How have you been involved in the Magento ecosystem?

For the past 5 years, I have served as the CEO of Amasty, one of the largest extension developers in the Magento ecosystem. In this role, I maintain a deep understanding of the challenges and pain points faced by both developers and merchants. This dual perspective allows me to ensure that our solutions not only meet the technical demands of developers but also address the practical needs of merchants, ultimately driving continuous improvement across the ecosystem.

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

I have actively offered my support to the Magento Association on several occasions, including running as a board member candidate in previous elections and volunteering to serve on a committee. Although my offers were not accepted, I continued to contribute to the Magento ecosystem through the Mage-OS community. There, I took on the role of project manager and content writer for the creation of the mage-os.org website, and I coordinated efforts within the Amasty team to assist with design and content tasks.

Beyond the Magento ecosystem, I have volunteered with other non-profit organizations as well. I served as a board member for the PMI Chapter and as a mentor for getmentor.dev, offering my expertise and guidance to support their missions.

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

Through my ongoing dialogue with Amasty clients and partners, I have a strong pulse on the current needs and demands of the global Magento community. My position as CEO, combined with years of experience in the commerce ecosystem, allows me to bring both strategic insight and practical execution to the table. I can not only help shape actionable plans based on community needs but also ensure their effective implementation, leveraging my expertise to foster open collaboration and drive meaningful results for the ecosystem.

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

While I believe there is great value in pursuing long-term projects that will bring lasting impact, it’s important to focus on key steps that will set the foundation for success. Here are three specific initiatives I would prioritize:

Public Roadmap for the Magento Ecosystem

Create a public platform where community members can suggest and contribute to initiatives driven by the Magento Association. This resource would allow for open collaboration, with a structured process for feedback and voting. Based on the first iteration of community input, the Board could publish a roadmap of planned initiatives, focusing on three key areas: Magento promotion, education, and community growth.

Merchant Education Program

Launch a series of educational materials—both visual and video content—aimed at educating merchants about the business challenges Magento can successfully solve. If the initial series proves successful, it could evolve into a merchant-targeted certification program, offering formal recognition for those who demonstrate a deep understanding of Magento’s value and capabilities.

Support for Agencies and Developers

Develop a set of materials that highlight Magento's competitive advantages and key use cases, specifically designed to help agencies and developers during negotiations with clients. These materials would clearly communicate Magento’s unique strengths in the marketplace. Over time, based on community feedback, this initiative could expand to include negotiation guides, FAQs, and other resources to improve Magento's positioning in sales conversations.

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

Magento Platform Promotion

The Association should take an active role in promoting Magento's strengths and capabilities to a broader audience. This includes targeted marketing campaigns, success stories, and partnerships that highlight Magento's versatility and value to merchants, agencies, and developers. By increasing visibility, we can attract new users and solidify Magento’s position as a top commerce solution.

Maintaining Magento’s Competitiveness

It's crucial for the Association to ensure that Magento remains competitive in the evolving eCommerce landscape. This means tight collaboration with Adobe including current Tech voting progress as a starting point.

Supporting and Growing the Magento Community

The Magento Association should continue to support and expand the global community through education, collaboration, and engagement. This includes providing more resources for developers, agencies, and merchants, creating mentorship programs, and fostering open collaboration between all ecosystem stakeholders. Strengthening the community will help drive innovation and sustainability for Magento in the years to come.

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

In my view, one of the biggest challenges the Magento Association has faced is acting as the mediator between the interests of non-profit communities and for-profit businesses. Striking the right balance between these two worlds is not an easy task. The Association plays a crucial role in identifying areas of win-win collaboration, but this work can often go unnoticed and is sometimes subject to criticism from both sides.

One major recent accomplishment was the clarification of boundaries and areas of focus between Adobe’s interests in enterprise-level merchants and the open-source Magento community. This clarity is a significant step forward, allowing both sides to better understand their roles and opportunities within the ecosystem.

Moving forward, I believe it’s important to focus on future goals and practical solutions rather than engaging in ""what if"" discussions. My approach would be to continue fostering open dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders, ensuring that the Association remains a bridge that facilitates positive outcomes for both the open-source community and the commercial side of Magento."

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?

I strongly believe that the Magento Association would benefit from having diverse representatives on the Board, including voices from key ecosystem groups such as extension developers and merchants. The perspectives and priorities of these two groups, while sometimes different, can complement each other and bring valuable insights into the decision-making process.

As the CEO of Amasty, one of the leading extension developers in the Magento ecosystem, I have a deep understanding of the technical challenges developers face, as well as the practical needs of merchants. This dual perspective allows me to contribute a balanced, solutions-oriented approach to the Board’s initiatives. I’m confident that my experience, combined with my passion for driving collaboration, will add fresh value to the Magento Association’s efforts to empower the global community and commerce ecosystem.