As many of you know, the Drupal Association had to re-evaluate its 2015 budget, and with that came some staffing cuts. It saddens me to share that I am no longer with the Drupal Association as of July 1. I have truly enjoyed my time learning about this community and its quirks, and have loved getting to know the talented and dedicated people who are so passionate about the Drupal project. 

Even though I’m sad to say goodbye, I wanted to take this last opportunity to reiterate the importance of our volunteers and their contributions, and to applaud the people of the Drupal community. The grassroots efforts of this community is what drives the Drupal project forward. In the future, when you encounter trouble when working on an issue, planning your next DrupalCamp, or running a sprint, I hope that you’ll remember that every setback is an opportunity for growth and perspective. It has been humbling to see how our community uses those opportunities to propel Drupal into the next phase of development and build a better world in the process.

Whether we’ve met at a DrupalCon Community Summit, corresponded about a Global Training Day or discussed how to jumpstart your local community, I enjoyed getting to know all of you and learning about this fascinating community’s needs. It is truly inspiring to me how our community members contribute their skills and time to the project, celebrate each other’s wins, and appreciate every person who makes this community thrive, regardless of the scope of his or her contribution. 

Even though I will no longer be with the Drupal Association, I’m pleased to say that our celebration of the community will continue without me. The INCREDIBLY talented staff of this organization will continue to support programs such as Global Training Days, Drupal Camps, and the Community Organizer Newsletter. As we move forward, please don’t hesitate to reach out to these staff members regarding our community programs:

• Global Training Days -  Lizz Trudeau
• Drupal Camps -  Lizz Trudeau
• Community Summit - Holly Ross
• Community Newsletters and Community Spotlight - Leigh Carver

As for me, I’m off to new adventures. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I can assure you that I’m going to have a great time figuring it out. Want to keep in touch? Reach out to me on LinkedIn, Drupal.org, or Twitter. I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for the lessons learned and for all the fond memories. I hope to work with you again soon.

Best,

Lauren Shey