Board Elections 2025: Meet the Candidates

Ben Cotton has been active in Fedora and other open source communities for over a decade. His career has taken him through the public and private sector in roles that include desktop support, high-performance computing administration, marketing, and program management. Ben is the author of Program Management for Open Source Projects (Pragmatic Bookshelf, 2022). He contributed to the book Human at a Distance, and has written articles for SysAdvent, The Next Platform, Opensource.com, Scientific Computing, and more.

Open source has never been more important to our daily lives. We depend on our technology to be secure and reliable, which requires well-trained professionals to develop and run these services. As the state of the art evolves, LPI’s training and certification programs need to evolve.

My entire career has been driven by Linux specifically and open source generally. Joining the LPI board is an opportunity to use my professional experience to support the future of open source. I believe my breadth of skills and experience make me well-suited to help guide the future of the IT profession.

From an early stage in my career, I’ve understood the power of collaboration in achieving mutual goals and solving complexchallenges. This philosophy has been the cornerstone of my professional journey, which spans a decade at Seagate—acompany renowned for its focus on innovative devices.

Throughout my tenure at Seagate, I honed my ability to forge strategic partnerships to address customer needs effectively. Inan ever-evolving landscape where clients seek comprehensive solutions, I’ve embraced the intricate interplay betweenhardware, software, and devices to deliver tailored storage solutions that exceed expectations.

Approaching problems as puzzles waiting to be solved, I thrive on dissecting challenges and piecing together solutions thatresonate with stakeholders. I embrace the diversity of perspectives, understanding that there’s never a singular path toresolution. My strength lies in recognizing the most pertinent solution amidst a myriad of possibilities, ensuring optimaloutcomes for all involved.

This background has led me to my current role as Head of Strategic Partnerships at CIQ, where I leverage my expertise tocollaborate with channel partners in addressing customer needs. Additionally, I work closely with technology partners to bringjoint solutions to market, enhancing the value proposition of solutions that leverage Rocky Linux and other open-source tools.

As a seasoned professional with a decade of experience in strategic partnerships and ecosystem development within thetechnology sector, I am eager to bring my expertise to the Linux Professional Institution’s Board of Directors. My careerjourney, spanning roles at Seagate and as Head of Strategic Partnerships at CIQ, has instilled in me a deep understanding ofthe importance of collaboration and strategic vision in driving growth and innovation.

By forging strong alliances with industry leaders, technology companies, and educational institutions, we can expand thereach and impact of the institution, driving broader adoption of Linux and FOSS solutions.
Furthermore, I believe that the institution has a unique opportunity to drive the broader adoption of certifications that aligns toLinux and FOSS solutions. By offering certifications in emerging technologies and niche areas of expertise, we can empowerprofessionals to stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in today’s job market.

In summary, I am committed to leveraging my experience and expertise to support the growth and development of the LinuxProfessional Institution. By fostering collaboration, driving ecosystem growth, and expanding certification offerings, I amconfident that we can ensure the institution’s continued success and relevance in the technology community.