Why I Joined the LPI Board of Directors – Ted Matsumura

My name is Ted Matsumura, and I am currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Linux Professional Institute (LPI). In this article I’ll explain why I joined the Board and what my experience there has been like.

I have worked in the tech industry since the mid 1980s, and with free and open source software (FOSS), especially Linux, since the mid 1990s. As a product manager for Adaptec NICs for the US and Japan, my role involved supporting and promoting Linux device driver development and FOSS at Adaptec, and later at Intel, Packet Engines, and Penguin Computing. Later, I became an adjunct professor for computer science courses, including teaching classes with Linux, and I am currently working at a multinational firm on secure cloud environments, GitOps, and DevSecOps.

Having gotten certified by LPI myself, and having taught courses about the LPI exams as a college adjunct professor 20 years earlier, I came to the Board appreciating the great work that LPI had done so far. I hoped to help availability and proliferation continue to evolve.

My first desire in joining the Board was to use the business and technical skills I had honed during the past 30 years to bring others up to speed more quickly on the importance of Linux and open source software projects. I also felt that being involved with the teaching and certification process helped me keep aware of the latest technologies, which I use in my job as an R&D engineer.

Second, I wanted to help modernize the training curriculum and certification process to match what enterprise clients are looking for. One important step was to bring the materials and processes more closely in line with an actual work environment and to utilize newer testing technologies, including high-quality lab simulation environments. Another step in this process was to provide the best in class education materials. Testing technologies also needed to exceed the capabilities of strictly multiple choice certifications, and to provide interactive environments that match real-world scenarios to demonstrate knowledge and problem solving capabilities.

Third, I wanted the educational programs and testing to be more widely available to all users, especially those who normally could not afford the time, the resources, or the costs to achieve certification.

Since joining the Board almost a year ago, I have found the virtual meetings with the other Board members enjoyable and productive. Many of the Board members are in different countries and time zones. The global reach of LPI is impressive and constantly growing. Diversity among the board and membership is a good thing, and something I am proud to be promoting within the organization.

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Mark your calendars for the Linux Professional Institute Annual General Meeting, which will take place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, using an online platform. Members can vote at the meeting to choose the LPI Board of Directors.