Imre Gmelig Meijling

Thank you for reading my page and for your interest in the elections. I am grateful for the opportunity to stand candidate in the At-Large Board Member elections for the Drupal Association again. Regardless of the outcome, I will continue to help the conversations going between the community and the Drupal Association and I will try and find ways to encourage even more diversity in our community and on the board. Ask me anything if you'd like to know more! 😀

Watch the video interview with Imre Gmelig Meijling

What does building community mean to you?

People coming together in common cause to follow their passion. It’s a place where people feel welcome and allows everyone who wants to be part of this too. It’s has unique ways to take and to give. When people's passions are aligned, communities can move mountains. Helping this build up has been my work and my life.

What does advocating for Drupal mean to you?

Letting potential Drupal users, developers, editors and organisations know about our powerful product, built on people's passion, based on an open ecosystem. To me Drupal is a testimony of how we successfully welcome everyone to contribute and fulfil their passion. I tell this to others, (potential) clients, professionals, friends and family. Bringing people together in events like DrupalCon and Drupaljam but certainly also outside our own channels is a way of advocating about Drupal. As a marketer I have always tried to focus on branding and consistency when it comes to Drupal. The Splash Awards which I helped get started is a great example of advocating Drupal both inside and outside our community. 

What is your favorite Drupal moment or memory?

Many, of course :-) ..Seeing all those people together at DrupalCon and at camps working together, that is so powerful. It gives me goosebumps. I remember working on translations, code and press releases in a foreign hotel lobby around midnight, at DrupalCon :-)
 
Getting Drupal adoption in various organisations that really helped them thrive their business, I’ve had part in this many times. But what starts as a corporate business transaction, sometimes changes into organisations actually embracing the Drupal ecosystem. They came for Drupal and stay for the community all of a sudden. Those are amazing moments! 

Dries Buytaert's interview for Dutch mainstream media RTL is also a great moment I'm proud to have helped with. 

What skills and strengths do you think you bring to the board?

I will continue to help the conversations going between the community and the Drupal Association and will try and find ways to encourage even more diversity in our community and on the board. 

Marketing/Public Relations, Strategic Planning, Program Development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Organisational Management, Open Source Industry Knowledge, Fundraising (includes sponsorships, charitable giving, grant writing), Community Building/Understanding of Community Needs. 

What best describes your personal style?

Coordinator, Motivator, Inspirer, Helper, Supporter. 

Do you have experience as a board member?

Yes, I am a board member for the Dutch Drupal Association since 2013 acting as Chair of Board since 2016. Currently part of the DrupalCon Advisory Committee and Track Team for DrupalCon Amsterdam 2019. I also have previous board and committee experience in various other roles in the past, personally and professionally.