In February, Daniel took the reins as head of WordPress.com and he's been on an incredible journey ever since.
Join us for an exclusive interview where Daniel shares what he's learned about leadership, decision making, delegation, and inviting critical feedback. We'll also talk about the impact of becoming a highly-visible persona, strategy for managing a 50x increase in inputs and notifications, and how to maintain boundaries.
You might not be in charge of a billion-dollar business (yet!) but these lessons apply even to the smallest of operations.

Daniel Bachhuber

My Condolences, You’re Now Running a Billion-Dollar Business

For 18 years, Automattic has offered every employee the core benefit of a three month paid sabbatical every five years. This year, for the first time ever, Matt took a sabbatical himself.
In this exclusive conversation, we'll unpack the challenges and benefits of making time for rest as well as the impact and practicality of taking breaks.
Resting is a difficult thing for many of us. We'll use part of the conversation to explore the unhealthy relationship some of us develop with work, why it's so hard to step away, and strategies we could employ to create more opportunities for rest.

Matt Mullenweg

Making Time for Rest

Learn the critical role typography plays in making digital content accessible and inclusive.
Most of the internet is written language, which means text is vital for both user experience and web accessibility. In this session, we'll unpack common accessibility issues, like poor contrast and improper HTML structure, and how typography extends beyond the basics of visible text.
Good typography enhances legibility for everyone, particularly those with low vision or reading difficulties. Semantic HTML is crucial for visitors who rely on assistive technology. 
Help us build a more inclusive web! Get Piccia's accessible typeface checklist, learn from practical tips and examples, and understand why typefaces meet (or miss) accessibility standards.

Piccia Neri

What Makes a Typeface Accessible

Do you love every minute of your workday? Probably not, right?
In this session, Kimberly provides a snapshot of her typical workday and treats us to her favorite (and least-favorite) tools and tricks to improve the overall experience.
Each of us touches a variety of software, competing priorities, and a variety of unexpected issues each and every workday. From administrative tasks, to WordPress administration, to the actual, deliverable work we're expected to perform, there's a lot to love and hate within a single day.
Kimberly won't settle for the status quo, though. She is always looking for opportunities to optimize her day, make her to-do list easier to tackle, and filter out everything that distracts or soaks up extra energy.
In this rare look behind the curtain, Kimberly offers you an opportunity to discover the standouts that make her workday—running an agency and managing a team—smoother along with the pain points that aren't worth the fuss of agonizing over. 

Kimberly Lipari

Rants and Raves - Workday Edition

Join us for a foundational series and unpack the essentials of WordPress vulnerability discovery.
We'll take a first-principles approach and offer a taste of what vulnerability research is, why WordPress is an ideal starting point for beginners, and how you can get involved.
Alex provides a detailed look at the request and response architecture of WordPress and how action and filter hooks create opportunities for vulnerabilities.
Follow along as Alex demonstrates how to exploit a real-world vulnerability and abuse missing authorization in a hooked function.

Alex Thomas

WordPress Security Research: A Beginner's Guide

Learn a better way to work with the block editor!
Claire offers tips and tricks to help you speed up your workflow and enjoy (or provide) a more pleasant writing experience.
You'll also learn how to extend the editor with plugins, experience the benefits of block patterns, and embrace the full customizability of block-based themes.
We'll wrap this session with a look ahead at what's to come in the future of the editor and how you can enjoy new features before they land in core.

Claire Brotherton

Tips and Tricks for Working with the Block Editor

Feeling like you're constantly putting out fires on client projects? We've all been there! But what if you could anticipate those challenges and nip them in the bud before they become major headaches? 

This session is all about ditching the reactive approach and becoming a proactive project management pro. We'll explore strategies to see future roadblocks before they happen. You'll learn how to create plans that mitigate risks before they derail your deadlines and build workflows that keep everything running smoothly. 

By the end of this session, you'll be armed with actionable tactics to transform your game. Say goodbye to project panic and hello to calm, confident management that consistently exceeds client expectations.

May 13th, 2025