The Joomla! project is incredible not only because Joomla is the best CMS in the world, but also because our volunteers are skilful, powerful, and highly competent. Joomla volunteers never cease to surprise me with their optimism and positivity, always aiming to help the Joomla! project and benefit the community. 

One of these Joomla! volunteers is Laura Gordon, the wonderful lady who has been the heart and soul of JoomlaDay USA ever since the beginning of this great event. Laura is a force of nature, always smiling and polite, sharing her passion for the Joomla! project.

Laura's positivity and dynamism are contagious; coming across her will make you want to use Joomla! and become a Joomla volunteer. So, everyone, I present to you the Amazing Laura Gordon!

Hello, Laura, could you please introduce yourself?

My name is Laura Gordon.  Although I am originally from New York, I live in East Brunswick, NJ, so I consider myself a proud New Yorker.  I love living in New Jersey, as in 45 minutes, I could be in the hills of Pennsylvania, the busy streets of New York City, or put my toes in the sand at the Jersey Shore.

Can you tell us about your role as a Joomla volunteer?

I have been volunteering for Joomla since 2005.  My volunteering began with helping out with the Joomla NYC User Group.  Then I started running Joomla Day events such as Joomla Day NYC in 2010 and 2011.  Then, I started running Joomla camps in NYC from 2009 to 2019.  I became more involved with the Joomla organization in 2020 when I joined the volunteer engagement team, the Joomla User Group team, and the Certification team.

What does Joomla mean to you?

In one word… community.  But it also means my career.  My career as a web developer is 100% because of Joomla as a technology and an organization.

What makes you particularly happy volunteering for Joomla?

The people that I have met.  The relationships that I have formed and because of that I have a networking group worldwide where if I need assistance, I am able to reach out to someone.

If you could change something about your whole Joomla volunteering experience, what would that be?

There isn’t anything that I would change.  I think the New to Joomla sessions are fantastic; they bring more people into the loop and they explain well about how the organization works.  I think ALL Joola volunteers should commit to attending at least one New to Joomla session every single year, this way the ‘newbies’ will meet ‘old timers’ and really be welcomed into the community.

Do you think being a woman in the Joomla community makes a difference, and if so, how?

Being a woman makes no difference to me as a Joomla volunteer.  I think the biggest issue is just managing my family, career etc.  But women and men both have family responsibilities which pull us away from Joomla.   I don’t see a difference.

Would you encourage women to volunteer for Joomla, and why?

For women who are trying to balance family and work, Joomla is great to get involved in because you can have the opportunity to work part-time and build meaningful systems for your clients.  By being a part of the project at the same time you will learn more, and you will be better at what you are trying to do.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the world as a woman in technology?

Thank you to the Joomla world for everything.  The community is a place that I would never want to replace, and the friends that I have made are for life.  Thank you to Joomla, and thank you to the Joomla Community.

Where can we find you?

My website is: https://rytechsites.com.  I work full-time at Rutgers University, and I maintain 120 Joomla website for the university.  Also, I run https://jdayusa.com so attend our next event; we hope to see you there!

Thank you very much, Laura Gordon, for being an Amazing Joomla! Woman. Your passion and commitment are deeply appreciated, and we are looking forward to watching your great achievements in the days to come.