Becky Davis is a speaker at WordCamp Chicago talking about Never Launch without Training. Get to know her below!

Bio

Becky is a native Chicagoan who’s been working with WordPress since 2009 and specializes in custom theme development. She is active in the local community and has been running the Chicago Northside WordPress meetup since 2011. Along with creating beautiful and easily editable themes, she is fond of old movies, getting out on her bike and good whiskey.

WordCamp Mini-Interview

1.       When did you first become interested in WordPress? In 2009. I wanted to setup a site for my father. He was a poet and a bit of a ranter and I thought he’d enjoy having a public place to do that. Sadly, his health failed and he never really did anything with the site, but getting it setup and getting poetry to look like poetry in the editor taught me a lot! My clients were always asking me how they could control their own content and WordPress was the obvious choice to learn more about.

2.       What motivated you to speak at WordCamp? It’s fun and important to share. I’ve been an active member of this world-wide community for a while and the share and learn attitude of the community at large is what makes working in WordPress so rewarding.

3.       Why do you think WordPress is different from other web platforms? The community! That and empowering clients to control their own content.

Michelle Schulp is a speaker at WordCamp Chicago this talking about But Why? Designing For Strategy. Get to know her below!

Michelle is an independent designer from Chicagoland, living in Minneapolis. She studied Design, Psychology, and Sociology, resulting in a love of How To Solve Problems. Now, she specializes in WordPress theme development and high-end presentation design. A former WCCHI organizer, she loves to speak/volunteer/organize at events around the country.

WordCamp Chicago Mini-Interview

1) I was aware of the existence of WordPress for a while, but started using WordPress to build simple client sites in 2010, joining the WordPress community in 2011 when I went to my first WordCamp in Chicago.

2) I spoke at my first WordCamp (WordCamp Chicago 2012) due to the support of the local community and a need for design talks. I’ve been speaking at WordCamps and other events ever since. I am motivated by a desire to help teach and empower others to find their place in the web design/development/publishing space.

3) WordPress is unique because it focuses on both the Open Source Philosophy (the “democratization of publishing”) and also the end user experience of the person doing the publishing. While not perfect, most projects tend to focus on one at the expense of the other, like an open platform that is difficult to use, or a beautiful platform behind a walled garden. I think that aspect (along with the supportive community) is why WordPress is so intriguing from a design perspective.

Jim Birch is a speaker at WordCamp Chicago talking about Command Line for the Beginner. Get to know him below!

Bio

Jim Birch is a Strategist at Xeno Media, Inc who specializes in planning and developing digital projects for some of the world’s best clients. He is a seasoned writer and technology speaker, a co-organizer of the Drupal Chicago Meetup Group, MidCamp, and social media liaison for Backdrop CMS.

WordCamp Mini-Interview

1. After a bit of experimentation with personal sites, I first used WordPress professionally in 2008, version 2.5, to add and integrate a blog onto a custom ecommerce site.

2. I love helping others on their professional development journey as others have helped me.

3. WordPress has an incredible UI and a very easy on-boarding process not only for the user, but also the developer.

Adam Silver is a speaker at WordCamp Chicago this talking about Breakdown of Common Beginner Struggles & Solutions. Get to know him below!

BIO:

Adam teaches a beginner WordPress course at his local adult school, presents a monthly WordPress seminar at SBDC, runs the SouthBay WordPress Meetup and produces a weekly podcast over at kitchensinkwp.com. In spare time he hangs out with his wickedly cool 3 kids & wife, and makes some really bad puns, since someone has to.

WordCamp Chicago Mini-Interview

1. When did you first become interested in WordPress?

I heard about WordPress in 2006-2007 in the ether, but didn’t really start using it until late 2008 early 2009.  I actually tried two other CMS’s before making the transition.

2. What motivated you to speak at WordCamp? 

I really enjoy sharing, teaching as well as learning from others.  I just wish I was this excited about learning when I was in school!

3. Why do you think WordPress is different from other web platforms?

Everyone says it’s the community, and I agree, though there are other reasons as well.  The mission as Matt states is to “Deomcratize Publishing” and we shouldn’t lose site of that.  Publishing content of any sort gives people a voice to be heard that didn’t exist in the past.  Additonally, there is a place for all sorts of people within WordPress: developers, designers, trainers and project managers.  The platform is growing and that only happens with there is a support system in place.

Boone Gorges is a speaker at WordCamp Chicago talking about Backward Compatibility as a Design Principle. Get to know him below!

Bio

Boone is a core committer for WordPress and a lead developer for BuddyPress. His consulting firm, Hard G LLC, specializes in WordPress development for universities and academic organizations.

WordCamp Chicago Mini-Interview

1.When did you first become interested in WordPress?

I first used WordPress when I was teaching Ethics to undergraduates in the mid-2000s. I had my students use wordpress.com blogs to post weekly reflections, and leave comments on those posted by classmates.

I started with WordPress development in 2009, when a friend of mine began working on a WordPress and BuddyPress-based project. He was having some CSS problems – a float issue in IE6, if I remember correctly (!) – and he sent an SOS via Twitter. I responded, and quickly got roped into working behind the scenes on customizing the site.

2.What motivated you to speak at WordCamp?

I’ve spoken at dozens of WordCamps since 2010. It’s always been an important way for me to connect the professional work I do for clients with the larger community.

This is my first time attending WordCamp Chicago. I grew up in the Midwest, but have lived in New York City for the last 14 years. I recently moved to Chicago, and I’m excited to get to know the WordPress community here.

3.Why do you think WordPress is different from other web platforms?

A couple things. First, it’s ubiquitous – no other platform for web development is as widely used. Second, it’s easy – the barrier for entry, from both a user’s and a developer’s point of view, is incredibly low. Third – and this one follows from the previous two – the community surrounding WordPress is as diverse and interesting as any other community in the software world.

Kyle Maurer is a speaker at WordCamp Chicago talking about Disastrous Deals to Profitable Projects: Comparing My Best and Worst Client Experiences. Get to know him below!

Bio

Kyle is the co-founder of a Jackson, Michigan based firm called Real Big Marketing which specializes in using WordPress to solve complicated problems for businesses. He is also the author of and a contributor to dozens of WordPress plugins, is the co-organizer of the Jackson WP meetup, is a co-organizer of WordCamp Ann Arbor, plays in a band and is an aspiring beer snob.

WordCamp Mini-Interview

When did you first become interested in WordPress?

I had a passing interest in WordPress as a tool for powering a previous employer’s corporate blog when it was first introduced to me in 2011. Shortly after, I decided I’d rather run my own agency then work for those bums so I got more serious about web development and attended the first gather of the Jackson, Michigan WordPress Meetup. After that, no consideration was given for alternatives. WordPress or nothing.

What motivated you to speak at WordCamp?

Public speaking has been a passion of mine for quite a few years. I enjoy very much any opportunity to share my experiences with others in a way that helps them progress like so many helped me before. Plus, I’ve been so deeply immersed in WordPress for the past five years that I have a lot of lessons learned to pass on. Oh, and because WordCamp Chicago is always a total blast.

Why do you think WordPress is different from other web platforms?

Shoot, answering why WordPress is the way it is could take a long time and I’m unqualified. There’s a book though which is pretty awesome. As for what stands out to me personally that is different, there are numerous things. But some of the important ones include: the sheer size of the WordPress ecosystem which means finding help, tools and resources is pretty easy and clients are asking for it all the time. When I started making websites, no client ever came asking for a specific platform. They didn’t care! Now I have customers calling me all the time asking if I can build them something using WordPress. Crazy.

Josh Alexander is a speaker at WordCamp Chicago this talking about Marketing for the Anti-Social. Get to know him below!

Bio

I’m a WordPress Developer in the Chicago suburbs that specializes in working with other tech firms to help them meet work objectives they don’t have the tech skills for or time to handle.Website Link

WordPress Mini-Interview

1. When did you first become interested in WordPress?

I’m a recovering Joomlaholic been Joomla free since 2010. WordPress saved me tons of support calls been a WordPress addict.

2. What motivated you to speak at WordCamp?

Been speaking at these for a few years good to get out and actually meet like minded people. Speaking just increases your chances of meeting more people.

3. Why do you think WordPress is different from other web platforms?

The community is definitely what sets the WordPress platform apart from all others that have failed.