Every strong open source community depends on people who are willing to contribute; not just through code, but through leadership, collaboration and helping create opportunities for others.
This September, the DrupalSouth community will once again elect members to the DrupalSouth Steering Committee, and we'd like to encourage everyone in our community to start thinking about whether this might be the right opportunity for you.
Why a Steering Committee?
The DrupalSouth Steering Committee exists to provide continuity for our community across Australia and New Zealand. Rather than each conference existing in isolation, the committee provides long-term governance, supports local organising teams, maintains community initiatives and helps ensure DrupalSouth continues to thrive for years to come.
Our role extends well beyond organising the annual conference. We work throughout the year on initiatives including:
- Supporting DrupalSouth conferences across Australia and New Zealand, and the Community Day held in Canberra
- Building relationships across the Australian and New Zealand Drupal communities
- Managing budgets and governance in partnership with Linux Australia
- Supporting local meetups and community initiatives
- Marketing and promoting Drupal across our region
- Working with volunteers, sponsors and organisers to ensure the long-term sustainability of DrupalSouth.
This Year's Elections
All committee positions will conclude their current terms in either November 2026 or May 2027. This approach deliberately balances renewal with continuity, ensuring fresh ideas are introduced while preserving organisational knowledge.
The current Steering Committee consists of:
- Julia Topliss: Chair - Seat to May 2027
- Chris Burgess: Secretary - Seat to May 2027
- Margery Tongway: Treasurer - Seat to November 2026
- Ashleigh King: Seat to November 2026
- Vladimir Roudakov: Seat to November 2026
The upcoming election represents an opportunity for new members to help shape the future direction of DrupalSouth.
Who Should Consider Standing?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that committee members need to have organised conferences before.
In reality, we're looking for people who care about the Drupal community and want to help it grow.
You might be:
- A developer or technical leader
- A designer or UX professional
- A project manager
- A digital strategist
- Someone involved in community building
- An organiser of local meetups
- A long-time contributor—or someone ready to contribute in a new way
Different experiences strengthen the committee, and diversity of thought helps us make better decisions for the community.
What Is the Commitment?
The Steering Committee is made up entirely of volunteers.
We meet approximately once a month online, collaborate throughout the year as required, and become more involved as major events approach. Committee members often contribute in areas that align with their own interests and strengths, whether that's governance, sponsorship, marketing, finance, community engagement, event planning or strategy.
Many members balance committee responsibilities alongside full-time work and other community commitments.
Not Sure If It's Right For You?
That's perfectly normal.
If you've ever found yourself thinking:
- "I'd like to help the community."
- "I have ideas I'd like to contribute."
- "I wish DrupalSouth did more of..."
- "I'd like to learn more about how things work."
...then we'd encourage you to consider putting your hand up.
Leadership in open source isn't about having all the answers; it's about being willing to contribute, collaborate and help build something bigger than yourself.
What Happens Next?
Over the coming weeks we'll publish more information about:
- Call for nomination online form (self-nomination)
- Election timeline
- Committee responsibilities
- Frequently asked questions
- Opportunities to meet current committee members and ask questions
Whether you're considering standing yourself, or simply voting in the election, we encourage everyone in our community to get involved.
DrupalSouth has always been built by the community, for the community; and its future depends on people who are willing to help shape what's next.
We look forward to sharing more details soon.