2025 Board Candidate: Cassidy James Blaede

Cassidy James Blaede

Hey everyone,

I’m Cassidy (cassidyjames pretty much everywhere)! I have been involved in GNOME design since 2015, and was a contributor to the wider FreeDesktop ecosystem before that via elementary OS since around 2010. I am employed by Endless, where I am the community architect/experience lead.

I am particularly proud of my work in early design, communication, and advocacy around both the FreeDesktop color scheme (i.e. dark style) and accent color preferences, both of which are now widely supported across FreeDesktop OSes and the app ecosystem. At elementary I coordinated volunteer projects, lead the user experience design, launched and managed OEM partnerships, and largely maintained our communication by writing and editing regular update announcements and other blog posts. Over the past year I helped organize GUADEC 2024 in Denver, and continue to contribute to the GNOME design team and Flathub documentation and curation.

I was appointed to the GNOME Foundation board in March to fill a vacancy, and I am excited to earn your vote to continue my work on the board. If elected, I will continue my focus on:

  • Clearer and more frequent communication from the GNOME Foundation, including by helping write and edit blog posts and announcements

  • Exploring and supporting fundraising opportunities including with users, OEMs, and downstream projects

  • Ensuring Flathub continues to be recognized as the premier Linux app store, especially as it moves to enable financially supporting the developers of FOSS apps

  • More widely communicating the impact, influence, and importance of GNOME and Flathub to raise awareness beyond the existing contributor community

  • Helping ensure that the Foundation reflects the interests of the contributor community

I feel like the GNOME Foundation is at an important transformation point, and I look forward to helping steer things in the right direction for an effective, sustainable organization in support of the GNOME community. Regardless of whether I am elected, I will continue to contribute to design and communication as much as I’m able.

Thank you for your consideration!

11 Likes

Thanks @cassidyjames - I’d like to second your nomination and thank you for submitting your candidacy!

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Valid candidacy - is_foundation_member.