Saying Farewell to 7 Carpentries Core Team Members: Navigating Change Together

Dear Carpentries Community,

Today, I write to share the news that profoundly impacts our community and Core Team. With a heavy heart, we announce a series of layoffs within our organisation.

Change is never easy, especially when it affects the talented individuals who have contributed so much to our community. Each Core Team member has played a crucial role in shaping the welcoming and inclusive environment we cherish. Their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in bringing our vision of being the leading inclusive community teaching data and coding skills to life.

We are saying farewell to the following Core Team members at the end of the month, December 2023:

• Dr. Alycia Crall, Director of Community
• Brynn Elliott, Accessibility Manager
• Eli Chadwick, Information Technology Developer (Eli’s last day was 5 December)
• Dr. Karen Word, Director of Instructor Training
• Dr. Kelly Barnes, Director of Assessment
• Talisha Sutton-Kennedy, Deputy Director of Business
• Dr. Zhian Kamvar, Lesson Infrastructure Developer

We have previously released an announcement of Zhian’s departure at the end of this month, citing financial constraints. Since then, we sadly had no option but to sunset more Core Team member roles to secure the organisation’s long-term sustainability.

We did not make these decisions lightly and assure you that they were driven by carefully considering our organisation’s finances and the steps necessary to ensure we can continue to deliver our core programs. We had to make tough choices to adapt and navigate these challenging times.

I express my deepest gratitude to our departing team members for your passion, creativity, and commitment to The Carpentries community. Your contributions have made a lasting impact, and we will miss you deeply.

Our community is resilient and can come together during challenging moments. We encourage you to reach out to one another, offering support and understanding as we navigate this change. Let us use this as an opportunity to strengthen our bonds and demonstrate the true essence of our core values.

In the coming weeks, we will work tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition and to determine the programming our Core Team can support moving forward, and we hope to finalise and communicate details of those changes by the end of January 2024. Your continued support means the world to me and the other remaining members of the Core Team. We can overcome this hurdle together and emerge even stronger. We understand that this transition may bring uncertainty, and we are committed to providing support during this challenging period.

Thank you for your understanding, compassion, and unwavering support. As we bid farewell to some cherished members of our Core Team, let us also look forward to new possibilities and opportunities.

With gratitude and hope,

Dr. Kari L. Jordan, Executive Director