association’s goals and the community’s needs.

The last point I personally would do as a VLOG and post it on YouTube so people can watch it.

What initiatives do you want to see the Magento Association focus on in the coming years?

1. Establishing Standards for Meet Magento Events: Develop and implement a set of clear standards and best practices for organizing Meet Magento events globally. This will ensure consistency in quality, attendee experience, and alignment with the Magento Association’s mission. Having a unified framework will also help event organizers collaborate more effectively, share resources, and increase the value of these events for the community.

2. Taking Ownership of the Magento Brand: While ambitious and challenging, the Magento Association should explore pathways to gain more control or stewardship over the Magento brand. This would enable the association to guide the brand’s direction, preserve its open-source values, and better serve the interests of the community. Even if full control is unlikely, a formal partnership or greater influence over branding and product development decisions would strengthen the community’s voice.

3. Taking Over Contributions to the Magento Core Codebase: The Magento Association could take a more active role in overseeing and managing contributions to the Magento core codebase. By doing so, the association could streamline the contribution process, ensure higher quality control, and maintain an open-source culture that encourages participation from all skill levels. This initiative would also help foster a stronger sense of ownership and community involvement in the platform’s ongoing development.

What are the biggest challenges that you think the Association has faced and how would you approach them?

1.Reputation for Inaction:

Challenge: The Magento Association has suffered from a reputation of not delivering tangible results (or... actually delivering anything that matters to the Community). Whether it was due to Adobe’s control, Smith Bucklin’s management, or leadership choices, the community perceived inaction, and blame doesn’t change that reality.

Approach: To change this narrative, the Association must launch visible, community-driven initiatives with clear goals and timelines. I would advocate for increased transparency and regular communication to the community about progress. Quick wins, like reviving hackathons or launching new contribution channels, would help rebuild trust. Creating community-driven projects with real results would demonstrate that the Association is moving forward.

2. Perception of a “Closed Club” for Large Agencies:

Challenge: Smaller agencies feel excluded from the Magento Association, seeing it as a board dominated by large agency owners and Adobe Partners, which perpetuates the image of an exclusive, unapproachable group.

Approach: I would work to diversify the board to include a broader representation of the Magento community—especially small and medium-sized agencies, individual developers, and independent contributors. The election or selection process should be more transparent and inclusive, allowing a wider range of voices to participate. This will help break the perception that the Association is an elite circle and make the community feel more connected and represented.

3. Discontent from the Community:

Challenge: Many in the community feel that the Magento Association hasn’t delivered enough, even with the recent revival of magento-open-source.com. The community wants more than symbolic gestures—they want action and involvement.

Approach: To address this, I would propose regular, structured feedback sessions with the community, making it easy for everyone to share their ideas, concerns, and solutions. Creating task forces or working groups with open membership would allow more direct involvement from the broader community. Additionally, the Association should launch more collaborative initiatives where developers, agencies, and other community members feel ownership and contribution.

What else would you like to share to either the Election Committee or the membership of the Magento Association as they review your application? What makes you a great candidate to join the Board of Directors?

As someone who has been actively involved in the Magento community for over 12 years, and as a member of a smaller agency, I bring a unique perspective that truly represents the grassroots level of the community. I understand the challenges and desires of the ‘everyday’ developers, contributors, and smaller businesses that make up a significant part of the ecosystem.

I believe I’m a strong candidate for the Board of Directors because I have never been part of the existing Magento Association structure or an Adobe partner. This gives me the independence and objectivity needed to advocate for meaningful change. I am known for my open, and sometimes brutally honest, communication style, which ensures transparency and keeps the focus on real community needs.

My candidacy would provide the Board with a fresh perspective and help balance its composition, ensuring that the interests of smaller agencies and independent contributors are equally represented—making the Association not just a ‘large agency club’ but a true voice for the entire community.