Ruby Central is excited to welcome our new Executive Director, Shan Cureton. 

Over the past few years, Ruby Central has gone through a period of meaningful growth and change. We launched our Open Source Program to lead the ongoing development of RubyGems and Bundler, redefined RubyConf as our flagship annual conference (beginning in 2026), and expanded our grant program to support local Ruby meetups around the world. We also worked to overcome the challenges of the pandemic with a renewed focus on sustainability, ensuring we’re well-positioned to support the Ruby ecosystem for the long term.

As we step into our next chapter, we sought out an Executive Director who has the vision and drive to elevate us further and help fulfill our mission of bringing the community together, sustaining the software ecosystem, and empowering individuals in their learning journeys.

With over 15 years of experience leading nonprofits and mission-driven startups, Shan has spent her career at the intersection of systems thinking, community building, and equitable program design. She has led global teams and built operational infrastructure from the ground up, all while maintaining a deep connection to the people her work serves—especially students, underrepresented founders, and women in technology.

Her journey includes founding a startup inspired by her own experiences as a working parent, which grew rapidly before being upended by the pandemic. As she shares, “That experience gave me a deep appreciation for what it takes to create meaningful, sustainable solutions under pressure. It also taught me to move quickly but thoughtfully, to center community needs in every decision, and to lead with empathy, adaptability, and a builder’s mindset.”

Shan was drawn to Ruby Central by a belief in the power of community. While getting to know the team and learning about the ecosystem, she was struck by the warmth, the alignment in values, and the shared excitement around what’s possible when developers have access to the right resources to help them innovate and thrive in their careers.

“There’s something incredibly compelling about the culture of care and collaboration in the Ruby community,” says Shan. “I’m especially interested in the community’s long-standing commitment to making open source more inclusive and accessible, and I look forward to supporting that work.” 

“I am thrilled to have Shan joining as Executive Director,” says Freedom Dumlao, Board Member and Treasurer at Ruby Central. “She brings a wealth of executive experience, and just as importantly, she shares the values that have always defined the Ruby community.”

As Shan steps into this role, she’ll be working closely with our outgoing interim Executive Director, Chelsea Kaufman, to ensure a smooth transition. 

“Shan brings fresh energy and leadership to Ruby Central,” says Chelsea. “It is an honor to help guide this transition, and I’m confident the organization is in excellent hands.”

Over the coming weeks, Shan will be meeting with team members, contributors, and partners to better understand the landscape and the people who make Ruby Central what it is.

We’re thrilled to welcome Shan to the team, and we look forward to the community meeting her virtually and in person at RailsConf this July!