Keynote speaker Shauna Gordon-McKeon talks to SeaGL:

Q: Could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background?

My name’s Shauna Gordon-McKeon, and my background is in the sciences. I was a neuroscience researcher for several years during and after college, and that’s when I first started writing software, and understanding the difference between free and proprietary software. I didn’t leap into the free software community right away, though - I was more focused on open data and open knowledge. I started doing community organizing around government transparency and around open access to scientific research, and as I learned more about software I saw how FOSS fits in with that. To me, they’re all manifestations of the same core values - the belief that individuals have a right to information about the world around them, whether that’s the results of an experiment or data about policing or what exactly a program is doing when you run it on your computer.

Q: Without tipping your hand on the actual talk, can you give us an idea of what we might expect?

I already did! Above, I mentioned the “core values” that draw me to free software. My talk is going to be highlighting the values that matter to the free software community - how individuals can follow their values to find meaningful ways to contribute, and how we as a community can grow in alignment with those values.

Q: Is this your first visit to SeaGL? If so, what are your expectations? If not, can you give us your impressions of the event?

This will be my first visit to SeaGL, and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve heard wonderful things! I enjoy smaller conferences a great deal - they’re less rushed, and it’s easier to connect with new people. I hope to have some great conversations with members of the community, and to be back next year.