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Update bio for board with this years candidacies (#456)
* Update board bio to this years candidacies
* format
* link to website
* adapt election to past tense
* add "little more about me" section to yuri
* adapt headers
* add back mission statement
* update
* tweak
* remove financial disclosures
Hi, I'm Birk. I've been contributing since the early days of MapLibre, and I've been on the board since the first election cycle two years ago, and it's been some constructive years. I've been honored to represent the community for this long, and I'd love to continue my work for another term.
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My name is Birk Skyum, and I'm a co-founder of MapLibre. It's a privilege to work with so many passionate and talented contributors, and I'm grateful for the progress we've made together as a community. I'm truly honored to serve yet another term on the governing board and help keep our open stack, and our shared vision, moving forward.
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There is a lot going on right now on all fronts, which is awesome. To give an idea about some of the concrete work I've been leading in the past year, here's a review.
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My approach is simple: focus on what brings the most long-term strategic value to MapLibre and its users. Here’s a snapshot of some things I’ve worked on this past year.
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#Efforts in the Past year
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### My Contributions This Year
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From 2021-2023 I spent the majority of my time working on tooling, general maintenance, testing, modern node compat, CI for native and gl js, typescript, splitting out style spec, docs etc., but that all runs well now, and we even have excellent maintainers that keeps improving on it.
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_Feature development:_
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This past year I directed my attention more towards community and R&D:
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-**Globe support** – Added projection expression syntax to the style spec for adaptive projection transitions ([PR](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-style-spec/pull/888))
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-**Globe support** – Enabled terrain features for globe mode in MapLibre GL JS ([PR](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-gl-js/pull/4977))
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### DevRel - Community and ecosystem
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_Maintenance tasks:_
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I've been focusing on helping onboard projects that can benefit from MapLibre to our community, and make sure our compatibility in the ecosystem stays high. Notable examples are:
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-**GL JS Testing and Coverage** – Modernized tests by moving from Jest to Vitest ([PR](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-gl-js/pull/4728)). This is a stepping stone toward adopting [Rolldown](https://rolldown.rs/), which will make our GL JS toolchain much faster.
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-**WIP – MapLibre Native Qt SDK** – Adding Vulkan, Metal, and OpenGL 3+ support ([PR](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native-qt/pull/216)). This upgrade is key for expanding our reach among automotive OEMs and Qt developers.
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-[Plotly.js](https://github.com/plotly/plotly.js) (MIT-license), an awesome python plotting library, with 4m weekly downloads, that will have support maplibre from the next minor (RC release any day now), and exclusively support maplibre from next major. ( https://github.com/plotly/plotly.js/pull/7015#issuecomment-2275965617 )
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_Community contributions:_
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-[Kepler.gl](https://kepler.gl/) (MIT-license), a great tool for data visualization, which now runs on maplibre instead of mapbox, so the entire stack is foss again. ( https://github.com/keplergl/kepler.gl/pull/2461 )
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-[**Made with MapLibre**](https://madewithmaplibre.com/) – I started this showcase to highlight great projects and help boost MapLibre adoption.
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-**Growing MapLibre in Python** – I led the migration to MapLibre GL JS as the default for plotly.js v3 ([writeup](https://plotly.com/blog/plotly-is-switching-to-maplibre/)). With plotly.py v6 ([released Jan 28](https://github.com/plotly/plotly.py/releases/tag/v6.0.0)), MapLibre is now poised to become a go-to for Python mapping (plotly.py has [500k-1m daily downloads](https://pypistats.org/packages/plotly)), which is bringing new people into our community.
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-**Cross-Platform SDKs** – Cross-platform SDKs continue to be a popular choice among mobile developers [trends](https://makeitnew.io/cross-platform-mobile-development-trends-you-need-to-know-in-2025-a00ff6cc34f3). This year, I’ve worked to support onboarding and facilitate maintenance for all four of our MapLibre Native cross-platform SDKs—React Native, Compose, Flutter, and Qt, so we can offer users a strong and unified experience.
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-**TSC Meetings** – I regularly attend our Native and GL JS meetings to stay in sync and always be available for feedback or support.
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-[Deck.gl](https://deck.gl/) (MIT-license), I've been trying to facilitate better sync with deck.gl - it was requested maplibre exposed more camera internals, which is in place as part of MapLibre GL JS 4.5.2. ( https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-gl-js/pull/3136 )
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---
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### My Vision and Priorities for the Board
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-[OpenPilot](https://github.com/commaai/openpilot) (MIT-license) - Took contact to the team. It's running MapLibre Native now https://github.com/commaai/openpilot/issues/26739
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My goal is simple: make MapLibre the highest-quality, most widely adopted map rendering stack in the world. I’m excited about what’s ahead and want to help keep our momentum going:
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I expect to start collaborating with this team soon - there's a vote on this change in progress.
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- Push GL JS forward with [Luma.gl](https://luma.gl/) for WebGL2 and WebGPU support
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- Help Native strengthen Vulkan/Metal support and remove blockers for broader industry adoption
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- Move forward an additional WebGPU backed on Native, aimed at the web target, for long-term strategic reasons.
-Explore new Native features (like Globe or Terrain) to close the gap with GL JS
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### Breaking new ground - Healthy competition amongst our renderers
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- Improve support for AR/VR and 3D engines
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In the past year I've been thinking a lot about our long-term strategy, around if we can unify maplibre to a single renderer. In that case we have to figure if it's possible to make MapLibre Native run on the web, and if MapLibre GL JS can be fast enough for mobile use, or if it's better to introduce a third renderer that's a bit of both. I don't know the answer here, but I know that we can pursue each to learn more, and then reassess at a later point. My work in this regard is:
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- Improve support for in-car navigation (e.g. upgrade Qt SDK, C FFI)
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- See the MapLibre Tile format adopted in real-world cases
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- Support Martin in delivering server-rendering with MapLibre Native
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- Experiment with AI tools for repetitive or time-consuming tasks to boost productivity
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_**Can we make Native portable?**_
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### Making MapLibre Portable: Cross-Platform Ambitions
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I've been doing some pioneering work regarding exploring our options for [MapLibre Native Wasm](https://birkskyum.github.io/maplibre-native-wasm/) compilation to run in the browser, which I demonstrated with our first Wasm demo [here](https://birkskyum-maplibre-native-wasm.pages.dev/qt-for-webassembly/webgl1-from-opengl2-legacy-renderer/). This could be the first baby step towards increasing the portability of Native to web, thus making it truly cross-platform.
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To help us stay ahead of the curve, I plan to keep experimenting with emerging tech and share what I learn with the board:
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_**Can we make GL JS fast?**_
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**MapLibre Native in the Browser** – Last year, we got Native running in the browser with WebAssembly ([demo](https://birkskyum.github.io/maplibre-native-wasm/)). There’s lots of room to improve performance and build paths, so my next focus is a WebGL2 build for the drawables renderer, right after the [Qt SDK refactor](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native-qt/pull/216) lands. I think we can have WebGL2 ready before year’s end, and then WebGPU is up next.
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I push for our MapLibre GL JS to move forward towards a [modular graphics backend](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-gl-js/issues/4511), so that we can begin refactor to adopt faster WebGL2 and WebGPU functionality. I started [migrating to webgl2](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-gl-js/pull/2599) a year ago, but due to a lack of this refactor we had to put this work on hold, and even down-compile to webgl1. If we can make GL JS run superfast, and it already has super high portability, and a much simpler codebase, then I believe it can stand the pressure of the Native renderers.
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**MapLibre GL JS Beyond the Browser** – Once GL JS is fully migrated to luma.gl, I’d like to explore its potential outside the browser, such as for server rendering or desktop/mobile apps.
As a veteran in the geospatial field, I've been fortunate to witness and contribute to the evolution of geospatial technologies over the past 10 years. My journey began in 2014 when I made several contributions to the first Mapbox Android SDK. In 2016, I co-founded Locus Social, one of the first real-time internet-scale geospatial analytics services. Later while at Grubhub, my team was among the early adopters of [Deck.gl](http://deck.gl/)and GeoSpark. In 2022, I joined AWS as an engineering manager, drawn by the opportunity to grow the MapLibre community and leading Amazon’s contributions to this community.
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First of all, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the trust you placed in me during the 2025 term. Your support has enabled me to serve this community, and it has been one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever had (while the role did demand more time and energy than I initially anticipated :grin:).
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Since then, I've had the privilege of leading several AWS initiatives to set a strong foundation for MapLibre’s growth. We've provided substantial financial backing, with sponsorships totaling $498K in 2022 and 2023, and we're actively working on renewing our commitment for 2024. I've also guided internal Amazon SDEs in improving documentation and clean up broken dependencies, making the project more accessible to new contributors. Recognizing the community concern in using deprecated rendering API on Apple devices, I assembled a team of domain experts for the Metal migration last year. This year, I have retained everyone on that team and further contributed more than 20 major performance, stability, and maintainability enhancements to the native project. At the same time, I actively engage with Meta, Microsoft, Lyft, Grab, Toyota, and other industry leaders to jointly plan for further adoption and contributions.
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The past year has shown me the power and impact of our community when we all work together. We've achieved remarkable milestones that demonstrate MapLibre's influence in the geospatial technology landscape. For example, we have witnessed significant growth in adoption, with Amazon's last-mile logistics network being a notable addition to our user base. It's humbling to know that every Amazon delivery driver navigating their routes to deliver packages in your neighborhood is now using an application powered by MapLibre. We were also fortunate to have welcomed Microsoft as our newest Gold tier sponsor, joining Amazon and Meta in their commitment to MapLibre's future. Project-wise, our own tile spec MLT has shown its potential and is gaining traction to become the next standard for vector tiles. Our map serving project Martin has reached almost 3K stars organically. Strategic projects like Maputnik have also joined the MapLibre family, further enriching our ecosystem.
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Looking ahead, I see the potential for our renderers to become the most stable and performant map renderers available, effectively commoditizing the map rendering technology. My hope is to see MapLibre powering more maps rendered in browsers, phones, vehicles, and on any screens. I'm also excited about the prospect of our new map tile format replacing MVT and becoming the new standard for vector tiles. With all my personal views, however, I firmly believe that MapLibre's future belongs to every community member. As part of the governing board, I see our role as laying the foundation that enables easy adoption, encourages contributions, and inspires and supports innovations from all corners of our community.
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These achievements are not possible without some key individuals' hard work. At the same time, I view them as testaments to our community's collective strength. They reinforce my belief in MapLibre's potential and motivate me to continue to devote myself to supporting our community's growth and success.
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If elected to the governing board, my focus for the coming year would be on active listening and community engagement. I commit to speaking with one community member each week, ensuring that diverse voices and perspectives are heard and considered. I aim to connect common interests, facilitate the exchange of ideas, and help navigate diverging interests when they arise. Another significant part of my efforts will be dedicated to driving adoption, increasing contributions, and growing sponsorships to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of MapLibre.
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On the on the governing board, I will continue my role as a bridge between MapLibre and major corporate adopters and sponsors. I will continue my commitment to connecting common interests, facilitating the exchange of ideas, and helping navigate diverging interests when they arise. I will drive for further growth in adoptions, contributions, and sponsorships to ensure MapLibre's long-term sustainability and success.
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I'm honored to continue serving our community for another term. I believe together, we will build on our momentum and achieve even more in the coming year.
My name is Stephanie May 👋. I'm a cartographer with a background building vector tile maps for tech companies. I'd be delighted to serve on the MapLibre board.
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My involvement with Maplibre, for instance in my previous role as Director of Geospatial at Stamen, has primarily been from the background or sidelines, both managerially and technically. For instance, in building the case for investing in Maplibre Native and Metal adoption while also initiating the efforts at Stamen to formalize cartographic workflows, rebuild the iconic Stamen map tiles as vector styles on top of OpenMapTiles and host them with Stadia, and open source tools like [Maperture](https://github.com/stamen/maperture), [Map GL Style Build](https://github.com/stamen/map-gl-style-build), [Figmasset](https://github.com/stamen/figmasset), [Route Simulator](https://github.com/stamen/map-asset-route-simulator), and many smaller scripts and utilities. 🗺️ 🤓
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I understand how to scale and build, scale and manage map tile and render asset pipelines alongside front end SDKs, APIs, mobile and web apps many times over. I have also given a tremendous amount of thought to maps as HCI (human computer interaction) and GIS as information systems design, and am currently seeking a PhD program where I can study these aspects more formally, with the goal of breaking free of some of the less imaginative tropes that have limited applications and utility in mapping spaces these past 30 years.
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My vision for the Maplibre community is to above all support the maintainers, developers and sustaining funders who have made this impossible dream a reality 👏😸. On the governing board, I will listen and ask a lot of questions, as this has been a passion project for so many, but it's also easy for projects like this to become unwieldy.
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A couple of things I would advocate for:
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- Reorganized tutorials and documentation (beyond the specs)
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- More long-term strategic thinking and positioning to inform future development
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