# 2018 Election Campaign: Gien Verschatse **URL:** \ **Category:** Foundation\ **Tags:** election\ **Created:** [May 12, 2018, 5:47am UTC](https://forums.fsharp.org/t/2018-election-campaign-gien-verschatse/131 "2018-05-12T05:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![selketjah](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.fsharp.org/selketjah/32/17_2.png) [@selketjah](https://forums.fsharp.org/u/selketjah)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2018, 5:47am UTC](https://forums.fsharp.org/t/2018-election-campaign-gien-verschatse/131/1 "2018-05-12T05:47:05Z")
**A bit about me** ![IMG_0929](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fsharp/original/1X/420597f85990a695fb3021ea27a93c288ccef8e3.JPG) For those who do not know me, my name is Gien Verschatse, I live in Belgium and I have been creating fabulous (and sometimes less fabulous) software for about 9 years. In the beginning I used C# to do that, but for the past 3 years I have been using F# instead. Besides that, I dedicate a lot of my free time to create environments in which people can learn from one another: in Belgium I help to organise two meetup groups: SocratesBE and DDDBE. I am also part of the fantastic team that organises Open FSharp in San Francisco, because it totally makes sense to organise a conference in San Francisco when you are actually living in Belgium. **Why you should consider me** I already am a member of the F# Foundation Board, where I am responsible for running the Mentorship Program. During my time as the chair being of the Mini-In (work group training and education) there were two rounds instead of just one and the successful mentoring pairs have gone up. For me this also started as a mentorship (not within the FSSF program though), and it has changed my life in a way I didn’t think it would. I had the opportunity to meet awesome people, a warm and welcoming community. I recently started my own company where I get to program in F# every day and I started speaking at conferences about F# too. I know that not everyone has this experience when they get paired, but it is a possibility and I want to continue to create this possibility for other people in the community. I promised my mentor I would pay it forward, and I realised I’m not done doing that yet. I know I can make the program even better and I would love a chance to do that. **Online editions of myself** [Twitter](https://twitter.com/selketjah) | [Blog](http://www.selketjah.com/) | [Github](https://github.com/selketjah) ---
**Author:** ![mathias.brandewinder](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.fsharp.org/mathias.brandewinder/32/10_2.png) [@mathias.brandewinder](https://forums.fsharp.org/u/mathias.brandewinder)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://forums.fsharp.org/t/2018-election-campaign-gien-verschatse/131/2 "2018-05-14T21:11:37Z")
**TL;DR: VOTE FOR GIEN!** Longer version: I have been on the Board this year, where I have had the pleasure to work with Gien, and I 110% endorse her. She has been doing a phenomenal job with the mentorship program, she’s always there to help make things happen, and she makes the Board a better place. In other words, she is pretty awesome, and she has my endorsement - vote for her! ---
**Author:** ![reedcopsey](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.fsharp.org/reedcopsey/32/9_2.png) [@reedcopsey](https://forums.fsharp.org/u/reedcopsey)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://forums.fsharp.org/t/2018-election-campaign-gien-verschatse/131/3 "2018-05-29T18:39:59Z")
Gien has done an amazing job taking over the Educational Working Group and the Mentorship Program, and expanding and improving it. I happily endorse her as a candidate, and hope that she can continue to serve next year. She was one of the Board members who was extremely dedicated and hard working, and accomplished a significant amount through the last year. Vote for Gien!