In less than two weeks, WordCamp US 2025 kicks off in Portland — and Contributor Day is first on the schedule. I had the chance to catch up with Aaron Jorbin, core team lead for the event, to talk about what makes Contributor Day special and how to get the most from it.
For Aaron, these days are about more than code commits and bug scrubs. They’re about connecting faces to avatars, sharing half-baked ideas to get real-time feedback, and helping contributors — both new and experienced — find their place in the project.
His advice for newcomers? Decide on a team in advance (but don’t be afraid to switch if it’s not the right fit), do a little prep work so you’re not wrestling with setup on the day, and remember that any contribution is valuable.
For experienced contributors, Aaron suggests looking for ways to mentor, connect with other teams, and bring your unique perspective to the table — even if it’s outside your usual focus area.
We also talked about one of his favorite Contributor Day memories — helping a new contributor at WordCamp Philly in 2011 fix a small bug. That contributor was Mel Choyce, who has since gone on to become a core committer and lead releases.
And yes, we snuck in some Portland tips. Aaron recommends Upper Left Roasters for coffee lovers, and a visit to St. John’s Bridge for its stunning views and Cathedral Park underneath.
Whether you’re there to write code, test, document, or just learn, Contributor Day is your chance to help shape WordPress — and maybe share a coffee or two while you’re at it.
Full Transcript(Edited for clarity):
Roger Williams (00:00)
For other coffee lovers, are there one, two, or three coffee shops in Portland that you’d say, “You’ve got to check these out”?
Aaron Jorbin (00:07)
You’re putting me on the spot here!
Roger Williams (00:09)
Okay, how about just one?
Aaron Jorbin (00:12)
I actually have an entire map of Portland with a number of my favorite coffee shops. The roaster that stands out is Upper Left Roasters, down in Ladd’s Addition. They brew a variety of single-origin coffees and rotate them daily. They also have a great little patio area. It’s a nice spot not far from WordCamp, and there are some food cart pods nearby.
Roger Williams (00:49)
Excellent. We’ll have links for people. How about a Portland feature you wish more people visited?
Aaron Jorbin (00:59)
It’s a bit out of the way, but the St. John’s Bridge in North Portland is gorgeous. Some say it was the model for the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a suspension bridge with Cathedral Park underneath, where you can walk among the pillars and see the underside of the bridge. You can also walk across it, and on a clear day, see Mount Hood.
Roger Williams (01:32)
Wow. There’s a big event coming up — WordCamp US in less than two weeks — and Contributor Day is happening on Tuesday. You’ll be leading the core team. How do you approach a Contributor Day?
Aaron Jorbin (02:10)
Contributor Days are one of my favorite parts of WordCamps. They give new people a chance to see how the software is made and how the project functions, while also allowing existing contributors to meet in person, put faces to avatars, and share half-baked ideas to get quick feedback.
Roger Williams (02:53)
Right, because the WordPress project is essentially remote work. In person, we can read body language and tell if something’s working. For someone new, Contributor Day can be intimidating. What’s your advice?
Aaron Jorbin (04:00)
Decide beforehand what team you want to join — though it’s fine to switch if it’s not the right fit. Do some prep work; most Make Teams post instructions ahead of time. For core, that means setting up a local development environment before you arrive. Wi-Fi can be unreliable at big events, so avoiding large downloads onsite helps. And remember: any contribution you make is valuable.
Roger Williams (04:49)
If I’m not a developer, will I still have a good experience with the core team?
Aaron Jorbin (05:25)
If you’re in software development — project managers, product managers, designers, developers, QA testers — you’ll find plenty to do. If you’re more on the content or support side, other teams might offer a more immediate impact.
Roger Williams (05:57)
Do you have specific goals for this Contributor Day?
Aaron Jorbin (06:09)
I’d like to help passive contributors become more active. We’re planning a live bug scrub so people can learn how to run one and maybe lead their own in the future. We may also have deep dives into harder technical areas for those who want to tackle legacy parts of WordPress.
Roger Williams (07:02)
What’s your advice for setting up a reliable local environment?
Aaron Jorbin (07:38)
WordPress ships with one using Docker, with instructions in the readme. Using it means you’ll have the same environment as many other contributors, making it easier to collaborate.
Roger Williams (07:56)
For experienced contributors, how can they make the most of the day?
Aaron Jorbin (08:32)
Talk to other teams. If you usually work in the forums, bring common issues you’ve seen to the core team — we may point you to a Trac ticket or explain the reasoning behind a feature. It’s a great way to cross-pollinate ideas.
Roger Williams (09:10)
What about mentorship?
Aaron Jorbin (09:33)
It’s a chance for everyone to learn. Experienced contributors can hear about the challenges new contributors face. For example, we realized there’s no single document explaining Trac keywords and workflow, so I want to find people to help create that and test it with newcomers in real time.
Roger Williams (10:19)
Do you have a Contributor Day memory that could only have happened in person?
Aaron Jorbin (10:36)
At WordCamp Philadelphia in 2011, I helped a new contributor fix a small bug. That contributor was Mel Choyce, who has since become a core committer and led releases. That was her first contribution to WordPress.
Roger Williams (11:20)
That’s fantastic. Are you looking forward to getting back to Portland?
Aaron Jorbin (11:45)
Absolutely. I lived there years ago — it’s where I fell in love with coffee — so I’ll be visiting a few favorite spots and enjoying the “sweet nectar of the gods.”
Roger Williams (13:47)
Any talks you’re especially looking forward to?
Aaron Jorbin (13:47)
Jeff Paul is doing a workshop on ethical and scalable AI. There’s so much potential in AI, and I’m excited to see the ethical side addressed.
Roger Williams (14:31)
If people want to connect with you, where should they go?
Aaron Jorbin (14:31)
My WordPress site: aaron.jorb.in
Roger Williams (14:36)
Perfect. Looking forward to seeing you in Portland.
Aaron Jorbin (14:41)
Likewise.