DrupalCon Atlanta 2025: Key Sessions for Agency/Business Owners
This blog has been posted and edited with permission from Nadiia Nykolaichuk.
Attending conferences is essential for refueling and recharging your business — and DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 is the perfect opportunity to do just that. Taking place 24-27 March, this event is a must for agency and business owners looking to gain fresh insights, connect with industry peers, and explore potential partnerships.
DrupalCon gathers nearly 1,500 participants from the global Drupal community — people who use Drupal or build digital experiences with it. Whether you already have a Drupal-powered website or are searching for a robust enterprise-level open-source CMS, DrupalCon Atlanta will offer valuable perspectives. You’ll hear from Drupal leaders about the latest advancements and how they can enhance your online impact.
But DrupalCon isn’t just about technology — it’s also about strategy, leadership, and growth. Beyond Drupal-focused sessions, you’ll find insights on topics like building strong teams and navigating business challenges. Let’s dive into some key sessions — both Drupal and beyond — that might be of specific interest to you as an agency or business owner.
Top sessions for agency and business owners at DrupalCon Atlanta 2025
“What the WordPress Conflict Means for Open Source Businesses” — by George DeMet
Open-source software is a smart choice for businesses because it’s free to use, highly customizable, and backed by a vibrant community that drives continuous innovation. It offers freedom, flexibility, and the ability to tailor solutions to specific needs — without being locked into a single software vendor.
A recent dispute between WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine sparked important discussions in all open-source communities. WordPress and Drupal are both well-known open-source CMSs, so it’s no surprise that the Drupal community has been following the debate closely. Beyond the immediate conflict, this debate raised deeper questions about the social and philosophical responsibilities of open-source software.
What does this mean for agencies and businesses that rely on open-source platforms and tools? Join this DrupalCon 2025 session by George DeMet (gdemet) to explore this topic. Through the lens of social contract theory, George will examine the obligations of maintainers, contributors, and companies.
This session will explore how communities like Drupal have addressed challenges like this, the lessons learned, and practical strategies for fostering a sustainable and cooperative future — one where both businesses and developers can thrive in open source.
“AI with Drupal - Using LLM technology is easy, but how do you actually build useful applications?” — by Christoph Breidert
AI tools like ChatGPT are easy to use, and integrating them with Drupal websites has long since become a streamlined practice. But what about taking AI further — building custom applications that would fit your specific business goals?
These apps can be built based on Large Language Models (LLMs). Welcome to the session by Christoph Breidert (breidert) to discover how LLMs work, the public models available, how to use them effectively, what potential challenges you may encounter, and when customization is needed.
This DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 session will be focused on two robust techniques that improve the accuracy and relevance of AI apps:
- In-context learning. This allows AI models like GPT to adapt to the current context it’s given during a conversation with no need for any formal retraining.
- RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation). This combines the power of retrieving relevant information from external sources with the AI’s ability to generate content.
For maximum usefulness and interactivity, the session will feature an exciting demo and a lively brainstorming process on various AI use cases. The session description assures that attendees of all experience levels can follow along.
“The Neurodivergency SuperPower - How Diverse Teams Function Better” — by Matthew Saunders
Embracing diversity — including neurodiversity — is key to building successful teams. This approach has benefits you might not have thought of. Find out how neurodivergent team members can enhance collaboration and spark innovation in the session by Matthew Saunders (matthewS).
Neurodivergent individuals, such as those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences, bring fresh perspectives and unique problem-solving abilities that can strengthen your team. From heightened attention to detail to creative thinking, these individuals contribute valuable skills that drive productivity and foster a more inclusive, empathetic team culture.
Matthew will share personal insights and research to help you understand how to support and empower neurodiverse team members. You’ll learn practical strategies for creating neuro-inclusive work environments that enable every team member to thrive and contribute their best. Embracing cognitive diversity not only improves team dynamics but also leads to better outcomes and long-term success.
“Using Your Superpowers to Lead in a Male-Dominated Industry” — by Shanice Ortiz, Theresa Jacobs, Elia Milán, and Adam Erickson
Despite progress, women leaders still face challenges in male-dominated industries. Here comes a great chance to gain insights and inspiration to challenge traditional gender norms and embrace the strengths that make you a great leader. You can do it by attending this DrupalCon Atlanta session.
Shanice Ortiz (shaortiz728), Theresa Jacobs (tgjacobs), Elia Milán (elia.milan), and Adam Erickson (americkson) will speak about their journeys to leadership and explore challenges and opportunities in this realm. They will discuss their experiences navigating gender expectations, overcoming imposter syndrome, and breaking stereotypes.
Through personal stories, they will share insights on developing an authentic leadership style and fostering high-performing, inclusive teams. You’ll leave with renewed confidence in your ability to lead with purpose and empower your team. This DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 session isn’t just for women in leadership — it could also be valuable for men who want to better understand these barriers and contribute to a more inclusive, collaborative, and thriving workplace.
“Scaling quality mental health support in low income settings with two UN agencies” — by Elaman Imashov
Here’s a success story showcasing how Drupal powers a truly impactful social initiative. EQUIP (Ensuring Quality in Psychological Support), a World Health Organization & UNICEF project, is addressing a critical issue through a digital platform built as a Drupal-based Progressive Web App (PWA).
Mental health support is essential worldwide, yet many communities lack access to proper training and assessments. The mission of EQUIP is to deliver them in low and middle-income settings with low connectivity. By March 2024, this digital platform had been used in 794 training programs in 36 countries, delivering 10,000+ competency assessments.
Elaman Imashov (elaman) will take you through the journey of EQUIP’s development. This session will be a full case study. It will cover key aspects such as the project’s background, the reasons for choosing a Drupal PWA, the technical stack, the process of feature prioritization, the project’s impact via a wide range of delivery organizations, and much more.
This could inspire you to launch a meaningful social project supported by the power of Drupal or take your existing nonprofit website to the next level.
“IXP-Fellowship: Using Contribution Credits to encourage organizations to hire new Drupal talent” — by Michael Anello, Carlos Ospina, and Ana Laura Coto Tristan
If you're a Drupal development agency, you might want to know about a fantastic opportunity to hire the next generation of enthusiastic Drupal talent. By bringing fresh developers onto your team, you not only contribute to Drupal’s growth but also earn valuable drupal.org credits. Credits represent a solid reputation and recognition for your organization. This can lead to increased trust from clients, improved collaborations, and more growth opportunities.
If you want to know more about it, join the session by Michael Anello (ultimike), Carlos Ospina (Camoa), and Ana Laura Coto Tristan. They will uncover a Drupal community initiative called IXP-Fellowship. It encourages organizations to hire and mentor new talent by using Drupal’s contribution credit system. This helps aspiring Drupal developers land their first paid roles, bridging the gap between learning and real-world experience.
The speakers will walk you through the program’s goals, and the progress made so far, and tell you more details about how your Drupal agency or organization can benefit from getting involved.
Driesnote by Dries Buytaert
The Driesnote at DrupalCon Atlanta is more than just a keynote — it’s a roadmap for the future of Drupal. Dries Buytaert, Drupal’s founder, will unveil the latest insights on Drupal’s evolution, major releases, and groundbreaking innovations.
What else are the best Drupal minds crafting right now to make your digital experiences even better? What’s next for Drupal in an AI-driven world? When to expect the new version of Drupal? Driesnote is often the place for news that the wide audience has never heard before.
It’s a great chance to stay ahead of the curve. Discover how these developments can shape your services, influence client expectations, and strengthen your competitive edge. Walk away with fresh perspectives and a clearer vision of how Drupal can help your business thrive.
Summits for various industries (and a special discount for nonprofits)
DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 offers a wonderful opportunity for agency and business owners to dive deeper into specific industries through its summits. These specialized sessions are tailored for sectors such as Healthcare, Higher Education, Government, Nonprofit, and Community, providing targeted insights, networking, and collaboration. They provide actionable insights, helping you better understand how Drupal can support and elevate your industry-specific goals.
While summits are available for an additional $250, the Community Summit is free to all attendees, making it a great option for those who want to connect with the Drupal community and share insights.
For those in nonprofit organizations and local governments, there’s a special perk. In addition to a huge discount for the main conference ticket, they have the option to attend the Nonprofit Summit for free — a $250 value. See more details about all ticket prices and eligibility guidelines and never miss a chance to get tickets for yourself and your team.
Final thoughts
Reading about these sessions can never match the experience of being at this extraordinary event in person. Immerse yourself in the vibrant energy of DrupalCon Atlanta 2025, where the brightest and most passionate Drupal enthusiasts share their expertise and ignite inspiration. Scale up your strategies, expand your horizons, and build lasting connections. We can’t wait to see you there on 24-27 March!
