Community Magazine 
Independent, creative software builder. Been around from punch cards to cloud computing. Proponent of a model driven approach.
I like modelling. When creating software you first make a model of the problem and solution. That is what philosophers have been doing for ages: building a model in order to better understand the complex world around us. The model and the modelling language are abstractions, found in a creative process.
Before I got my current job as Coordinator Communications & Digital, I ran my own company for 25 years. The first 15 years I was a writer / editor / journalist / writing coach.
In 2009 I started working with Joomla, not knowing anything about webdesign. I joined a JUG in 2012, two months later I was co-organizer :) (and stayed co-organizer for about five years).
I loved working with Joomla so much that I started projects, just to be able to create a website for them. That's when I thought: hey, maybe it's time for a career switch. In 2014 I decided to go pro with Joomla and switch to webdesign instead of writing.
Volunteer work
I already mentioned the JUG. After that I did a number of other things over the years:
- Writer: I wrote articles about Joomla in a Dutch webdesigner magazine.
- Speaker at JUGs and JoomlaDays.
- Member of the Dutch JoomlaDagen team for three years.
- Member of the team that organized all three editions of Joostock (a Joomlacamp/unconference event).
- Editor of the Dutch Joomla web agency brochure, a brochure webdesigners can use to convince their potential clients that Joomla is the right choice for them.
In 2020 I've started contributing to the Joomla Community Magazine, first as an author, and since 2022 I'm Team Leader of the wonderful Joomla Community Magazine Team.
Why I contribute to Joomla
To many people Joomla is just a tool. But if you look a little closer, you'll notice it's much more than that. It's a living system, raised and nourished by a community of volunteers dedicating their time to make it the best CMS ever. Without volunteers, Joomla wouldn't exist. It's not 'just a product'. Everyone who uses Joomla, can do so because someone, somewhere, contributed to it. I want to give back to the community that keeps Joomla alive.
And, probably needless to say: I love being part of that community.
Contributing to Joomla by volunteering brought me so much: valuable experience, more knowledge and a better understanding of Joomla and its community, and the opportunity to work together with a crowd of lovely people all over the world.
For me Joomla has been a hobby for a long time - since 2008. In 2019 I became as a Joomla extensions developer and now develop and maintain more than 80 free extensions for Joomla (see https://web-tolk.ru). Some of them are available in the Joomla Extensions Directory.
I am one of the moderators of the Russian-speaking Joomla community in Telegram. I publish posts on the Joomla Feed Telegram news channel in Russian, write Joomla digests and articles about Joomla development.
Husband. Father of 3 children. Saratov, Russia.
As a co-founder of Joomla! and OpenSourceMatters Inc I've never been known to be lacking an opinion or being too afraid to express it.
Despite what some people might think I'm a shy and modest man who doesnt like to blow his own trumpet or boast about achievements.
You don't need a badge to polish to contribute to Joomla you just need to roll up your sleeves and do it.
I've been an IT Consultant for some 25+ yrs, and a Web Developer for some 18+ years. I enjoy Open Source software and like to give back how and when I can. I have done some extensive beta-testing for many different projects/softwares.
I speak English, French fluently. I also have some languages skills in German and notions of Norwegian.
I have been helping indirectly Joomla for years but actively to the Joomla project since ~ Feb. 2024.
RytechSites
Owner, Developer, Freelance
Certified Joomla Administrator, Nov 2017
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
School of Arts and Sciences
Web Developer
Laura Gordon currently works full time at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Arts and Sciences as a web developer. She along with her team manage over 120 Joomla! websites.
Laura began using Joomla! in 2005 building her first website for a nursery school. As the owner of her own freelance company Laura has trained hundreds of users over the users, and has built many Joomla websites from Public Libraries to Pizza places. She runs the Joomla User Group of NJ since 2013. Visit JoomlaUsersNJ.com for more details. She was an instructor with JoomlaTraining.com from 2009 - 2011 where she gave in person classes in NYC.
In 2017 she was invited to attend the Joomla World Conference in Italy, and became officially certified as a Joomla Administrator.
She lives in East Brunswick, NJ with her husband Ira, and 2 boys, who are now 20 and 17. As a fun note, her husband owns, ThrillCoastertours.com, he takes kids to amusement parks during the summer time...
She always looks forward to giving back to the Joomla Community that has given her the opportunity to meet some amazing people and work with a great product, that keeps giving back!
- 2009 - Chaired - Joomla Day NYC
- 2011 - Chaired -Joomla Day NYC
- 2012 - Chaired - Joomla Day NYC
- 2009 - 2019 - Chaired JoomlaCamp NYC Annually
- 2011 - Presented at Joomla Day New England
- 2013 - Presented Joomla World Conference - Boston
- 2017 - VET Participant at Joomla World Conference - Italy
- 2019 - Presented Joomla Day Florida
- 2020 - Participated in Forum for the Future with Joomla - Spain
Laura is a member of the Joomla volunteer and engagement team with Joomla and the Educational & Outreach Working Group.
To learn more about the Training Initiatives Laura is working on, visit: teens4opensource.com
Ioannis Fytros is a web developer at the City of Athens (Greece), currently doing his Master's in e-Government, a strong supporter of open government and open source software, a constant user and huge fan of Joomla! CMS since the Mambo days.
About Maria Skampoura MBA, MCMI
Maria Skampoura currently serves as the Advisory Board Chair of the Joomla! Project, under the governance of Open Source Matters Inc., a non-profit organisation, headquartered in New York, USA. Maria is an expert in marketing and communications, driving brand growth and spearheading innovative strategies across diverse industries this is why she is also a member of the Joomla Marketing Team and the Joomla Community Magazine Graphics Team.
Maria holds an MBA with a specialisation in Finance from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom and a Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) in the United Kingdom. Dedicated to the values of CMI, Maria served as the Social Media and Communications Lead NED, at the Chartered Management Institute’s West Midlands & and North-West Boards, in the United Kingdom.
Passionate about entrepreneurship, Maria has provided students and graduate entrepreneurs with intensive start-up support for new ventures as a mentor in programmes such as BSEEN, in the United Kingdom. Currently, Maria is a mentor at Arden University, London United Kingdom, helping students/entrepreneurs develop their startup ideas and products.
With an unwavering commitment to innovation and enterprise, Maria is fully immersed in her technology start-up DEVELOPABLE LTD, in London, United Kingdom, utilising her vast experience and innovative mindset to drive its success.
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