European Women in Tech Conference Upcoming

"Building Modern Websites with No-Code Drupal"
In today’s digital landscape, organisations and individuals need flexible, secure, and cost-effective tools to build and manage their online presence—without relying on technical expertise. That’s where open source software and the new Drupal CMS come in.

In this session, we’ll start by exploring the power of open source technology and how it fosters innovation, security, and cost efficiency. We’ll then introduce the new Drupal CMS, a no-code solution designed for marketers, NGOs, small businesses, and individuals who want to create modern, feature-rich websites with ease.

But we won’t just tell you about it—we’ll show you. The session will feature a live demo with Joke van Hamme, CEO of 3sign, who has no coding background. She’ll build a fully functional website using Drupal CMS. This real-time demonstration will showcase Drupal’s intuitive interface, versatile features, and how it empowers anyone to create professional websites.

Key Takeaways:
Gain a clear understanding of the benefits of open source software in today’s digital ecosystem.
Discover the new Drupal CMS and its no-code features designed for non-technical users.
Learn Drupal in action with a live demo

T-Dose

DrupalJam 2025

A new European Working Group aimed at uniting national Drupal communities will be introduced during a key session at Drupaljam 2025. The session will be led by Imre Gmelig Meijling, CEO at React Online and Drupal Association board member, and Esmeralda Tijhoff, Product Owner at DICTU and board member of the Dutch Drupal Association.

Titled “NEDA and the European Working Group,” the session will outline a joint initiative by the Drupal Association and the Network of European Drupal Associations (NEDA). The goal is to build a stronger, more coordinated European presence in the Drupal ecosystem.

Women in Tech Conference

"The Power of Open Source Collaboration in Organizations: Fostering a Transparent and Inclusive Work Culture"

Join us for an empowering and transformative keynote tailored to executives and managers who are passionate about reshaping their organizations for the better. This keynote dives deep into how open-source principles can redefine organizational culture by prioritizing transparency, collaboration, and inclusion.

Discover how leadership decisions shape company culture, learn actionable strategies for fostering an inclusive and innovative environment, and overcome common challenges in leading cultural transformations. Through compelling real-world examples, including insights from the open-source Drupal community and success stories from companies like GitLab and Mozilla, you'll walk away with practical tools to build trust, empower diverse teams, and drive business success.

Whether you’re navigating hesitations around transparency or seeking to inspire a culture of accountability and innovation, this keynote will equip you with the mindset and tools to lead cultural change effectively.

Takeaways for attendees:
• Learn how to foster a culture of innovation and inclusivity.
• Gain strategies to address transparency fears and transform hesitant managers into advocates for collaboration.
* Gain a toolkit to start building open source communities within your organization

Be part of this conversation that celebrates the intersection of leadership, innovation, and inclusivity while championing the power of women in tech to lead transformative change in their organizations.

Key Takeaways
Learn how to foster a culture of innovation and inclusivity.
Gain strategies to address transparency fears and transform hesitant managers into advocates for collaboration.
Understand the benefits of open source collaboration for your organization
Gain a toolkit to start building open source communities within your organization

Kennissessie OpenSourceWerken: Hoe werkt dat?

Opensourcewerken is zoveel meer dan alleen code delen. Hoe bouw en onderhoud je een community rondom een open source product? Hoe zorg je ervoor dat de community echt bijdraagt aan innovatie en doorontwikkeling?

Tijdens de volgende kennisessie neemt Esmeralda Tijhoff (DICTU Web&App) je mee in haar ervaring met de community rondom het generieke Drupal Intranet. Dit intranet is open source ontwikkeld en wordt binnen de rijksoverheid breed ingezet. Zij deelt best practices en uitdagingen bij het opzetten van een duurzame community en laat zien hoe community-inbreng verder gaat dan code alleen.

Daarnaast zoomen we in op de bredere Drupal-community:

🔹 Welke events activeren de community?

🔹 Hoe houden we contact en stimuleren we samenwerking?

🔹 Wat is de impact van community-inbreng, zowel technisch als niet-technisch?

🔹 Hoe verschilt de Nederlandse Drupal-community van de internationale, en hoe werken we samen?

Waar? Dev.loer, de samenwerkruimte van Developer Overheid en Common Ground op Utrecht CS. Adres: Catharijnesingel 55 te Utrecht. Hoe je hier precies komt ontvang je na aanmelding voor het evenement.

Waarom? Op deze manier zetten we verschillende disciplines rondom het thema opensourcewerken in de spotlight, want opensourcewerken is zoveel meer dan het delen van broncode. We kunnen van elkaar leren: opensourcewerken in de praktijk!

Met wie? Projectleiders, inkopers, OSPO's, IT-bedrijven en anderen die werken voor, bij en aan een digitale (semi)overheid. Ook is er altijd iemand van Opensourcewerken, Developer Overheid of Code4NL aanwezig. Kom met je team of haak individueel aan.

Drupal Dev Days Leuven

"But my code ain’t pink: Navigating the IT Landscape as a Woman"
Imagine walking into a room full of people where none of the attendees look like you. It makes you feel like you don’t fit in, like you don’t belong. It makes others look at you like you don’t belong. It’s not because you’re unqualified or unfamiliar, but because of something as fundamental as your gender or color. This is the reality for many women in tech—a field where they make up just 15% of software developers (Stack Overflow, 2023). As a woman navigating this industry, I’ve encountered both blatant barriers and subtle biases. But I’ve also seen how small shifts in mindset and behavior can create significant change.

In this inspiring talk, I’ll share my personal journey as a woman in IT, blending humor, hard truths, and hope. I'll share personal anecdotes—from my transition as a historian to fulltime webdeveloper, my first year at DICTU as a the only female Drupal developer while balancing my role as a mother of two, then three, now four kids, and my professional growth in the Drupal community. Along the way, we’ll tackle stereotypes, explore data-driven insights, and reflect on how male allies can make a meaningful difference. Expect candor, a few surprising anecdotes, and a fresh perspective on why diversity matters—not just for women, but for the entire tech community.

DrupalCon Lille

Title: How I escaped poverty using Drupal. The emancipating power of free and accessible Drupal training.
In this personal and uplifting session, Esmeralda Tijhoff shared how she rebuilt her life as a single mother on welfare with no IT background — thanks to the power of open source. Through free online Drupal tutorials and sheer determination, she carved out a new career in tech. Today, she works for the Dutch government and serves on the board of the Dutch Drupal Association.

Esmeralda talked about the realities of poverty, breaking into a male-dominated field, and how access to knowledge can transform lives. Her story is a call to the community: invest in documentation, open education, and each other. Because open source is only truly open when it gives everyone a chance.