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Nominee for 2026 Python Software Foundation Board Election

Elaine Wong

  • Previous Board Service: New board member
  • Employer: CBC News
  • Other Affiliations: PyCon US, PyCon Canada, Python Toronto, Pyladies Toronto, csv,conf, NICAR
  • Mission Alignment: This candidate affirms their nomination and positions are aligned with the current mission and bylaws of the Python Software Foundation.
  • Nominee Statement:

      Hello! I’m Elaine Wong, a journalist, technologist, conference organizer, and open-source community builder based in Toronto, Canada. I am running for the PSF Board because I believe Python’s future depends on investing in people as seriously as we invest in infrastructure, and I would be honoured to bring my experience, care, and practical approach to the Board.

      I hope to help advance the work outlined in the PSF’s strategic plan, and would advocate for sustainable community organizing, stronger volunteer support, meaningful global inclusion, clearer pathways for new contributors, and responsible stewardship of the PSF’s resources.

      My main goals as PSF Board member would be:

      • Championing clear, trustworthy governance. My background in journalism taught me that true transparency means explaining why decisions are made, not just what was decided. I will advocate for accessible communication, open processes, and genuine opportunities for community input.
      • Empowering regional communities. The PSF doesn’t need to run every local initiative, but we can make life much easier for local organizers. I want to provide better tools, mentorship, and fundraising guidance so regional groups don't have to reinvent the wheel from scratch.
      • Building a resilient future for PyCon US. Having served as Co-Chair and Chair, I deeply understand both the magic of PyCon US being a community-run conference and the complex operational realities behind it. I want to help protect what makes our flagship conference so special while building a more predictable, financially sustainable foundation for years to come.
      • Sustaining our volunteers. Our community runs on volunteer passion, but passion isn't an infinite resource. I want to focus on preventing burnout, breaking down knowledge silos, and creating clear, encouraging on-ramps so new leaders feel supported when they step forward.
      • Opening clear pathways from learner to leader. Learning Python is just step one. I want to ensure newcomers can easily see how to grow into contributors, speakers, mentors, and community organizers.

      Relevant experience:

      • Python Software Foundation Fellow.
      • Recipient of the PSF Community Service Award.
      • Extensive experience volunteering and organizing various community-run conferences (10 years+):
        • PyCon US Co-Chair in 2024 and Chair in 2025 and 2026 where I was working closely with PSF staff, volunteers, speakers, sponsors, and community members, and working closely with the Code of Conduct committee.
        • Core organizer of csv,conf where we organized multi-day conferences in multiple countries including Germany, US, Mexico, Argentina, Italy and online since 2015.
        • PyCon Canada Chair in 2018, and Co-Chair in 2019, part of the organizing committee since 2016.
        • AV nerd for csv,conf, FlaskCon, PyCascades, PyBeach and PyOhio
        • Volunteer for PyLadiesCon in 2024.
      • Part of the organizing team for PyLadies Toronto and Python Toronto.
      • Instructor for the The Carpentries and as a instructor at PyCAR, which is a Python bootcamp for journalists at NICAR, an annual conference focused on data journalism.
      • Speaker at UN Open Source Week 2026 as part of the Women+ in Open Source panel, where I shared the importance of community events like PyCon US.

      Quick bio and where to find me:

      My day job currently is as Senior Producer at CBC News, where I work across live news operations, streaming technology, and cross-functional teams. I also serve as an alternate member of the Canadian Media Guild’s Pay Equity Committee. Together, these roles have strengthened my experience in governance, accountability, policy, operational leadership, and bringing people with different priorities together around a shared goal.

      My work sits at the intersection of people, systems, and access: bringing communities together, helping information move clearly, and making technical spaces more welcoming. These experiences have taught me how to listen, build consensus, navigate complex decisions, and keep people at the centre of the work.

      Python has given me a place to learn, teach, organize, mentor, and build friendships around the world. And has allowed me to to spend the last decade helping to build inclusive communities. The Python community has been so welcoming to folks like myself, who come from a non-traditional coding background and allowed me to grow my technical skills and be a proficient coder and I want to continue welcoming anyone who is keen to learn how to code.

      You can reach me on Mastodon @elthenerd@fosstodon.org, Bluesky @elainew, or via linkedin

  • Nomination Statements:
    • Nomination by: Denny Perez

      I am pleased to nominate Elaine Wong for the PSF Board of Directors.

      I first met Elaine at PyCon Canada in 2018, where I volunteered while she was part of the organizing team. Since then, I've had the opportunity to work with her through PyLadiesCon and most recently PyCon US 2026, where she served as Conference Chair. Working alongside Elaine has shown me her ability to lead large volunteer teams while creating a welcoming and collaborative environment.

      Over the years, Elaine has contributed to many of the Python community's most important events, including PyCon US, PyCon Canada, csv,conf, PyLadies Toronto, Python Toronto, and PyLadiesCon. She has also supported the community as an instructor, helping others develop their technical skills and become involved in Python. Her contributions have been recognized through the PSF Fellow distinction and the PSF Community Service Award.

      From my experience working with Elaine, she is organized, approachable, and thoughtful in the way she brings people together. I believe her extensive experience organizing community conferences and supporting volunteers would make her a valuable addition to the PSF Board.

      I am happy to support Elaine's candidacy and encourage others to consider voting for her.

    • Nomination by: Hynek Schlawack

      Elaine ran PyCon US through some of its roughest years and it was a delight to watch her weather the storm with calm, effective and egoless leadership that would be of great benefit for the PSF. She has an aura of competence and a practical hands-on attitude to make things work. Her PyCon US role gives her a unique and vital perspective into the PSF’s most important asset that will require adjustments to survive.

    • Nomination by: Carol Willing

      I endorse Elaine Wong for the PSF Board with my highest confidence. I've known Elaine for over a decade, and she's an excellent communicator, a thoughtful problem solver, and an experienced leader. She understands the fiscal side of the PSF as well as the global Python community. Elaine would make a fine board member. Thank you.

      Carol Willing, PSF Fellow, former PSF Board member, Python core team, former Python Steering Council member

    • Nomination by: Jon Banafato

      I nominate Elaine Wong to be elected to the Python Software Foundation Board of Directors. Elaine is a seasoned community leader and conference organizer. Her experience organizing conferences including PyCon Canada, csv,conf, and most recently as PyCon US Chair gives her a unique perspective and skill set that would be a valuable addition to the PSF Board. As her PyCon US Co-Chair, I have seen her dedication to fostering and advocating for the Python community first-hand. I am confident that Elaine will bring that experience, drive, and care for these communities to all aspects of Board membership.

    • Nomination by: Jeff Triplett

      I recommend Elaine Wong. As PyCon US Vice Chair and Chair over the last three years, she has worked directly with the PSF, its staff and volunteers, along with the broader Python community. That experience has given her a clear understanding of what it actually takes to get things done within the PSF, and where the organization can make that work harder than it needs to be. She also understands that organizational change does not happen in a vacuum. Changes can help the community, but they can also create new problems, shift burdens onto volunteers, or have consequences that were not obvious when a decision was made. Elaine has enough direct experience with both the PSF and the community to perceive those tradeoffs and think carefully about how changes will affect the people doing the work. Elaine has a proven decade+ track record of working with the community, understanding how small decisions can negatively impact the greater community, and getting things done. I think her experience and leadership would be a real asset to the PSF Board.

    • Nomination by: Abigail Dogbe

      What I particularly value about Elaine is her combination of community leadership, operational experience, and a long-term commitment to Python. She understands the work that happens behind the scenes to sustain a healthy open source community. She has experience listening to volunteers, supporting organizers, creating opportunities for participation, and helping communities function effectively. These are important perspectives for a foundation whose mission is to advance Python while supporting a diverse and international community of Python programmers. I have personally seen Elaine go above and beyond for communities and events such as PyCon US, PyOhio, Python Toronto, PyLadies and more! Elaine's spirit of service, humility, and genuine care for community infrastructure to the PSF Board would be an asset to the entire Python ecosystem and I wholeheartedly support her.