In this episode of What's in the SOSS, we sit down with longtime open source leader and DevOps champion Tracy Ragan. From her early days with the Eclipse Foundation to her current work with Ortelius, the Continuous Delivery Foundation, and the OpenSSF, Tracy shares her journey through the ever-evolving world of open source security.

We dig into the importance of configuration management, what DevSecOps really means, and how projects like the OpenSSF Scorecard and Ortelius help make our software supply chains more transparent and secure. Plus, we tackle the education gap between security pros and DevOps engineers—and how we can bridge it.

If you're curious about building more secure pipelines or just want to geek out about SBOMs and Scorecard, this episode is for you.

Chapters:
00:25 – Welcome + Tracy's Open Source Origin Story
02:00 – Early Days at the Eclipse Foundation
03:10 – DevOps + DevSecOps: Why It Matters
04:20 – Explaining the DevOps “Factory Floor”
06:00 – DevOps Pipelines as Security Data Engines
07:50 – What Is the OpenSSF Scorecard?
09:30 – Ortelius: Aggregating DevOps + Security Insights
11:20 – The DevOps Budget Problem + Exposing Insecure Packages
13:00 – Why DevRel Is Critical for DevOps Security Education
15:40 – Crossing the Divide Between DevOps and Security Teams
16:10 – 🎉 Rapid Fire: Editors, Mascots & Spicy Food
17:30 – Final Call to Action + How to Get Involved

Episode links:

• Tracy Ragan’s LinkedIn page
• Ortelius Project
• Scorecard Project
• Eclipse Foundation
• CD Foundation
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

In this enlightening and entertaining episode of What's in the SOSS, host Yesenia Yser sits down with DEI strategist, social psychologist, and Star Wars superfan Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes. From her academic roots to her entrepreneurial journey, Dr. Hayes shares how diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) drive sustainable growth—and how she found inspiration for her TED Talk in the wisdom of Yoda. The two discuss the myths around DEIA, how the Jedi Council reflects ideal collaboration, and why unlearning old beliefs is key to progress. Plus, stay for the rapid-fire questions and discover if Dr. Hayes is more Marvel or DC.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

01:30 – Career Journey

03:10 – Navigating DEIA in Today’s Landscape

07:49 – TED Talk Inspiration: Star Wars & DEI

11:31 – The TED Experience

13:12 – The TED Talk Message

14:38 – Favorite Yoda Quote

16:34 – Rapid Fire Round

18:37 – Final Thoughts

19:10 – Outro

Episode links:

• Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes LinkedIn
• Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes Ted Talk: Yoda's Jedi Mind Tricks for Rethinking DEI | TEDxWaldenPond
• Join the BEAR Working Group
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

In this episode of What's in the SOSS, host CRob interviews Clyde Seepersad from the LF Education Department. They discuss Clyde's journey into open source, the role of LF Education in supporting the community, and the importance of cybersecurity education. They also delve into the development of the Global IT Cyber Skills Framework, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and community engagement in the tech industry.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction to Open Source and LF Education
• 02:59 Clyde's Journey into Open Source
• 05:54 The Role of LF Education in Open Source
• 09:00 Cybersecurity and the Global IT Cyber Skills Framework
• 11:59 Framework Development and Industry Collaboration
• 15:13 Continuous Learning and Community Engagement

Episode links:

• Clyde’s Linkedin
• Linux Foundation Training
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

In this episode of What’s in the SOSS?, CRob sits down with Kevin Crosby and Xavier Rene-Corail from GitHub to unpack the GitHub Secure Open Source Fund - an innovative program that combines funding, education, and community to strengthen open source security. Learn how this unique initiative connects maintainers with training, resources, and a $10K stipend to scale security best practices. The trio also shares the origins of the fund, surprising takeaways from the first cohort, and what’s next for this rapidly growing initiative.

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
00:58 – Meet the Guests
02:26 – Open Source Origin Stories
06:10 – The Spark Behind the SOS Fund
10:19 – What Participating in the Fund Looks Like
12:39 – Inside the Curriculum
14:50 – Unique Program Design & Outcomes
16:23 – Key Learnings from the First Cohort
19:09 – Feedback & Areas to Improve
21:50 – What’s Next for the Fund
23:00 – Rapid Fire Round
24:23 – Call to Action

Episode links:

• Kevin Crosby LinkedIn
• Xavier René-Corail LinkedIn
• GitHub Secure Open Source Fund
• May is Maintainer Month with the theme of Securing Open Source
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

In this special episode of What’s in the SoSS?, we welcome Stacey Potter, the new Community Manager at the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF). Stacey shares her winding journey from managing operations at a vitamin company to becoming a powerful advocate and connector in the open source world. We explore her community-first mindset, her work with CNCF and Platform Engineering Day, and her passion for inclusion and authenticity. Whether you're curious about how to get started in open source or want insight into how community shapes security, this episode is for you.

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome + Introduction
01:06 – Stacey’s Origin Story in Open Source
03:10 – Discovering Community Management at Weaveworks
04:02 – Projects and Evolution Across CNCF and Beyond
05:44 – Co-Chairing Platform Engineering Day
09:06 – Being Openly Queer in Open Source
13:10 – What Stacey Hopes to Bring to OpenSSF
16:20 – Rapid Fire Round
17:36 – Final Thoughts

Episode links:

• Stacey Potter’s LinkedIn page
• OpenSSF.org/events 
• OpenSSF Community Day Japan
• OpenSSF Community Day North America
• OpenSSF Community Day India
• OpenSSF Community Day North America
• OpenSSF Community Day Europe
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, host CRob is joined by the “Council of Daves” - Dr. David Wheeler of the OpenSSF and Dave Russo from Red Hat — for a deep dive into the intersection of secure software development and education. From their open source origin stories to the challenges of educating developers and managers alike, this conversation covers key initiatives like the LFD121 course, upcoming resources on the EU Cyber Resilience Act, and how AI is shifting the landscape.

Whether you're a developer, manager, or just open source curious, this is your crash course in why security training matters more than ever.

📚 Episode Chapters:

• Intro & Meet the Council of Daves (0:16)
• Open Source Origin Stories (1:22)
• The Role of the Education SIG (4:05)
• Why Secure Software Education Is Critical (6:30)
• Inside the LFD121 Secure Development Course (8:01)
• Training Managers on Secure SDLC Practices (12:24)
• Why AI Makes Education More Important, Not Less (13:53)
• What’s Next in Security Education: CRA 101 and More (16:04)
• Rapid Fire Round: VI vs. EMACS, Tabs or Spaces & Mascots (20:20)
• Final Thoughts & Call to Action (22:04)

Episode links:

• Dave Russo LinkedIn
• David Wheeler LinkedIn
• OpenSSF Free Training:
  • LFD121: Developing Secure Software
  • LFD125: Security for Software Development Managers
  • LFEL1001: Understanding the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF Newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, we sit down with the OpenSSF’s new General Manager, Steve Fernandez — a seasoned enterprise tech leader whose resumé spans giants like L’Oréal, Coca-Cola, AIG, and Ford. Steve shares his “origin story,” what drew him into the world of open source, and how his decades of experience as a consumer of open source software are shaping his vision for the Foundation.

00:21 Welcome & Introductions
00:57 Steve’s Tech Journey
03:13 Why OpenSSF?
05:02 The Role of Security & Strategic Vision
08:17 Rapid Fire & Final Thoughts 

Robin Bender Ginn, Executive Director of the OpenJS Foundation, joins us to talk about JavaScript’s massive footprint, the challenges of sustaining critical open source projects, and the importance of security in the web ecosystem. She shares her journey, insights on community-led development, and how OpenJS is building a healthier future for the JavaScript ecosystem.

Learn more and register for JSConf North America: https://events.linuxfoundation.org/jsconf-north-america/register/

Chapters:
0:00 JavaScript's Critical Web Presence
0:51 Robin Ginn Introduces OpenJS Foundation
2:01 Core Challenges Facing JavaScript Ecosystem
4:12 Managing Older Projects and Outdated Software
8:23 Solutions and Security Improvements
12:12 Individual Impact and Community Involvement
14:35 Wrap-Up and Call to Action

Episode links:

• Robin Bender Ginn LinkedIn page
• OpenJS website
• OpenJS YouTube channel
• OpenJS Slack channel
• Learn more and register for JSConf North America 
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

In this inspiring episode of "What's in the SOSS?", we welcome our new Co-Host, cybersecurity expert and open source advocate Yesenia Yser. Join hosts CRob and Yesenia as they delve into her compelling journey from discovering open source at Red Hat to pioneering AI security at Microsoft. Learn how Yesenia blends her passion for cybersecurity, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and empowering communities—especially women—to shape her personal brand and advocacy efforts. Don't miss this lively conversation full of actionable insights for anyone interested in cybersecurity, open source communities, and personal growth.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:18 – Introduction to Yesenia Yser
• 00:55 – Yesenia's open source origin story
• 03:30 – From cybersecurity professional to jiu-jitsu practitioner
• 05:56 – Building a personal brand in tech and beyond
• 09:04 – Advocating diversity in tech through the BEAR group
• 12:40 – Fun rapid-fire round (VI or Emacs, Coke or Pepsi, favorite open source mascot, spicy vs. mild food, and more)
• 13:52 – Yesenia joins as new co-host of "What's in the SOSS?"
• 15:39 – Advice for breaking into open source and cybersecurity

Connect with Yesenia:

• Yesenia Yser on LinkedIn
• The Lioness Instincts

Get Involved with the OpenSSF:

• Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
• Join the OpenSSF an upcoming Community Day
• Watch BEAR Community Office Hours on YouTube

CRob is joined by Arun Gupta, Vice President and General Manager of Developer Programs at Intel and OpenSSF Governing Board Chair, and Zach Steindler, Principal Engineer at Github, a member of the OpenSSF TAC and co-chairs the OpenSSF Security Packages Repository Working Group to discuss the key lessons learned from open source security in 2024, the importance of the MVVSR (Mission, Vision, Values, Strategy, and Roadmap) framework, and the exciting initiatives planned for 2025. They highlight the growing reliance on open source, the challenges of dependency vulnerabilities, and the need for better security practices in the industry.

Chapters:

• 03:29 Key Lessons from Open Source Security in 2024
• 08:29 MVSR: Mission, Vision, Strategy, and Roadmap
• 13:41 Importance of Strategy and Roadmap in OpenSSF
• 17:48 Roadmap Items for Community Collaboration
• 20:02 Key Resources and Courses for Developers
• 22:09 Exciting Opportunities Ahead for 2025

Episode links:

• Arun’s Linkedin
• Zach’s Linedkin
• 2024 Annual Report
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn