openSUSE:Board Election 2024 Platform Rachel Schrader
Platform
- Name Rachel Schrader
- openSUSE Wiki Page
- BlueSky comraderachel
- Mastodon @comraderachel
Introduction
Hello, my name is Rachel, and I am based in Colorado. I am a newer member of the openSUSE project and Linux as a whole. I am currently attending CU Denver, working on a master's degree in sociology with a focus on queer research. I spent many years as an Apple fan since my first laptop in school was a MacBook, though a few years around the pandemic I came to the dark side and started using Linux distros full time. Tumbleweed is the distro that I always came back to, and as a fan of KDE Plasma, I found openSUSE was the best choice. I am not a developer myself; instead, my experience and work lie within the field of data, as I work full time as a data analyst for the state of Colorado. I have worked many jobs, though. Out of high school, I was an auto mechanic and later moved to retail sales, working my way into a job in computer repair, replacing parts on laptops, then providing onsite IT support for a large hospital and leading into the data field after I finished my undergrad degree. Much of my experience with Linux and open-source tech is from the front end, which I find valuable when getting other people on board with switching from Windows. I've always been good with computers and would be considered a nerd since I was younger, though I still know many of the challenges everyday people face with their computers. I spent a few years working in retail computer sales and learned the way most people interact with their computers. I've spent time teaching people how to troubleshoot issues and how to get things done with their computer. I have not had a chance to attend any conventions, but I am hoping to someday soon be able to spread the freedom that Linux provides. I am happy and proud to be a part of the openSUSE project.
Contributions
As a newer member, I am still looking for the place I best fit in, but I have mostly focused on helping with marketing, social media, editing, and updating pages on the wiki. As well as guiding new Linux users and providing troubleshooting help where I can.
Why vote for me?
My qualifications and experience may be thin compared to others , but I am hoping to provide unique insight and opinions to the project with the passion I have for open source without being too deep into the weeds of code. In addition, I want to pave paths for the project to improve accessibility, environmental impact, diversity, equity, and inclusion.