Mac Admins Foundation Announces 2025 Community and Conference Grant Recipients

Brighton Metropole

The Mac Admins Foundation is thrilled to announce the award of our 2025 Community and Conference Grants for MacAD.UK. After careful review of all applications, the Foundation has selected four outstanding recipients to attend the MacAD.UK 2025 Conference in Brighton.


Congratulations to our 2025 Grant Recipients:

  • Jarred Baker

  • Nicholas Suarez

  • Ben Kunkel

  • Jeffrey Matthews

All awardees have been notified via email and will receive registration for the MacAD.UK 2025 Conference at the Brighton Metropole (May 14-16, 2025) plus $2,500 USD towards travel and accommodation expenses.


We are incredibly excited to welcome these talented individuals to Brighton and look forward to the fresh perspectives and enthusiasm they will bring to our community. The Foundation remains committed to fostering the development of new technical professionals and creating opportunities for those who might otherwise be unable to attend such events.


Thank you to everyone who applied for this year's grant program. We were impressed by the quality and passion demonstrated in all applications.
For questions about the Community and Conference Grant program, please contact us at scholarships@macadmins.org or reach out via #macadminsfoundation

Mac Admins Foundation Announces the Charles S. Edge Jr. New Speakers Grant

The Mac Admins Foundation announces the Charles S. Edge Jr. New Speakers Grant for the MacAdmins Conference at Penn State!

In partnership with the MacAdmins Conference at Penn State, The Mac Admins Foundation is proud to announce the Charles S. Edge Jr. New Speakers Grant, a new initiative designed to support the growth and development of the Mac Admin community. This grant aims to encourage first-time speakers to share their expertise at conferences, empowering a diverse group of individuals to contribute their insights and experiences.

Many skilled Mac admins have valuable knowledge to share but face challenges such as financial constraints or lack of prior speaking experience that may discourage them from submitting proposals to speak at professional conferences. This limits the diversity of topics and perspectives presented at conferences, ultimately hindering the growth of the community.

To address this, the Mac Admins Foundation is launching the Charles S. Edge Jr. New Speakers Grant. This grant will provide financial assistance and mentorship to individuals who have never presented at a professional conference, encouraging them to submit proposals to the MacAdmins Conference at Penn State. The Foundation aims to award at least two grants and will offer guidance on creating meaningful, relevant presentations that will be valuable to the Mac Admin community.

  • Eligibility: First-time speakers at a professional conference that have submitted a talk proposal to the MacAdmins Conference at Penn State. Preference will be given to individuals from underrepresented groups.

  • MacAdmins Conference at Penn State Partnership: Thanks to the support of Mac Admins at Penn State, two speaker slots are guaranteed for first-time speakers, with the possibility of more depending on various factors.

  • Identity Validation: If selected, applicants will need to provide a form of photo ID to confirm their identity.

  • Grant Amount: Each grant will award $2,500, which can be used for travel, lodging, food, childcare, and other conference-related expenses.

  • Mentorship and Guidance: Selected speakers will also receive one-on-one mentoring with a knowledgeable member of the Mac Admins community.

  • Deadline: Applications will be received until 5pm Mar 26, 2025 (which is also the deadline for submitting a talk).

How To Apply

  1. Submit a proposal for a talk at the MacAdmins Conference at Penn State at https://sessionize.com/2025-macadmins-conference

  2. Fill out the grant application form found here.

  3. The Mac Admins Foundation will reach out with next steps.

About Charles S. Edge Jr.

Charles S. Edge Jr. was a respected published author of technical works around Apple systems administration, co-host of the Mac Admins Podcast, host of the History of Computing Podcast, and veteran of Jamf Software, 318, and Bootstrappers.mn. He was a Mac Admin enthusiast, frequently finding new voices within the broader community and encouraging them to speak, publish, and write about their work. Charles passed unexpectedly in 2024, and his gregarious and inclusive voice was silenced; he is missed by his community of friends around the world. 

Charles Edge sticking his tongue out

Charles S. Edge Jr.




Mac Admins Foundation Announces New Officers for 2025

The Mac Admins Foundation today announces Board Officers for 2025, promoting Rebecca Latimer to Board Secretary and member of the Executive Committee, Chris Dawe to Co-Chair, while Tom Bridge transitions from Co-Chair to Chair Emeritus.

The Foundation held officer elections during the February 2025 board meeting.Officers for the 2025 calendar year are:

Erin Merchant, Co-Chair (2nd year)
Chris Dawe, Co-Chair (1st year)
Diego Iaconelli, Treasurer (2nd year)
Rebecca Latimer, Secretary (1st year)
Tom Bridge, Chair Emeritus (1st year)

After three years as founding Co-Chair Tom Bridge, moves to the Chair Emeritus and will continue to work with the Executive team to build the organization. “I look forward to serving the Foundation in new ways as Chair Emeritus, focusing on the development of our long-term plan and vision for the future,” said Chair Emeritus Bridge “beginning with a strong approach to expanding volunteer opportunities.”

Chris Dawe steps into the Co-Chair role alongside Erin Merchant after helping stand up the Foundation and serving as its first Board Secretary. “It’s been quite a trip from a far-fetched idea to the organization we have today, and I’m excited to help guide the Foundation’s new projects and growth,” Dawe said.

Secretary Rebecca Latimer joins the Executive Committee of the Foundation after leading several key operational projects. “I’m honored to serve as Secretary of the Mac Admins Foundation and support the dedicated professionals who keep the Apple ecosystem running smoothly. Captain Picard wisely said, ‘Things are only impossible until they are not.’ The work of Mac Admins proves this every day, and I look forward to helping the Foundation continue to empower and uplift this incredible community.”

Apply Now: 2025 Community and Conference Grant for MacAdmins at MacAd.UK

Brighton Metropole
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In response to the continued success and popularity of our Community and Conference Grant program since its launch in 2023, The Mac Admins Foundation is pleased to announce the continuation of this expanded program for 2025, supporting a range of events.

The Community and Conference Grant continues its mission to broaden the experience of deserving individuals with the intent to foster their development as a new generation of technical professionals.

The 2025 grant will provide recipients:

  • Registration for the MacAD.UK 2025 Conference at the Brighton Metropole, scheduled 14th-16th May

  • $2500 (USD) to cover applicable expenses

The Mac Admins Foundation desires that the grant be awarded to those individuals who have financial need, or, may otherwise lack the means or opportunity to attend an event of this type. Therefore, grant program applicants should self identify with one or more of the following criteria:

  • You are early in, or starting, your career in technology

  • You have not previously been able to attend an event or conference of this type

  • You are currently unable to self-fund, or secure institutional funding for event attendance

The Community and Conference Grant does not require formal submission of work or financial credentials. This grant is designed to support individuals who are passionate about advancing their technical skills and knowledge, and who would benefit from the opportunity to connect with experts and leaders in the field.

To apply for the grant, interested candidates must submit an application that includes responses to several questions related to their experience and goals in the technical field.

Applications will be reviewed by the grant committee, who will evaluate each response based on factors such as relevance, depth, clarity, specificity, and originality.

We encourage all interested individuals to apply for this scholarship and to share this opportunity with others who may be interested. The deadline for applications is Sunday, March 9th 2025, and successful applicants will be notified on or about Friday, March 21st, 2025.

You can contact the Mac Admins Foundation at scholarships@macadmins.org or #macadminsfoundation with any questions.

Mac Admins Foundation Announces End of Year Drive

Following the rousing success of our first membership drive earlier this month, the Mac Admins Foundation is running a short end-of-year drive for those who missed the initial opportunity!

Beginning today, December 26th, and running through Saturday, January 4th, you have one short chance to catch up and support the Mac Admins Foundation through monthly or annual donations at various benefit levels:

Like our previous drive, members will have access to unique Mac Admins Foundation logo shirts and merchandise and digital membership cards (arriving in 2025).

To start your membership, head over to macadmins.org/join now!