In 2026, CKAN marks 20 years as one of the world’s most trusted open data platforms. What began as a practical tool for publishing datasets has become critical digital infrastructure for governments, researchers, and civic institutions around the globe.
This CKAN Monthly Live session opens both the new year and CKAN’s 20th anniversary year. It also marks the second year of the NSF-funded CKAN POSE Phase II project, an initiative focused on strengthening the CKAN ecosystem by supporting collaboration, shared governance, and long-term sustainability.
What this session is about
Over the past year, the CKAN POSE team has been listening closely to the community. Through governance work, listening sessions, and hands-on collaboration, a clear theme has emerged: CKAN’s strength lies not only in its software, but in the people, institutions, and shared practices that sustain it.
In this webinar, the project team will:
- Reflect on what we’ve learned so far from community input
- Share what’s being built in 2026, including plans for CKAN’s 20th anniversary
- Invite participants to actively shape upcoming initiatives and discussions
What you’ll gain by joining
By attending this session, you will:
- Learn how to participate in upcoming CKAN storytelling workshops
- Get early insight into the launch of the CKAN Ecosystem Catalog
- Help shape a new topical discussion series driven by community priorities
- Discover ways to contribute to CKAN’s 20th anniversary activities
- Connect with others working toward shared goals in open, civic, and research data
This session is designed for people who don’t just use CKAN, but care about its future.
What they will cover:
- What the’ve learned so far
Key insights from a year of listening sessions and governance work, and how that input is shaping new programming and shared infrastructure. - CKAN’s 20th anniversary
How the community can help design a distributed, year-long celebration that reflects CKAN’s global impact and local relevance. - Storytelling workshops (February 19 and March 19)
An introduction to a new two-part workshop series focused on sharing CKAN stories, from adoption journeys to collaboration and real-world impact. - The CKAN Ecosystem Catalog
What it is, why it matters, and how instance owners and extension maintainers can prepare their listings ahead of launch. - Upcoming discussion series
A preview of a new topical discussion series, and an open invitation to suggest themes that matter most to you.
Speakers
- Jamaica Jones
Community Manager, CKAN POSE Phase II
Jamaica Jones is Community Manager for the CKAN POSE Phase II project, based at the University of Pittsburgh. She works at the intersection of open data, community governance, and the sustainability of community-driven sociotechnical infrastructure. - Bob Gradeck
Principal Investigator, CKAN POSE Phase II
Bob Gradeck is the Executive Director of the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center (WPRDC) and Principal Investigator on the CKAN POSE Phase II project. His work focuses on civic data infrastructure, community data intermediaries, and strengthening open data ecosystems. - Nora Mattern
Faculty, School of Computing and Information, University of Pittsburgh
Nora Mattern is a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh whose work explores infrastructure, knowledge organization, and community-centered systems. She will co-lead the CKAN storytelling workshops. - Liz Monk
Manager of Community Engagement and Special Projects, WPRDC
Liz Monk leads community engagement and special projects at WPRDC, supporting collaborative data work and storytelling across civic and research communities. She will co-lead the CKAN storytelling workshops. - Joel Natividad
CKAN Contribitor, CEO at Dathere, Ecosystem Catalog Lead
A longtime CKAN developer, Joel is leading development of the CKAN Ecosystem Catalog and will share plans for engaging site managers and strengthening shared infrastructure.
If you use CKAN, contribute to it, or care about sustainable open data infrastructure, this is a good moment to get involved.
Details
- Date: Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026
- Time: 14:00 UTC
- How long: 60+ mins
- Language: English
- Reserve your spot here.
Google Meet joining info
- CLICK HERE to join with Google Meet
- Or dial: (BG) +359 2 907 4153 PIN: 492 965 761#
- More phone numbers here
Meetings agenda
- Welcome and introductions – 10 min
- Presentation from POSE team – ~30 min
- Q&A session – 15 min
- Community announcements and sharing (if any) – 2 min
- Closing – 3 min
You can have a look at the [CKAN Monthly Live] Meeting Doc. Feel free to add items and things you’d like to discuss to the agenda.
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Don’t forget to share your experience by using #CKANMonthlyLive!
We look forward to seeing you all on CKAN Monthly Live!
