Welcome to The People Behind the Programs, a CMX blog series celebrating the people who bring communities to life around the world.

Today, we meet Paul Zimmerman, Developer Advocate at Uber, based in Santa Cruz, California. With a rich history of transforming technical spaces into thriving communities, Paul’s journey is marked by a passion for connecting people and sharing knowledge.

From his early days with Cisco DocWiki to his current role advocating for Uber's Michelangelo AI project, Paul's story offers a personal look at the work behind thriving communities. Let's hear his story in his own words.

‍

How It Started

My community journey began with Cisco DocWiki, where I helped turn technical documentation into a collaborative platform for engineers, customers, and partners. I helped build the platform, establish moderation practices, and encourage contributions. It was my first real experience with community building, and I was hooked!

That experience led me into Developer Relations at Cisco, where I moved from developer support into community engagement and advocacy. I led efforts to transform our forums from support channels into places for conversation and connection. We introduced daily engagement activities, built focused communities for DevOps practitioners, and expanded our presence across social media and other developer communities.

My involvement also grew beyond online communities. I spoke at conferences, helped restart local meetups after the pandemic, and hosted monthly BayLISA events. I eventually led Cisco's Developer Advocacy team, creating content, workshops, and events to engage developers.

Today, I'm helping build the open-source community around Uber's Michelangelo AI project and serving on the BayLISA board. Throughout this journey, what I've enjoyed most is bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and watching communities grow. That's what keeps me excited about this work!

‍

A Day in the Life

My current role is Developer Advocate for Michelangelo, Uber's open-source MLOps platform. A big part of my job is building a community where developers can connect, share knowledge, and contribute to the project.

My typical day is a mix of community engagement, developer advocacy, and open-source project management. I manage our GitHub Discussions and Slack communities, create content, and work to improve the developer experience. I'm also involved in the technical side of open source, reviewing pull requests, triaging issues, and helping manage the RFC process.

I'm equally interested in growing the community beyond our online channels. I've been connecting with developers in person through presentations at Kubernetes Community Day Bay Area and WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America. Those face-to-face conversations are a great way to build relationships and bring new people into the community.

Outside of work, I'm also on the board of BayLISA, helping organize meetups for local technology professionals. I really enjoy the variety of this work, from technical collaboration to building relationships. For me, it's all about making it easier for people to connect, participate, and learn from each other!

‍

The Tools that Power My Work

My go-to tool for community building? Whatever platform my community is most comfortable using! I've always believed that successful communities start by meeting people where they are, rather than expecting them to come to you. Discord? Absolutely. Reddit? Sure! Company forums? Of course! I also love bringing people together through in-person meetups and using tools like Restream to extend those connections to a wider audience.

One tool I've particularly enjoyed is Common Room. It helps bring together community activity across different platforms, making it easier to discover members, understand their interests, and see how they're engaging with the community.

For me, the real value isn't in any single platform. It's in understanding where your community gathers, making meaningful connections, and giving people reasons to participate. The tools should support those relationships, not define them!

‍

Advice for Newcomers

If you're just getting started in community building, remember that your most important skill isn't mastering a platform or a tool. It's connecting with people!

AI is changing how we work, and it can be incredibly helpful with content, analytics, and everyday tasks. But community is fundamentally about people connecting with people. AI can't replace the relationships, trust, and sense of belonging that make a community special.

My advice is to listen to your members, meet them where they are, and find ways to help them connect and learn from each other. A successful community is much more than a busy discussion forum!

One of the biggest challenges, and something I wish I'd appreciated earlier, is helping management understand the value of community. Learn to tell that story through both metrics and real examples of how your community makes a difference. Building a great community is only half the battle. You also need to make sure your organization understands why it matters.

Most importantly, enjoy the connections you make along the way. That's the best part of this profession!

‍

Resources I Suggest

Two resources I'd definitely recommend:

The Art of Community by Jono Bacon is a great introduction to both the philosophy and practical side of bringing people together and building a thriving community.

I'm also a big fan of In Before the Lock, the podcast with Erica Kuhl and Brian Oblinger. They bring a wealth of real-world experience and tackle the challenges community professionals face, from engagement strategies to demonstrating community value to leadership.

Both are great resources for understanding that successful community building is about much more than managing a platform. It's about people, relationships, and creating something meaningful together!

‍

💬 Let’s connect on LinkedIn — I’d love to hear from fellow community builders.

💡 The People Behind the Programs is a blog series that shines a light on the community professionals powering impactful programs around the world. Want to share your story or nominate someone doing incredible community work? Submit your spotlight here.

‍

Are you passionate about building communities?

‍Join the movement, start a CMX Connect chapter in your city or virtually and become a local leader in the global community industry. 👉 Apply to become a chapter director