Kathleen is an HR specialist with an education background, through which she developed her management and administrative skills. Prior to XWP, she was the Office Manager of a non-profit in California where she streamlined donor relations and managed a team of four.
Q&A with Emily
Who or what helped you find your footing in WordPress, and how do you try to pay that forward today?
I was introduced to WordPress at XWP, my current place of work, but since I work on the people/operations side of the business, I didn’t really encounter much about WordPress (or even know there was a WordPress community) until my first WordCamp in 2022 (WCUS San Diego). I couldn’t believe how warm and welcoming everyone was and how “chill” even the conference atmosphere felt. Since then I’ve been more and more impressed with the collaboration between diverse groups of people that happen in WordPress communities, and I try to pay it forward in a few ways: by speaking highly of WordPress and the amazing community of people that power it in circles outside the WP community, by carrying the values I’ve witnessed in the WP community into my work, and by making sure I notice people on the sidelines at WP events 🙂
If you could engineer one connection at WCEH 2026 — a conversation, an intro, a collaboration — what would it be?
It would be cool to meet someone in People Operations at another WordPress company to share ideas and hear about their experience.
WordPress powers 43% of the web, but it’s the people who keep it alive. What’s a moment in this community that reminded you why you stay?
Haha, see my answer to question #1! But really, on Contributor Day at my first WordCamp, I wasn’t sure what I’d be able to work on since I’m not an engineer and really was only at the WordCamp to support the tech people who I felt like had more of a reason to be at a WordCamp, but boy was I wrong! I sat down at the Education table because I used to be a teacher and learned my skills could certainly be put to use. I felt so welcomed, and even appreciated, and it was so gratifying!
What does the WordPress community get right that other tech communities don’t. What could we still do better?
I can’t say much about the “tech” community, since I am not really a tech person, but one thing I’ve happened to notice is that WordPress cares a lot about accessibility, and that has made a positive impression on me. I am so glad to see we consider this while we’re building and that we make space for all kinds of abilities.
What’s a form of contribution you think is undervalued, and why does it matter?
(I probably don’t have enough context to give any useful answer here- I only briefly worked with the Education team and have heard of the work of the Documentation team, but I haven’t observed any division of contribution not being valued.)
A lot of people want to contribute but feel they’re not technical enough. What would you say to them?
Well, that’s sometimes me! I’d say from my brief time working with the Education team that there is absolutely work for non-technical people to do. In my case, I stopped finding time for it, but there was a wealth of opportunity to help out on many more teams than just Education.