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Hello, Drupal world! We are thrilled to be able to give you an inside peek at what goes into planning DrupalCons. Throughout 2016, we’ll share a series of posts, and a few webcasts, to show some behind-the-scenes aspects of DrupalCon. First, meet the team that produces 3 Cons a year!

Rachel Friesen: Events Manager

What do you do for DrupalCons?

I consider myself a full-time plate-spinner. I focus on our DrupalCon planning and strategy, high level project management, site selection and managing our awesome Events Team. I work to distill the goals of the community, the Drupal Association, and sponsors to make sure we have healthy and sustainable events.

I’m also the financial gatekeeper for the Cons, so I manage our budget of ticket revenue and expenses for about 6 DrupalCons at a time. (Yep! We're working that far out & beyond!)

Favorite part of your job?

Telling Drupal community leads that we're bringing DrupalCon to their city. People are so excited and it's such a thrill to be able to bring the DrupalCon spotlight to their nook of the earth.

Favorite DrupalCon Moment?

My favorite DrupalCon moment was the front line band that came out to officially introduce DrupalCon New Orleans. I just really wanted people to feel New Orleans-y goosebumps when we announced the next location. It was important to me that people felt a connection with the fun vibe that New Orleans has, and felt compelled to come to DrupalCon New Orleans!

What about DrupalCons has surprised you?

One of the more interesting things to me is the random clauses that convention centers have banned in their contracts. I know it sounds weird, but there's specifically a “no glitter” clause in our New Orleans contract. It makes me daydream about what type of glitter incident lead to that clause being required. Ah, fun!

Amanda Gonser: Lead DrupalCon Coordinator

What do you do for DrupalCons?

I manage various community volunteer teams that select the content that goes on at DrupalCons. If you're attending a session, taking a training, networking at a summit, listening to a keynote or participating in sprints, I probably worked with some amazing volunteers to help make those things come to life.

I also work directly with the amazing local communities that host our Cons. We plan things like Trivia Night, Women in Drupal, and Extended Sprints. Last but not least, I work with our team on our site selection process for future Con sites (don't think you can sweet talk me though!).

Favorite part of your job?

I love the moment when I meet someone in person that I’ve been spending weeks on video calls with. I work with so many incredible community members who give a lot of their personal time and effort to these Cons. It's great to see them for the first time and give them a big Drupal hug. It makes seeing them at a Camp or at another Con a great moment to look forward to as well.

Favorite DrupalCon moment?

I think my favorite moment so far (because there’s a new favorite moment at each Con) was in DrupalCon Barcelona, when the Indian community got up to promote DrupalCon Asia. Between the dancing, the words, and the videos of so many Indian communities welcoming us to Mumbai, I was really touched and so excited about attending the Con. I've been in India for a month now, experiencing that amazing hospitality firsthand before the Con, and am sure that DrupalCon Asia will leave me with another favorite moment too.

What about DrupalCons has surprised you?

Having not come from a tech background, I feel like each day is its own opportunity to learn something new—about open source, Drupal, community management. There are so many things I can learn to better understand and serve all of the great Drupalistas who work to make DrupalCon happen.

Tina Krauss: DrupalCon Coordinator

What do you do for DrupalCons?

I handle registration and am the first point of contact for DrupalCon attendees. If you submit a question or request through our contact forms, I'll most likely be the one responding to you. At DrupalCons, you can find me at the Registration Desk.

I also work on Drupal training courses and the Association's scholarship program. The rest of my time is filled with a lot of behind-the-scenes work on hotels, travel arrangements, event logistics, and production tasks.

Favorite part of your job?

I love traveling, and visiting exciting cities for work is a big bonus for me. Working with highly dedicated people from around the world and my amazing team at the Association are things I wouldn't want to miss either.

Favorite DrupalCon moment?

Hard to decide! Being surprised with a big birthday cake at DrupalCon Los Angeles was definitely a highlight, but I also enjoy the Association's traditional celebratory get-together on the last morning of the Con, when most of our work is done and we can look back at a successful event.

What about DrupalCons has surprised you?

How to work and have fun at the same time. I never thought this was possible. :)

Tim Constien: Sponsorship Fulfillment Coordinator

What do you do for DrupalCons?

I work with all of our awesome sponsors, making sure that all of their benefits are fulfilled and maximized. It's important to me that they have a great experience sponsoring DrupalCon. It's always fun to see what they dream up as cool ways to support the community.

Favorite part of your job?

I love finally meeting all of the people I work with after months of emails and calls. I also enjoy the gratification of being the one to help guide newer sponsoring companies into the unique world of the Drupal.

Favorite DrupalCon moment?

Being on a Trivia team with webchick, alexpott, and hestenet in LA. We won!

What about DrupalCons has surprised you?

I think it's awesome to see how many companies, made up of extremely talented people, are truly invested in Drupal and its community.

Thanks for reading. Our next post will focus on the environmental and social responsibility work related to producing DrupalCons.

Meet us in New Orleans