WordCamp US 2025 is finally moving forward with an entirely new — and relatively inexperienced — lead organizing team, following delays triggered by the layoffs at Automattic.

With less than four months until the flagship event returns to the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon, from August 27–29, this year’s lead team was only recently confirmed and is now working quickly to make up lost time. Calls for speakers, sponsors, and volunteers are expected to roll out later this month.

“We’re behind,” said longtime organizer Aaron D. Campbell, who has stepped down as a lead organizer and is mentoring this year’s team. “But we’ve locked in a lean team and kicked things back off again.”

Planning is running weeks behind last year’s schedule, when WordCamp US 2024 was held nearly a month later, from September 17–20. In 2024, the call for sponsors opened in mid-March, followed by ticket sales in late March, a speaker call in early April, and a volunteer call in early May. None of those calls have gone out yet for the 2025 event.

Fallout from Automattic’s pullback

The delays come amid the most turbulent period in WordPress history. Co-founder Matt Mullenweg closed WordCamp US 2024 with a controversial keynote address in which he publicly criticized WP Engine and its private equity backer, Silver Lake, for exploiting the open source project. His remarks sparked backlash and led WP Engine to launch legal action against Mullenweg and his company, Automattic.

In early October 2024, Automattic laid off 159 employees. Nearly 80% of those who accepted a severance package worked in the company’s Dotorg division, which contributed directly to the WordPress project. In a further blow to the project, Automattic significantly scaled back its contributions in January, from around 4,000 hours per week last September to just 20, matching WP Engine’s minimal pledge.

The staffing cuts have had a direct impact on WordCamp US 2025 planning. Julia Golomb, who served as a lead organizer in 2022, 2023, and 2024, left Automattic during the layoffs. It’s understood she was going to lead planning for this year’s event.

Several other key contributors to WordCamp organizing also left Automattic during that period, including former Executive Director Josepha Haden Chomphosy and long-time community organizer Naoko Takano. Angela Jin, who was Head of Programs & Contributor Experience for the Dotorg Division, quit in September. Together, their exits left a significant knowledge gap in the WordPress Community Team.

Campbell and other past WordCamp US organizers have also stepped back due to reduced sponsored time, personal commitments, and burnout.

“I’ll be honest, I’m a little burnt out after three years in a row on the lead team,” said Campbell, Director of Product Strategy at hosting.com. “That’s part of why I’m stepping back into a mentoring role this year.”

New team steps in

With so many experienced contributors stepping away, this year’s organizing team is starting fresh, with no prior experience leading WordCamp US — but is well supported.

The 2025 lead team includes:

• Gale Wallace, Customer Success Manager at Pantheon, who served on the WCUS photography team from 2022–2024.
• Nicholas Garofalo, Director of Marketing for WordPress.org at Automattic, who was part of the WCUS communications team in 2022.
• Karla Campos, owner of Social Media Sass, who is organizing WCUS for the first time.
• Megan Marcel, Head of Global Events at Automattic, also a first-time WCUS organizer.

While Marcel is new to the WCUS organizing team, she brings more than 15 years’ experience in event organizing, including more than eight years at Automattic.

Campbell and Kevin Cristiano, both longtime organizers, are mentoring the team. Campbell was a lead organizer from 2021 to 2024 and previously part of the team from 2017 to 2019. Cristiano has helped organize WCUS since 2015, including serving as a lead organizer.

This year, the lead team is bringing on a production company to provide support, similar to how WordCamp Europe and WordCamp Asia organizers run their events. In a joint response to questions from The Repository, the WCUS 2025 lead organizing team said the production company would assist with logistics, AV, and other tasks.

“This work started late last year with a comprehensive search followed by discussions with various companies,” they said. “Now we’re pulling everyone together to execute on all the work that needs to be done.”

While the event is behind schedule, much of the planning was completed last year. Room layouts, stage designs, and other assets were prepared in 2024, and physical signs were put into storage, easing the planning burden this year.

Campbell also noted that some WordCamp Central processes, such as sponsor and speaker approvals, are taking longer than in previous years. Executive Director Mary Hubbard is helping to resolve bottlenecks and keep planning on track.

The Repository has also heard from potential sponsors who say they’re concerned the time timelines will make it difficult to finalise internal approvals, coordinate travel, and confirm their presence at the event.

What’s next?

It’s still unclear whether Showcase Day, a new addition in 2024, will return this year. But Campbell said he’s focused on helping the team deliver a successful event — despite the tight timeline and shifting landscape.

As a long-time WordCamp US organizer, he said he’s committed to seeing the event continue. “WordCamp US offers something in the Americas similar to what WordCamp Europe and WordCamp Asia bring to those regions,” he said. “It would be an absolute shame if WordCamp US didn’t just continue, but thrive and grow.”

This year’s event is also happening against the backdrop of a growing wave of independent, community-run events, including PressConf, Color Code, and the upcoming SomeConf. Campbell said he welcomed the momentum behind these new gatherings, but sees WordCamps as equally important.

“I want those other events to succeed too,” he said. “But I believe we still need big, official WordCamps to bring the broader community together.”

Further details, including how to get involved, will be shared on the WordCamp US website and social media channels in the coming weeks.

Image: Brandon DesJarlais on Unsplash.