La GNOME Foundation announced, recently, the appointment of a new executive director: Steven Deobald, Canadian free software advocate, GNOME user since 2002, with a strong track record in business development, collaborative project management, and leading open source initiatives such as XTDB and Endatabas.
Under the new role of CEO, Steven Deobald He mentions that his main role with GNOME will be to strengthen institutional transparency, improve community engagement, and ensure the foundation's financial sustainability. In his own words, his goal is to act as a catalyst for a more open, collaborative, and financially stable community, raising the public profile of the GNOME project through engagement with users, sponsors, and key ecosystem stakeholders.
Remember that The GNOME Foundation's executive director does not direct development technical staff of the desktop itself (since this is a task that falls to the development team), but plays a strategic role Key: represents the organization publicly, articulates relationships with other entities, coordinates fundraising efforts, and manages the foundation's internal operations. In fact, Steven Deobald isn't coming to redesign GNOME, but rather to ensure the foundation can continue to sustain it over the long term.
“Steven’s extensive experience in open source communities and his clear understanding of GNOME’s mission make him the ideal leader for the Foundation at this time,” said Robert McQueen, Chair of the GNOME Foundation Board of Trustees. “His vision for transparency and financial resilience aligns perfectly with our goals as we support and foster the diversity and sustainability of the GNOME free software personal computing ecosystem.”
His interim predecessor, Richard Littauer, a SustainOSS activist and community manager with experience in projects such as Node.js and IPFS, took over the role on an interim basis in July 2024 following the resignation of the previous CEO, Holly Million. Littauer, who accepted the position during a critical time, recently bid farewell in a humorous post titled «See you later and thanks for all the fish", after almost a year in office.
The controversial Holly Million move
Holly Million's mandate It was a choice that did not leave the community indifferent. Coming from the art world, with experience in documentary production and herbal medicine, Million generated controversy for his self-definition as a professional shaman, which provoked criticism (some unfairly targeted) from less open source sectors tolerant. Even so, he took on the challenge of leading a campaign to rescue the foundation from a prolonged financial deficit caused by its dependence on exceptional donations received years ago. After nine months at the helm, he announced his departure in July 2024.
Deobald's appointment has been greeted with even greater enthusiasm from the community, although some observers have suggested that this positive reaction may be motivated more by superficial factors than by a fair assessment of his abilities. However, his straightforward, values-focused personal presentation suggests a pragmatic and committed leadership.
An opportunity to redefine inclusion in the free desktop
One of the highlights of his presentation was the explicit mention of the importance of accessibility, a frequently discussed topic relegated in the development of free desktops. While platforms like macOS and Windows offer robust solutions for people with disabilities, the free software ecosystem and GNOME still suffer from significant shortcomings. This is especially serious considering that one of the fundamental principles of free software is to promote equity and inclusion.
Improving accessibility not only benefits those who face sensory barriers or motor skills. It also enriches everyone's experience: From users who prefer keyboard shortcuts to those looking to reduce eye strain or customize desktop interactions to their needs. In this sense, Deobald's sensitivity to these issues could mark a positive change, at least at the institutional level.
The arrival of Steven Deobald represents a new stage for the GNOME Foundation, with promises of greater professionalization, openness, and dialogue with the community. If he can maintain a clear vision, build trust, and secure the financial backing the foundation needs, his tenure as executive director could consolidate a stronger, more inclusive, and sustainable GNOME.
Source: https://foundation.gnome.org