Jesse Friedman is Lead Organizer for this year’s Providence WordCamp. He is also a frequent speaker at WordCamps around the country. Why did he agree to step into the Lead Organizer position for this year’s Providence WordCamp?
What motivates you to put the time and effort into WordCamp?
Jesse- I firmly believe in giving back to a community that has done so much for me.
What are the obstacles and how do you overcome them?
Jesse- The biggest obstacle is putting on a conference when it’s not your day job. Carving out that much time takes dedication. I’m lucky to have a really awesome team of organizers who help me stay on track.
Why do you think so many people volunteer their time: to organize, to speak, to work the day of WordCamp?
Jesse- From my experience most people who volunteer recognize that WordPress wouldn’t exist otherwise. It’s comprised of code written by volunteers.
People joke that Rhode Island is “a speed bump between NYC and Boston.” What are the advantages/disadvantages of hosting a WordCamp in a small state nestled between those cities?
Jesse – I agree people do say that, but Technology and our Community is not bound by state lines. New England has a great WordPress and Tech community and we plan to draw people from all over the area. Last year we had people flying across the country to our little state to enjoy WordCamp.
Where does the Rhode Island WordPress/WordCamp community fit in with the global picture?
Jesse- We are one piece of the puzzle. The bigger picture is a singular community that drives WordPress. We are a hub to the local members of that community.
What is your favorite part of WordCamp?
Jesse- The networking, making friends, and working with others. The sessions are pretty sweet too.
What do you get out of it?
Jesse- Other than the extensive knowledge I gain, I meet a lot of awesome people. It’s really great to get to work with everyone, and see our conference bring joy to others
What is your level of comfort with creating and maintaining websites?
Jesse- 100 out of 10
What do you do with WordPress?
Jesse- It’s easier to answer what I don’t do. I love pushing the envelope and seeing how far it will go. In the past I was strictly development but lately I have been spending far more time doing UX (User Experience) and User Advocacy work.
Jesse Friedman is an Internet Business Strategist, Marketer, Developer, Author, Speaker, and Educator.
{Jesse’s website} http://jes.se.com
{twitter} http://twitter.com/professor
{Facebook} http://facebook.com/wordpressandweb