Reflections on Drupalcon Atlanta 2025

DrupalCon Atlanta 2025, my 26th, was packed with energy, insight, and incredible community moments. From the first morning to the final wrap-up, this year’s gathering was a great reminder of what makes the Drupal community so unique—its openness, innovation, and genuine care for each other.

I kicked things off with the Health Care Summit, where we explored how Drupal continues to evolve in the healthcare space. Special thanks to Michael Meyers, Chris Perry, Andy Waldrop, Jesse Meese, Jennifer Segalini, Gaurav Mishra, Hank VanZile, Adam Poulsen, and George Matthes for making that session not only informative but also a great place to network and share ideas.

Healthcare Summit. Phote Credit: Matthew Saunders

Another standout session was the IXP-Fellowship: Using Contribution Credits to Hire New Drupal Talent, led by Michael Anello, Carlos Ospina, and Ana Laura Coto Tristan. It’s exciting to see how contribution credits are being used as a hiring mechanism and how we can better support new talent entering the community.

Of course, the Driesnote was a big moment. Dries shared a clear vision for how we can return to our roots and focus on the power of Drupal CMS. I left that keynote with a renewed sense of purpose and hope that we can re-engage the "little guys", something that I think we lost with Drupal 8.

Mark Casias, AmyJune Hineline, and April Sides refereed The Community Working Group Roundtable. Their conversation around community health and engagement was so meaningful, I’m seriously considering getting more involved with the group myself. I'm already a code of conduct trained and play the role of a contact at Drupalcamp Colorado.

I also attended the Drupal Association Board Meeting, where board members answered questions from the community with an admirable level of transparency. These kinds of conversations go a long way in reinforcing trust and collaboration across the ecosystem.

At the Ripple Makers Round Table, Jitka Pilar stood out with her thoughtful take on fundraising for the Drupal Association. I left with new ideas—and a new friend.

The session on Site Templates and the Marketplace sparked a lively discussion about potential community-built resources that could help fund our shared initiatives. The energy around innovation was palpable.

One of the most inspiring sessions for me was the Drupal CMS Spotlights. After attending, I was motivated to download and run the Drupal CMS installer—and I honestly can’t believe how easy that was. Big thanks to Gabor, Elliot, Marcus, Balint, Joe, Renee, Emma, and Pamela for lighting that spark.

Outside of sessions, I want to send congratulations to Kristen Pol for winning the Aaron Winborn Award—such a well-deserved recognition.

Kristen Pol Accepts Aaron Winborn Award

A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who came to my session, “The Neurodivergency Superpower,” especially for showing up at 9 a.m. after Tuesday’s late-night events. Your engagement meant a lot.

Matthew Talks - Photo Credit: Rich Gerdes

Thanks also to those who stopped by the Bluefly.io Collective Booth. It was great to chat with so many folks about a new way to build and run an agency. The conversations were energizing and full of fresh perspectives.

Social highlights this year were terrific: George Demet’s birthday party at Skol, the Acquia mixer at Flight Club, the CivicActions party, and the incredible Esteemed get-together at Polaris. And of course, Trivia Night—our team came in 7th out of 21, but I was surprised (and honored) to win a prize for attending the most DrupalCons in the room.

But without a doubt, the biggest highlight of all was going for a scuba dive at the Georgia Aquarium with my friend Tim Lehnen. An unforgettable experience that topped off a phenomenal week. This is the second time I've set up a dive for a Drupal event. If you're interested in diving with me before or after one of our camps or cons (and we're in a place we CAN dive), please let me know.

Matthew in the Blue - Photo Credit: Georgia Aquarium

Thanks to everyone who made DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 so memorable. Connecting with you all was wonderful. The conversations were nourishing. So, until next time, be kind and full of empathy. I love this community.