Championing Gender Diversity in WordPress: A Call for Change

Gender diversity in tech is not just a moral obligation, it’s a business imperative – Rachel Berry, Head of Client Services at Filter, shares how our agency is leading the charge in fostering an inclusive WordPress community and why it matters now more than ever.

Often I find myself on calls where I’m the only female in the room, and I’m sure many other women in our industry feel the same.

As the Head of Client Services at Filter, I am dedicated to fostering gender diversity in the WordPress community. Inspired by discussions like Siobhan McKeown’s, COO from Human Made’s post on WordPress diversity, we are reminded that gender imbalance persists in tech, and it’s up to agencies like ours to lead by example.

At Filter, our leadership team believe that supporting women in WordPress is not just a moral obligation but a business imperative. Studies consistently show that diverse teams are more creative, more innovative, and more successful. Our goal is to create a culture where everyone, regardless of gender, feels valued and empowered to thrive.

Over the past year at Filter, as we’ve grown the team, many of the new hires have been women, and not just in the more traditional marketing, account or project management roles. We’ve hired a female developer and digital planner.

WordPress Does Inspire Women Leaders

Inspired by Siobhan’s article, I recently applied to become a mentor through the WPIncludes’ mentorship program. This initiative will hopefully allow me to directly support women in their growth within the WordPress ecosystem, offering guidance and opening pathways to leadership roles.

Here are some of my leading female role models in the WordPress industry. I encourage you to follow them and engage with their initiatives.

  1. Marieke van de Rakt is an experienced leader in the WordPress and digital content industry, with a background in SEO and marketing. She held several leadership positions at Yoast, including CEO, where she played a pivotal role in growing the brand’s prominence. A founder of The Empowerment Project, she, advocates for women in tech and open-source communities. She is also an investor in our WordPress plugin PersonalizeWP and a valuable support for our team in promoting our product.
  2. Josepha Haden Chomphosy is a prominent figure in the WordPress community, serving as the Executive Director of the WordPress Project. Which means she is responsible for overseeing the strategic development of WordPress projects at Automattic, including coordinating releases and fostering contributor engagement. With extensive experience in community management, leadership, and diversity advocacy, she made significant contributions to the platform’s growth and inclusivity.
  3. Miriam Schwab is currently Head of WordPress Relations at Elementor, a leading WordPress website builder platform. Prior to this role, she co-founded and led Strattic, an innovative serverless hosting solution for WordPress. Miriam brings over 13 years of experience in web development, security, and digital innovation, with a strong commitment to empowering women in tech.

Our Role in Driving Change

At Filter, we have a flat structure, where we strive to create an environment for women to influence and lead on the direction of the agency.

By actively partnering with organisations that champion gender inclusivity, like our project work for Empower Up, we’re working to ensure that the next generation of women in WordPress have the support they need to thrive.

Gender-diverse teams bring a range of perspectives, driving better solutions and more innovative outcomes. Clients who prioritise working with agencies that champion diversity are not only choosing excellence but also aligning themselves with the future of business.

As Head of Client Services, I am deeply committed to leading these efforts, ensuring that our agency not only serves our clients with excellence but also fosters an inclusive culture where everyone—regardless of gender—has the opportunity to succeed.

Looking Ahead

Diversity is an ongoing commitment, not a trend.

We encourage male decision-makers, particularly in our client network, to actively seek out and support diverse agencies. By doing so, they can amplify their own brand’s reach and impact, while contributing to a more equitable WordPress community.

We’re ready to lead by example, proving that inclusivity is the future of success in the WordPress ecosystem.

Rachel Berry

Head of Client Services

Approachable and down to earth, Rachel has a history of building strong, trusted client relationships. She’s experienced in delivering digital solutions across a range of technologies and channels. Results-focused, she believes in always doing the right thing for your business.

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