Who am I
Hello there! Let me introduce myself, with a few random facts. After many years living in San Francisco, I still speak with a thick French accent. I write code for a living, primarily in F#. My main professional interest is in programs that use a bit of math to help make better decisions. When I am not in front of a computer, I might be found at the gym practicing Muay Thai, or playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends. One hill I will die on: ham & cheese croissants are an abomination.
If you want to know more random facts about me… ask me anything, either here, on Slack as @mathias, or on Twitter as @brandewinder.
Why I would like to be on the Board
To be completely transparent here, I have been debating whether or not I should run this year. I have been on the board for a few years now, and feel very honored and thankful for that. I take that duty very seriously, and, as I look back on this year, I don’t think I have been as effective as I hoped I would be, which made me wonder if it was time for me to step away.
So why am I running, then?
My vision for the F# Software Foundation goes something like this: an organization that promotes F# by making things happen that would otherwise be difficult to organize. In spite of some shortcomings, I still believe that the FSSF delivered that this year. Programs like mentorships, the Outreachy partnership, or the TryFSharp replacement (for instance), are very positive, and could not happen without the Foundation. And, while I won’t take credit for these successes, I think that my contributions have been positive, and that the board is better with me than without.
Last year I promised to represent the Community the best I can, listening to its various voices, and do my best to help it grow while keeping that Community a wonderful and special place. I also made a commitment to listening to everyone, and to keeping the FSSF open and transparent. I believe I did that, and I kept my promise to show up weekly (well, almost) on Slack for office hours, to make sure your ideas and thoughts are heard. Being on the Board is a great honor, the least I can do is make myself available to all members - and, if elected, you can expect the same from me this year.
That being said, I also think this year highlighted some issues. In my view, one problem that became apparent was how fragile some programs were, because they relied too much on individuals. What I would like to do this year is work with other Board members, and the Community at large, to address that, and figure out a way to involve more people in programs to make them more sustainable. A different way to state that goal: if I am elected this year, I intend this to be my last year on the Board, and I will focus on making sure the various programs are in a good shape to continue growing over time, regardless of who is on the Board.
Thank you for your attention