Previously in the Women of Drupal series, I interviewed Drupal architect Lindsey Catlett on the role of tech and politics and becoming a team leader in the open source community. Check out all of Lindsey's excellent insights, here.
The Drupal community is an ever-evolving environment built on support, innovation and freedom of ideas. With over a million contributors, Drupalists come from diverse backgrounds and careers and work all across the globe. While Drupal members have done amazing work in living up to their Values & Principles to create a collaborative, welcoming space, there's still more progress to be made in establishing true equality and strong representation of women in tech and open source.
Acquia believes that the best ideas are born from listening to new, underrepresented voices and giving them a seat at the table. Our Women of Drupal blog series seeks to spread the perspectives of leading women in the Drupal community who have made strides in the tech space and inspire those around them every day to keep learning, teaching and contributing. The beauty of the web and the open source model is that it fosters communication and connection. If you're looking for further resources and information on how to connect with other women in tech, explore the Women in Drupal group on Drupal.org for career guidance and networking opportunities.
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For this month’s Women of Drupal spotlight, I had the pleasure of interviewing Leslie Glynn, a dedicated Drupal freelancer, mentor and inspiration to many members of the Drupal community. This April, Leslie was honored with the Aaron Winborn Award at DrupalCon Seattle. The award, which is named after a long-time Drupal contributor who lost a battle with ALS, recognizes an individual who “demonstrates personal integrity, kindness, and an above-and-beyond commitment to the Drupal project and community.” When I first met Leslie this year at Design 4 Drupal Boston, her compassion and eagerness to welcome new members to the Drupal community was felt by everyone in the room She took the time to personally introduce herself to each person in the class, ask about their work and hobbies and patiently answered every Drupal question, no matter how basic.
Leslie also recently won the election to become the next Drupal Association Director-At-Large. The position is part of the Drupal Association Board of Directors and specifically designed to ensure more participation of under-represented groups on the board. Read on to learn more about her vast career in the tech space and journey to being one of the most respected and adored advisors throughout the entire Drupal space.
Paige: How did you get your start in tech?
Leslie: After graduating from college with a BS in Mathematics, I took a job in an engineering organization as a software developer.
Paige: How did you first discover Drupal?
Leslie: In 2011 I was asked to take over the maintenance of a Drupal 7 site at work and had no idea what Drupal was. I went to a local Drupal camp, bought a copy of “The Definitive Guide to Drupal 7”, attended sessions by wonderful speakers, met members of the Drupal community and was hooked.
Paige: What Drupal function, project or contribution are you working on and/or most proud of?
Leslie: After being guided by so many great mentors in Drupal when I was starting out, I embraced the idea of giving back to the Drupal community. I’ve been involved with organizing, mentoring and volunteering at Drupal events for many years. Recently, I was selected as the winner of the 2019 Aaron Winborn award at DrupalCon Seattle in April. It was something I never expected and was such a great honor to receive this award. Aaron Winborn believed in being kind to everyone and I try to be welcoming and kind in all my interactions, whether it’s volunteering or running a Drupal event.