Steven Deobald announced the departure of the executive director of the GNOME Foundation, the organization responsible for overseeing the development of the GNOME desktop. Deobald, who took office four months ago, was deemed unsuitable for the role during a recent board meeting, despite his achievements in creating a new donation platform, implementing new rules, and fostering partnerships with related projects like postmarketos. (source)
The executive director plays a crucial role in managing and developing the GNOME Foundation, as well as liaising with the board of directors, advisory council, and member organizations. In Deobald’s absence, Allan Day, the chief designer of GNOME Shell, will temporarily assume the executive director responsibilities and serve as the president of the board of directors. (source)
Prior to Deobald, the role of executive director was held by Holly Million, a multi-talented individual with interests ranging from producing documentaries to founding the Institute of Shamanian Arts and Phytotherapy. Following Million’s departure in July 2024 and before the election of a new director in May 2025, Richard Littauer, a community activist affiliated with sustainoss and curious, temporarily served as the executive director. Littauer is known for his work with the Open Source Collective, as well as contributions to projects like Node.js and IPFS. (source)