A Special Announcement, and a Special Thanks

On the occasion of Sabrina Coy’s departure from the Mac Admins Foundation Board of Directors, the Board offers its heartfelt appreciation for her outstanding service to the Mac Admins community in the founding and guidance of both the Mac Admins Slack and the Mac Admins Foundation.

Back in the day, Mac Admins kept in touch via a variety of social media and technology tools. Some of us relied on email, some on IRC, some used Twitter – it was common to introduce ourselves in person using names and Twitter handles. Conferences allowed us to meet face-to-face, and to begin professional relationships and personal friendships that would build careers and lives out of the challenges and absurdities of Managing Macs. But conferrences ended, shortening our conversations.

Such was the state of affairs in May 2015, when Sabrina Coy and a compatriot signed onto a new service called “Slack” and changed our Mac Admins world. Sabrina and her compatriot named the instance “Mac Admins” and started posting about it on Twitter. It wasn’t long before curiosity kicked in:

Bri Coy reacts to the first users joining the Mac Admins Slack in May 2015.

Two users turned into a dozen, a dozen turned into 50, and within weeks the Mac Admins Slack numbered nearly 100 users. During the 2015 summer conference session the numbers began climbing steadily, then rocketed upward, and by the time of our first analytics report in June of 2016, the number of active accounts in the instance exceeded 5,000.

Through it all – growth of the user base, creation of a Code of Conduct and admin team, promotion of the instance to include unlimited scrollback and history, and conflicts that inevitably occur in a growing community – Sabrina stayed in the middle of the fray, guiding the Slack’s growth and molding its values to embody community and inclusivity for all.

When it became clear that maintaining the Slack instance would require funding, Sabrina joined the ad hoc group that produced the Mac Admins Foundation, driving a plan to form a non-profit that would transform the Mac Admins Slack into a community that stands on its own, beholden only to itself, and which as of today boasts in excess of 65,000 accounts.

After more than 8 years of continuous work, Sabrina spent December and January handing over the keys to the Slack instance, and working with the Board to ensure that responsibility for the community would not remain with any single individual.

In summary, not only would this community not be what it is without Sabrina’s efforts, it simply would not exist. We can not thank her enough for what she has done, but we make it our mission to live up to her example.

On behalf of a grateful community: thank you, Sabrina, for everything.  

Mac Admins Foundation Announces New Officers, Four New At-Large Members

The Mac Admins Foundation today announces new appointments of the Executive Office to the Board of Directors, as well as the appointment of four new At-Large Board Members.

Erin Merchant moves from Member at Large, and joins Tom Bridge as Co-Chair. Erin’s dedication to pulling on threads, asking and answering questions with candor and care, and guiding the group through a period of change made her the obvious choice for the role. She takes this role in addition to her ongoing commitment to act as a Chief of Staff to the Mac Admins Foundation.

Diego Iaconelli moves from Member at Large, and succeeds Rich Trouton as Treasurer. He brings his incredible organizational skills to this crucial area. 

At this time, The Board wishes to recognise the commitment and contributions of Rich Trouton as Treasurer (remaining on as a Board Advisor for Finance), and Dr. Emily Kausalik-Whittle as Co-Chair (remaining on as a Board Advisor and Brand Ambassador). It was through their tireless efforts and leadership that we were able to guide the Mac Admins Foundation through our nascent years.

In addition to the changing of the guard within the officer ranks, the Mac Admins Foundation welcomes four new Members at Large to the organization. Joining the board for a three-year term ending in 2027 are:

Becky Scott, Head of Community at JumpCloud 

Collin Elliott, Senior Client Platform Engineer

Rebecca Latimer, Senior Endpoint Engineer at Thumbtack

John Mahlman IV, Mac/Linux Platform Lead

“I’m thrilled to welcome new board members who are passionate about building the Mac Admins Foundation,” continuing Board Secretary Chris Dawe said. “As the saying goes, we didn’t start this because it was easy but because we thought it would be easy. We welcome Becky, Collin, Rebecca, and John, who bring the skills and talent we need to continue developing the MAF into a sustainable organization that will advance the interests of Mac Admins over the long haul.”

Biographies of our new members follow:

Becky Scott has worked in technology in one form or another across several industries. From IT at a Southern California university, to a major mobile carrier, a cable entertainment provider, a big data company, the company that built the backbone of the internet, and now a cloud directory service. They’ve all built a greater community and connections that she enjoys helping make happen. Becky’s currently Head of Community and Customer References at JumpCloud.

Collin Elliott is an IT Engineer who loves to solve complex problems. He has spent time at multiple unicorn startups and non-profit organizations. He officially decided to make a career of IT after being moved into IT roles at several stops. He loves sports (especially baseball), LEGO, and superheroes and lives in Fort Worth, Texas with his wife, kids, and dog.

Rebecca Latimer is currently the Senior IT Endpoint Engineer at Thumbtack. She lives in northern Minnesota in a very old house with her partner Joel, her daughter Ava, and a photogenic golden retriever named Scully. Prior to discovering her passion as a Mac Admin, Rebecca led lives as a line cook, goat farmer, bartender, stay-at-home-mom, QA tester, web developer, elementary school “tech lady”, and member of the Minnesota Conservation Corps. Rebecca loves over-the-top Halloween decorations, hula hooping, and Star Trek memes.

John Mahlman has been doing Mac admin and engineering work for over 15 years and has still not lost his passion (or his mind). Though he spent most of his career in education technology, he currently works for a Virginia-based government technology contractor as the Mac and Linux platform lead.  He lives in Philadelphia and is an executive member of the Greater Philadelphia Mac Admins. In his free time he enjoys traveling and visiting breweries with his partner Alessa and their dogs, Pepper and Luna.

CrowdStrike joins Major Sponsors of the Mac Admins Foundation

The Mac Admins Foundation, the leading nonprofit organization supporting people who manage Apple products in the workplace, is proud to announce that CrowdStrike, a leading security software company, is supporting the Mac Admins Community through a major sponsorship of the Mac Admins Foundation beginning today.

CrowdStrike joins industry luminaries in their support of the community of people who manage Apple devices at scales large and small. Their focus on business security is a natural fit for Mac Admins. CrowdStrike is dedicated to protecting the macOS community and devices through research and technology, and their researchers continue to track a growing number of attacks targeting macOS devices, including working with the Mac Admins Community.

The Mac Admins Foundation plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development within the Mac Admins Community, through running the popular Mac Admins Slack workspace, which provides more than 57,000 Apple-focused IT professionals a space to collaborate and share best practices. The foundation also offers training scholarships and provides Community & Conference Grants to support the entire Mac Admin community – from those just entering the workforce to seasoned professionals looking to advance their careers.

“The Mac Admins Foundation is grateful that CrowdStrike has chosen to donate to supporting the Mac admins community. The Foundation will work hard to be responsible stewards of this donation and of the trust CrowdStrike is showing in us.” Co-Chair Tom Bridge said, “CrowdStrike’s been an incredible partner for the Mac Admins community, and we’re excited to see them invest in the community in new ways.”

Mac Admins Foundation Open Letter on Conference Inclusivity

The following letter was sent directly to conference organizers within the Mac Admins Community on December 11th, 2023. It is posted here for awareness and to foster conversations and inclusivity.

The Mac Admins Foundation (MAF) has observed that at least two conferences in 2024 are scheduled at the same time as a religious holiday celebrated by a considerable portion of the Mac Admins community.

We strongly believe that inclusive and diverse events should be part of the consideration of conference organizers due to the depth and breadth of perspectives in these important community events. Inclusive and diverse events require that organizers respect the calendars of diverse groups.

Mac Admins should not have to choose between their beliefs and their professional development.

The Mac Admins Foundation is calling on all conference organizers to carefully study when they’re planning conferences and avoid scheduling them at the same time as major religious and secular holidays.

While we acknowledge the inherent challenges in accommodating diverse needs within conference scheduling, the Mac Admins Foundation firmly believes that prioritizing inclusivity is not just a commendable choice, but a business imperative for the benefit of their customers, attendees, and the wider community.

As staunch advocates for the community, the MAF extends a heartfelt offer of our dedicated services to collaboratively address these challenges with you. We are driven by the shared vision of success and inclusiveness, and we are ready to support your efforts to ensure no one is left behind in the pursuit of knowledge and community.

With Respect,
The Board of the Mac Admins Foundation

Mac Admins Foundation announces the departure of board member Jennifer Unger

Dear Mac Admins Foundation Community,

It is with both appreciation and a touch of sadness that we share the news of Jennifer Unger's departure from the Board after a year of remarkable service.

Jennifer played a pivotal role in the growth and development of the Mac Admins Foundation. She spearheaded our scholarship and grants committee, demonstrating unparalleled commitment that directly impacted our community. Under her leadership, we provided 400 testing codes for certification exams and sponsored the attendance of 10 individuals at various conferences and events, enriching the experiences of our members and fostering growth within our community.

Jennifer’s unique position as a MAF board member and community admin paved the way for a working group aimed at enhancing the structure of the admin/board relationship. Jennifer's initiative and leadership have left a lasting impact on the foundation's collaborative framework.

There was more than one moment in the year when we found ourselves saying, "we wouldn't have been able to do this without Jennifer." She consistently went above and beyond, treating all board work, everything from the mundane to the critical, with equal measure. As a contributor, editor, evaluator, and partner, her versatility and dedication was invaluable. 

In addition to her professional contributions, Jennifer brought a wealth of personal qualities to the table–passion, collaboration, a willingness to voice unique opinions, and a deep sense of empathy. Her commitment to serving the community was evident in every facet of her involvement.

While we will miss Jennifer's daily presence, we extend our deepest gratitude for the indelible mark she has left on the Mac Admins Foundation. Please join us in wishing Jennifer the very best in her future endeavors, confident that her spirit of passion and service will continue to make a positive impact wherever she goes.

Thank you, Jennifer, for your exceptional contributions and the mark you've left on our community.

- The MAF Board