Flock to Fedora is more than a conference – it’s where the Fedora community comes alive. As part of the “CommitHistory” campaign, we sat down with confirmed Flock 2026 speakers to hear their stories: what brought them to Fedora, what Flock means to them personally, and what they’re hoping for in Prague this June. This is one of those conversations.
Jef Spaleta came back to Fedora at exactly the right moment. After years away, working across software startups and following his spouse’s move back to the east coast, the timing aligned perfectly with the previous project leader stepping down. With a sharpened skill set and fresh perspective, Jef felt ready to lead.
But leading Fedora in 2026 isn’t just about keeping the lights on. Jef sees the project at a critical crossroads. There is a generational transition where original founders are stepping away and institutional knowledge risks disappearing with them. His focus? Mentoring the next wave of contributors to keep Fedora sustainable for the next five to ten years.
On the state of the project, Jef is honest: Fedora continues to ship high-quality releases on schedule, a streak held for five or six years. But stability isn’t enough. He is developing a new Fedora innovation lifecycle, a dedicated space for experimental work where things can be tried, broken, and learned from without disrupting the mature processes the project depends on.
For Jef, Flock’s value is simple but profound. Digital tools work well when everyone agrees, but they fall apart when things get hard. Flock is where relationship repair happens, where tone and intent can finally be communicated in ways text never can. Looking ahead to Flock 2026, he is focusing on two priorities. First, migrating Forge infrastructure to meet the expectations of the next generation of developers, and second, shaping Fedora’s approach to AI-assisted development before the conversation shapes itself.
Flock to Fedora 2026 takes place June 14–16 in Prague. Registration is at capacity but you can join the waitlist. Can’t make it in person? Follow along live on the Fedora YouTube channel. We hope to see you there!
Note: AI (Google Gemini) was used in drafting this article. The content was reviewed and verified before publishing.