Introducing WCLAX Speaker Keanan Koppenhaver

Keanan Koppenhaver will speak on “Open Source for Non-Developers” Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. in the Daytona Room at WordCamp Los Angeles. Keenan chose his topic because he believes, “contributing to open source is a huge component of our industry.” Keenan explained that he often hears from “people who want to start contributing but are intimidated because they’re not confident in their abilities as a developer.”

“I want to show people they can contribute, even if they don’t write a single line of code!” said Keenan. Getting started is what is most important, just as it is when one starts to drive.  Keenan’s first car was his Dad’s bare-bones silver Toyota Camry. It carried him through high school and college and was even passed down to his brother for a time, before “just completely giving out on the streets of Milwaukee.”

Considering those new to contributing, Keenan said, “Developers are the most eager to contribute, and as a result, lots of very popular projects have a lack of documentation and other ancillary materials that would really help the project out,” he explained. “This is a sweet spot for anyone who wants to contribute on a less technical level!”

“By learning to contribute to open source, LA WordCampers will be in pole position as open source work looks great on a resume and helps you connect with people in whichever communities they’re a part of. These connections can lead to jobs as well as all sorts of interesting opportunities. In addition to helping me get a job, open source work has helped me meet a bunch of interesting people and I want to share that experience with others!”

On fast driving, Keenan reminisced, “The fastest car I’ve driven was probably when I topped 200mph in a Porsche 911 Turbo.” He further shared, “Granted, it was on my PlayStation 2, but maybe I’ll get on a real racetrack someday!” On a more serious note, Kennan does have a dream car in mind.  “My dream car is a Tesla Model S. Maybe one day! I hear they’re coming out with the Model 3 which is *only* half the price. What a steal!”

Catch Keanan Koppenhaver LIVE at WordCamp Los Angeles:

  • Topic: Open Source for Non-Developers
  • Time and Date: Saturday, September 30 at 9:00 a.m.
  • Room: Daytona Room