Defna Board Member Update July
Board Member Update for 2025
We have two new board members as of July 2025!
Outgoing Directors
We would like to take a moment to extend our gratitude to our outgoing directors, Katherine ‘Kati’ Michel and Tim Schilling for their invaluable contributions to our board.
Katherine ‘Kati’ Michel
We want to express our sincere thanks to Kati Michel for her eight years of service on the DEFNA Board. Since joining in 2017, Kati has been a consistent and thoughtful presence in the community. She served not only as a Director but also as DEFNA’s Secretary at various times.
Kati played a key role in shaping DjangoCon US and DEFNA through her leadership on the Website Committee and her contributions to our overall direction. Her dedication, attention to detail, and commitment to the Django community have left a lasting impression.
Tim Schilling
During his tenure on the DEFNA board, Tim played a pivotal role, particularly as corporate secretary. Known for his thoughtful leadership, he brought structure and clarity to board processes, substantially improving documentation and operational workflows. Tim’s organizational skills not only benefited internal initiatives, but also fostered transparency and efficiency across Django’s flagship events and programs.
Thank you, Kati and Tim, for everything you’ve done. We appreciate your service and look forward to staying connected.
Incoming Directors
Miguel Sanda
Miguel Sanda is a software developer, data scientist, and entrepreneur with over 18 years of experience spanning the energy, food, and financial industries. As the creator and lead developer of Django Ledger, an open-source financial engine built on the Django framework, Miguel has dedicated his career to bridging the gap between software development and financial management.
Miguel’s professional journey is marked by a unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering, a Master of Engineering, and an MBA in Data Science. His work reflects a commitment to leveraging technology for practical solutions in accounting and finance. Miguel also co-founded EDMA Group alongside his wife Dayana, a firm specializing in accounting and financial planning for small businesses.
Born in Venezuela and residing in Fort Mill, SC since 2006, Miguel is a husband and father of three who enjoys hiking, food, travel, and spending time with family. Through Django Ledger and his broader initiatives, Miguel aims to contribute to the Django community by fostering innovation in financial software development.
Nathan Zeager
Nathan is a software developer, barista, and co-founder of Bismuth Cooperative, a freelance web development company. He enjoys thinking about user experience and working with a team to accomplish a goal. When not working he enjoys spending time with his dogs, playing video games, watching tv, and going on hikes.
Incoming Directors
The DEFNA Board conducted elections in May. Congratulations to the returning and new officers:
President: Peter Grandstaff Vice President: Nicole Dominguez Treasurer: Miguel Sanda Secretary: Nathan Zeager