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.
