As the Executive Director of the WordPress project, I led the strategic management and direction of 25 global teams dedicated to advancing one of the world’s most widely used open source platforms. My focus was to drive growth in software adoption, expand the volunteer community, and build a sustainable organizational model that supports open source innovation.Key Achievements:- User Growth: Expanded WordPress usage from 18% to 43% of the web.- Volunteer Expansion: Increased the active volunteer base by 3x- Leadership Development: Grew the number of FOSS-trained leaders by 5x, establishing a stronger pipeline for open source leadership.- Contributor Sponsorship: Increased full time sponsored contributors exponentially, enhancing sustained project support.- Leadership and Advisory Team: Built and guided an executive leadership team and advisory board to strengthen organizational governance.- Fundraising Innovation: Directed shifts in seasonal and project-based fundraising, boosting resources for emerging communities in new markets.This role allowed me to combine strategic vision with hands-on community engagement, driving growth and sustainability in a diverse, global ecosystem.

As General Manager of Automattic's open source business unit, I led the strategic planning and direction of resources dedicated to advancing open source initiatives. My priorities included optimizing operational excellence, expanding employee involvement in open source, and building scalable, sustainable systems to support open-source management.Key Achievements:- Team Growth: Scaled the division from three teams to 15, significantly expanding our capacity for open-source contributions.- Strategic Focus Expansion: Broadened our success framework from one pillar to four, aligning with evolving user needs.- Leadership Development: Established a comprehensive succession plan and mentored high-potential leaders, ensuring continuity and growth.- Operational Excellence: Introduced strategic planning and goal-setting practices to enhance alignment and focus.- Performance Metrics: Created KPIs and metrics to effectively track and incentivize progress, driving accountability and success.- Program Development: Identified and addressed key gaps in our product and program offerings to better meet community and organizational goals.- Partnerships Program: Developed and managed a strategic partnerships program to strengthen collaborations and expand resources in support of open-source growth.Through these initiatives, I strengthened the unit's impact, driving sustainable growth and ensuring that Automattic’s contributions meaningfully support the open source ecosystem at scale.

Gather and analyze website data ranging from volume and use data to usability and design data. Make recommendations on how to optimize for conversions and monitor the effectiveness of current strategies across multiple channels. Analyze client business needs and communicate them clearly to team members.