What's in the SOSS? An OpenSSF Podcast

Ever wondered what it takes to get your talk accepted at a major open source tech conference – or even land a keynote slot? Join What’s in the Sauce new co-host Sally Cooper, as she sits down with Stacey Potter and Adolfo “Puerco” García Veytia, fresh off their viral KubeCon keynote "Supply Chain Reaction." In this episode, they pull back the curtain on the CFP review process, share what makes a strong proposal stand out, and offer honest advice about overcoming imposter syndrome. Whether you're a first-time speaker or a seasoned presenter, you'll learn practical tips for crafting compelling abstracts, avoiding common pitfalls, and why your unique voice matters more than you think.

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction and Guest Welcome
01:40 - Meet the Keynote Speakers
05:27 - Why CFPs Matter for Open Source Communities
08:29 - Inside the Review Process: What Reviewers Look For
14:29 - Crafting a Strong Abstract: Dos and Don'ts
21:05 - From Regular Talk to Keynote: What Changed
25:24 - Conquering Imposter Syndrome
29:11 - Rapid Fire CFP Tips
30:45 - Upcoming Speaking Opportunities
33:08 - Closing Thoughts

Episode links:
Adolfo García Veytia LinkedIn page
Stacey Potter LinkedIn page
KubeCon North America Keynote: Supply Chain Reaction: A Cautionary Tale in K8s Security
OpenSSF Slack CFP Announce channel (#cfp-nnounce)
Open Source Summit North America - CFP Closes February 9
OpenSSF Community Day North America - CFP Closes February 15
Open Source Summit Europe - CFP opens end of April or early May
OpenSSF Community Day Europe - CFP opens early May
Get involved with the OpenSSF
Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

In this special episode, the What's in the SOSS podcast welcomes Sally Cooper as an official co-host. Sally, who leads OpenSSF's marketing efforts, shares her journey from hands-on technical roles in training and documentation to becoming a bridge between complex technology and everyday understanding. The conversation explores why marketing matters in open source, how personal branding connects to community building, and the importance of personas in serving diverse stakeholders. Sally also reveals OpenSSF's 2026 marketing themes and explains how newcomers can get involved in the community, whether through Slack, working groups, or contributing content.

Chapters:
00:09 - Welcoming Sally Cooper as Co-Host
01:28 - From Technical Training to Marketing Leadership
03:54 - Bridging Technology and Understanding
06:19 - Why Marketing Makes Open Source Uncomfortable
08:11 - Personal Branding and Career Growth
10:42 - Understanding Community Personas
12:33 - Getting Started with OpenSSF
14:44 - OpenSSF's 2026 Marketing Themes
16:18 - Rapid Fire Round
17:09 - How to Get Involved

Episode links:
Sally Cooper’s LinkedIn page
Get involved with the OpenSSFA Software Developer’s Journey with the OpenSSF
An Open Source Program Office’s Journey with OpenSSF
The Marketing Journey with OpenSSF

Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn
OpenSSF Slack Invite
OpenSSF Blog
Reach out to the OpenSSF Marketing Team
BEAR Working Group
OpenSSF Tech Talks
OpenSSF Case Studies

Join co-hosts CRob and Yesenia for a special season finale celebrating OpenSSF's fifth anniversary and recapping an incredible year of innovation in open source security! From launching three free educational courses on the EU Cyber Resilience Act, AI/ML security, and security for software development managers, to the groundbreaking DARPA AI Cyber Challenge where competitors achieved over 90% accuracy in autonomous vulnerability discovery, 2025 has been transformative. We reflect on standout interviews with new OpenSSF leaders Steve Fernandez and Stacey, deep dives into game-changing projects like the Open Source Project Security Baseline and AI model signing, and the vibrant community conversations around SBOM, supply chain security, and developer education. With nearly 12,000 total podcast downloads and exciting Season 3 plans including AI Cyber Challenge competitor interviews, CFP writing workshops, and expanded global community initiatives in Africa, we're just getting started. Tune in for behind-the-scenes insights, friendly competition stats on our most popular episodes, and a sneak peek at what's coming in 2026!

Chapters:
00:00 - Celebrating OpenSSF's Fifth Anniversary
02:52 - Educational Growth and New Initiatives
05:51 - Community Voices and Leadership Changes
08:45 - The Role of Community Manager
11:44 - Open Source Project Security Baseline
14:47 - AI and Machine Learning in Open Source
17:47 - Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) Discussions
20:34 - Podcast Highlights and Listener Engagement
22:26 - Looking Ahead to Season Three
Episode links:
Yesenia Yser on LinkedIn
Christopher Robinson on LinkedIn
OpenSSF Free Courses:LFD 125 - Security for Software Development Managers
LFEL 1001 - Understanding the EU Cyber Resilience Act
LFEL 1012 - Secure AI/ML Driven Development

OpenSSF What’s In The SOSS Podcast Episodes:Podcast #27 – S2E04 Enterprise to Open Source: Steve Fernandez’s Journey to the OpenSSF
Podcast #29 – S2E06 Showing Up Fully: Meet OpenSSF’s new Community Manager, Stacey Potter
Podcast #25 – S2E02 Empowering Security: Yesenia Yser on Open Source, AI, and Personal Branding
Podcast #44 – S2E21 A Deep Dive into the Open Source Project Security (OSPS) Baseline
Podcast #36 – S2E13 From Compliance to Community: Meeting CRA Requirements Together

On this episode of "What's in the SoSS," Yesenia Yser sits down with Justin Cappos, NYU professor and self-described "OG software supply chain guy" who's been working in this space since 2002. Justin reveals why most universities fail to teach fundamental security practices—from MFA to code signing—and how his groundbreaking software supply chain security course is creating some of the top 500 most qualified professionals in the world. We discuss the challenges of keeping curriculum current in a rapidly evolving field, the "throw them in the deep end" approach to teaching open source collaboration, and Justin's vision for transforming security education across institutions nationwide through the Linux Foundation's Academic Computing Acceleration Program.

Episode links:
Justin Cappos NYU Professor Page
NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Linux Foundation Academic Computing Accreditation
OpenSSF Education
CNCF Tag Security
Get involved with the OpenSSF
Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

Chapters
00:24 - Introduction & Guest Welcome
01:49 - The SolarWinds Effect
02:01 - Aligning with Linux Foundation's Academic Program
04:06 - Critical Gaps in Traditional CS Education
06:35 - Teaching Open Source Culture
10:45 - Career Impact & Student Success
13:52 - Adapting to AI & Rapid Industry Change
16:30 - Vision for the Next 5-10 Years
19:52 - Rapid Fire Round
20:52 - Final Advice & Closing

Jay White, a leader in the open source ecosystem at Microsoft, discusses his journey into open source, focusing on AI and machine learning. He highlights his role in the Azure office of the CTO, working on open source, security, and AI standards. White emphasizes the importance of model signing and transparency in AI development, mentioning ongoing work in the OpenSSF and Coalition for Secure AI (CoSAI). He encourages community involvement, noting the need for standardization in AI supply chain security and the nuanced challenges of cultural representation in AI models. White also shares his passion for community building and the importance of continuous learning in AI and machine learning.

Episode links:
Jautau “Jay” White LinkedIn page
OpenSSF AI/ML Working Group
Coalition for Secure AI (CoSAI)
Get involved with the OpenSSF
Subscribe to the OpenSSF newsletter
Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn

Chapters:
Introduction & Jay’s Background (00:19)
Jay’s Journey into Open Source (02:29)
AI & Machine Learning Working Group (06:32)
Supply Chain Security & Model Signing (09:17)
Joining & Contributing to Open Source Efforts (13:16)
Challenges and Opportunities in AI Security (15:39)
Building Inclusive & Diverse AI Systems (18:30)
Rapid Fire & Final Thoughts (21:18)