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Nominee for 2026 Python Software Foundation Board Election

Cecilia Tivir

  • Previous Board Service: New board member
  • Employer: RSIF
  • Other Affiliations: RSIF
  • Mission Alignment: This candidate affirms their nomination and positions are aligned with the current mission and bylaws of the Python Software Foundation.
  • Nominee Statement:

      Introduction

      I am Cecília Tivir, a Mozambican AI in Education (AIED) researcher, educator, and open-source community organizer. Throughout my journey in tech, I have focused on building inclusive spaces for women and underrepresented groups, co-founding the Mozambican Association of Women in Technology (Wansati Lab), organizing Django Girls workshops across Mozambique, establishing the PyLadies Maputo and Beira chapters, and expanding the local Python ecosystem.

      My connection with the community began in 2016 when I met the PyLadies Porto Alegre group in Brazil. Inspired by that experience, I partnered with local organizers to bring Django Girls to Mozambique as a welcoming gateway into Python programming. To connect our regional community with the global ecosystem, I joined PyCon Africa as a participant and volunteer, contributed to PyLadies Global, and helped launch local chapters across Mozambique.

      However, sustainable growth across emerging ecosystems, particularly in Africa and Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) nations requires dedicated governance, intentional representation, and direct access to resources. I am running for the PSF Board of Directors to bring the direct perspectives of regional organizers, educators, and researchers to foundation-level decision-making.

      Accomplishments

      • Volunteering: PyLadiesCon (2023, 2024, 2025), PyCon Africa (2025), PyCon Namibia (2026), and PyLadies Global.
      • Community Leadership: Co-organizer of PyLadies Maputo and Beira chapters; Co-organizer of Humble Data workshops.
      • Speaking Engagements:
      • PyCon Africa (2025): "Beyond Code: Understanding the Emotional Dynamics of Python Communities"
      • PyLadiesCon: (2023, 2025)
      • PyConZA: (2018)

      Awards & Recognitions

      • Outstanding PyLady Award Recipient (2025)
      • Django Software Foundation (DSF) Individual Member (2024)

      Goals

      As a member of the PSF Board of Directors, my mission is to foster sustainable growth, decentralize resources, and lower participation barriers. My candidacy rests on three core pillars:

      1. Simplify application procedures to reduce administrative friction for community leaders organizing local PyCons, meetups, PyLadies and Django Girls events across Africa and emerging regions.
      2. Foster cross-border collaboration between Portuguese-speaking and African Python chapters through shared educational materials, translation initiatives, and localized mentorship frameworks.
      3. Expand PSF and PyLadies mentorship structures to equip local community leaders with practical legal, financial, and operational playbooks for long-term chapter stability.

      Language and geographical distance should never restrict anyone from contributing to or leading in open source. I am excited to bring my experience in education, research, and community leadership to the PSF Board to help build a truly representative, globally connected Foundation.

  • Nomination Statements:
    • Nomination by: Eusebio Simango

      Cecília Tivir is a PhD candidate in Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, currently serving as a Visiting Scholar at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Her research focuses on data-driven approaches to improve digital education, with a special interest in how AI can enhance inclusive learning environments.

      Over the past decade, She has built a diverse career spanning academia, industry, and international development. From engineering software quality solutions in Mozambique and Portugal to leading AI-driven research projects in Senegal and the United States, she brings a global perspective to technology and education.

      Beyond research, she is passionate about empowering underrepresented communities in tech. As a Gender & Tech Facilitator and recipient of the 2025 Outstanding PyLady Award, she advocates for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. she co-founded WansaTI Lab to create spaces where technology and social impact intersect, she also co-started two PyLadies Chapter in Mozambique, PyLadies Maputo and PyLadies Beira, organized the first ever Django Girls workshop in Mozambique back in 2018 and has been actively involved since then and managed to take the workshop to over 8 different cities, has volunteered and given a talk in Python Conferences including PyLadiesConf and PyCons.