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Nominee for 2026 Python Software Foundation Board Election

Nina Zakharenko

  • Previous Board Service: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
  • Employer: Self
  • Other Affiliations: PyCascades Organizer (2020), PyCascades Co-Chair (2021)
  • 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’ve been a long-time member of the Python community, starting with my first PyCon US in Santa Clara in 2013. Over the past decade, I’ve helped organize PyCascades, taught Python to hundreds of students, and given talks, workshops, and keynotes at Python events around the world. I’ve also held roles at Microsoft and Google focused on Python, open source, developer communities, and open source security.

      I previously served on the PSF Board of Directors from June 2020 to June 2023, including as a Communications Co-Chair from 2021–2022 and Co-Vice Chair from 2022–2023. During my three-year tenure, I worked on initiatives around grants, making PSF membership more accessible through the introduction of a $25 membership tier, and adapting Python community events (both remote and in person) to the challenges of the COVID era.

      I’ve stepped back from volunteering over the past few years, but I’m interested in returning to the Board in 2026 because I believe both the Python community and the environment around it are entering a period of significant change.

      • Open source is changing. The PSF has to work with changes in how open source is funded, maintained, and secured, as well as changes in conference attendance, sponsorship, and community participation. I’ve worked on these problems from several sides, as an open source contributor, community advocate, PSF director, and in professional roles focused on open source and software security.
      • Python education in the age of AI. As a Python educator, I’ve been thinking about how we teach programming now that AI tools can generate code instantly. I believe the PSF, through its policies, grants, and working groups, has a role to play in how Python is taught in the age of AI and how we help new learners develop the skills to understand the code they write and become capable programmers.
      • Experience with PSF governance. Having already served three years on the Board, including as co-Vice Chair, I understand both the public-facing responsibilities and the less visible operational work involved such as fundraising, executive oversight, and recruiting new board members. I can start contributing quickly while getting up to speed on the organizational changes of the past few years.

      Python has been a significant part of my life and career for more than a decade. I’m running again because I believe my experience is particularly relevant to the challenges the PSF faces today. I’ve served on the Board before, I understand the commitment involved, and I would welcome the opportunity to bring that experience back to the PSF and the Python community at a pivotal time.

      Speaker

      • PyCon US 2023, 2021 (remote), 2020 (remote), 2019 (closing keynote), 2018, 2016, 2015
      • PyCon Colombia 2022 (keynote, remote)
      • PyCon Indonesia 2020 (keynote, remote)
      • PyCon JP 2020 (invited talk, remote)
      • PyCon Korea 2020 (remote)
      • DjangoCon US 2019, 2018, 2014
      • PyCon Australia 2019
      • PyCascades 2019
      • North Bay Python 2018
      • PyParis 2018 (keynote)
      • EuroPython 2018
      • PyCon Russia 2017 (keynote)
      • PyCon Canada 2017
  • Nomination Statements:
    • Nomination by: Ee Durbin

      I’m happy to support Nina’s nomination to the PSF Board. I’ve known Nina through many parts of the Python community and have seen her consistently work to make that community more welcoming and accessible.

      Across organizing, education, open source, and security, Nina has consistently focused her experience and opportunities back toward the communities that make Python possible. Her previous experience on the PSF Board only strengthens what she can bring to this work.