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Nominee for 2026 Python Software Foundation Board Election

Kojo Idrissa

  • Previous Board Service: New board member
  • Employer: REVSYS
  • Other Affiliations: Django Software Foundation, DEFNA, DjangoCon US, Black Python Devs,
  • Mission Alignment: This candidate affirms their nomination and positions are aligned with the current mission and bylaws of the Python Software Foundation.
  • Nominee Statement:

      I'm Kojo Idrissa and I'm nominating myself for a position on the PSF Board of Directors.

      tl;dr

      I'm running to use my combination of business/financial training, software skills and global community engagement to contribute to the overall Python community. I want to:

      • Help the PSF remain focused on its core mission (Infrastructure, Community Support, PyCon US)
      • Focus on enhancing two-way communication between the PSF and the Python community, especially outside of the the US & Europe
      • Encourage the development and growth of transnational organizations to better serve the needs of the Python community in different regions

      None of it's easy but it's all doable.

      Who Is Kojo In The Python Community?

      If you know me or recognize my name, it's probably from my community organizing work or a talk I've given. I originated the Newcomer's Orientation at DjangoCon US in 2016 when I first became an organizer for that event. I've been helping organize another version of it at PyCon US since 2022. In 2018 I was also able to help with a similar session at PyCon AU. I was also the Lightning Talks and Development/Contribution Sprints chair for DCUS for a number of years. I'm also one of the co-founders of Black Python Devs waves in cousin.

      I'm a PSF Fellow and Community Service Award recipient, as well as a member of the Django Software Foundation and a recipient of the Malcolm Tredinnick Memorial Prize.

      I attended my first Python conference in 2010 and spoke at my first Python meetup and conference in 2013. After becoming a DjangoCon US organizer, I was on the board of DEFNA, the non-profit that puts on DjangoCon US. While there, I created the role of DEFNA North American Ambassador. In that role, I've spoken at a number of Python events in the US, while working on community-building and spreading news about DEFNA and its grants program. I've also been fortunate enough to speak at conferences in Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Australia, Ghana, Portugal, Uganda, and Tanzania.

      One of my primary purposes for speaking at and attending events has been to interact with different local Python communities around the world. We all have different problem sets and thus, we build different solutions. Building connections to help share that knowledge strengthens our global community.

      Kojo Before Python

      Before most people reading this met me, I worked as an accountant and a university educator. After earning an accounting degree and an MBA, I worked in a number of different industries, including time at two of the world's largest accounting firms and a stint at a non-profit. I've also worked as a university instructor, teaching accounting and computing in the US and in China for an Australian university.

      I stopped being a practicing accountant over 10 years ago. However, I'm willing to use the knowledge and skills I have from that career to help the PSF better serve our global community. I'd also like to use my business acumen to help encourage transnational groups outside the US to better serve their local Python communities.

      In Conclusion

      A wise PyLady once said, "No More Spreadsheets!". As a former accountant, I support this message. And I'll continue to support the Python community.

  • Nomination Statements:
    • Nomination by: Jeff Triplett

      Kojo brings a combination of community experience and practical skills that is hard to find. As a former accountant, he understands financials, which is an asset/skill the board needs. He also has a valuable perspective in community leadership.

      I also respect his work with Black Python Devs (BPD), and I previously served with him as a DEFNA Director and later turned Ambassador. I have worked with Kojo in some volunteer or professional capacity for more than a decade, so this recommendation comes from a long history of seeing how he works with people and organizations.

      He understands the Python community, the challenges that come with working through organizations like the PSF, and the importance of earning trust among different parts of the community. He has a proven track record of doing the work, sticking with difficult problems, and helping bring people together.

      I think Kojo would bring both a strong community perspective and practical organizational experience to the PSF Board.

    • Nomination by: Abigail Dogbe

      Kojo is a long time Python software and community contributor (13 years +) and he represents one of the qualities I believe is essential to the future of the Python community: the ability to make people feel that they belong and that they have something meaningful to contribute. His contributions and speaking engagements spans 5 continents with communities and conferences such as PyLATAM, PyCon Africa, DEFNA, Python Asia, Black Python Devs and more!

      Kojo also brings an interesting breadth of experience to the Python community. His background spans accounting, university teaching, software engineering, quality assurance, community organizing, and open source advocacy. That range gives him a perspective that extends beyond the traditional software developer experience and allows him to understand how Python can serve people at different stages of their careers and from different professional backgrounds and also the finance aspects of the foundation.

      I believe his perspective would be particularly valuable on the PSF Board. As the Python community continues to grow globally, the Foundation needs leaders who understand not only how to support existing contributors, but also how to welcome new people, develop future contributors, strengthen volunteer communities, and make participation in Python accessible to people with different backgrounds and experiences.