Mac Admins Foundation Announces New Board Member to Fill Vacant Seat

The Mac Admins Foundation (MAF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Blake as a member of its Board of Directors.

Scott brings more than two decades of Apple device management expertise to the Foundation, including extensive experience in higher education and enterprise environments. As a Senior Client Platform Engineer at Flywire, he architects automation solutions and manages identity and security protocols for a global device fleet.

Through his widely read blog, MacAdmin Musings, Scott has earned recognition for demystifying complex workflows and delivering practical solutions that Apple systems administrators can implement with ease. He is also a community leader, serving as a longtime volunteer with Scout Troops in his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia.

In his new role on the MAF board, Scott will work alongside the board’s leadership and the wider community to further the Foundation’s core mission: to advance the global community of people who manage Apple devices; to foster connections, share knowledge and resources, build inclusive and accessible space for professionals and advocates alike; and to protect the independence and integrity of the community.

“I genuinely look forward to giving back to the Mac Admins community that has supported me in developing my career. I sincerely appreciate the guidance and opportunities it has offered, and I am dedicated to helping contribute to its continued success,” Scott said.

The Mac Admins Foundation is thrilled to welcome Scott to the board and looks forward to the fresh perspectives and passion for community that will continue to strengthen and grow the global Mac Admins community.

MAF Expands Charles Edge Speaker Grant to MacAD.UK 2026

The Mac Admins Foundation is thrilled to open applications for the next round of the Charles S. Edge Jr. New Speakers Grant, designed to support and uplift first-time speakers, encourage new voices, and enrich the diversity of our community. For the first time, the grant will support travel overseas for the MacAD.UK conference in Brighton, England!

Whether you already submitted your talk, have a proposal ready to submit, or just have a spark of an idea, we want to hear from you. This grant is built to help you share your experience and expertise, even if you’re not yet confident with writing or submitting a full proposal.

What the Grant Covers

• A $2,500 USD grant to cover travel, lodging, and conference-related expenses

• Conference registration for MacAD.UK 2026

• One-on-one mentorship and guidance to help shape, refine, and prepare your talk, whether it’s already drafted or still just an idea.

Who Should Apply
This grant is for first-time speakers (or aspiring speakers) who are new to presenting at a professional technical conference, whether they:

• Have already submitted a full talk to the conference, or

• Have a fully written proposal but haven’t submitted yet, or

• Have an idea and would appreciate help turning it into a full proposal.

We especially encourage applicants from backgrounds or communities underrepresented in the Mac Admin space!

How to Apply

1. Complete the application form by 15 January, 2026.

2. That’s it!

Why We’re Doing This
Many talented Mac admins have insights worth sharing — but may feel hesitant because of financial constraints, lack of previous speaking experience, or uncertainty about polishing a proposal. This grant is meant to remove those barriers, help new voices be heard, and grow a richer, more inclusive conference.

Whether you’re ready to go or still shaping your idea, we’d love for you to apply!

Apply Now: First 2026 Mentorship Program Cohort Starts January 5th!

The Mac Admins Foundation is pleased to announce the first mentorship program cohort of 2026. The mentorship program offers a structured three-month experience designed to support both personal and professional growth. Mentors and mentees will work together through regular conversations, shared resources, and collaborative goal-setting. The focus is on practical development, connection, and building confidence in navigating the Mac Admin profession.

The Mac Admins Foundation seeks 25 mentors and 25 mentees for the first cohort, with the possibility of expanding the cohort if interest is high. If you’ve been wanting to get involved, grow your skills, or give back to the community, we’d love to hear from you! We strongly encourage everyone to apply and put any imposter syndrome in a corner.

How to Apply

Applications (Mentee application | Mentor application) can be submitted starting today through December 19th, 2025.

Key Dates

• December 7th, 2025 - Applications for mentees and mentors open

• December 19th, 2025 - Applications for mentees and mentors close

• January 5th, 2026 - MAF Mentorship Program Cohort begins

• April 5th, 2026 - MAF Mentorship Program Cohort closes

Questions

For questions about the MAF Mentorship Program, please reach out in the Mac Admins Slack in #maf-mentorship.

Mac Admins Foundation Launches 2025 End-of-Year Drive With Matching Donations!

The Mac Admins Foundation is excited to kick off our 2025 End-of-Year Drive, and we’re inviting the entire community to help us reach our goal of 400 total members. Last year’s inaugural membership drive was a milestone moment—over 200 members now donate between $5 and $200 each month—and this year, we’re aiming even higher.

And we’re not doing it alone.

Giving Tuesday Matching Donations (December 1–7)

For the first time, several of our incredible sponsors have stepped in with matching contributions in honor of Giving Tuesday. Any donation made between December 1–7, including regularly scheduled monthly donations, will be matched up to the amounts below:

Fleet — Matching the first $10,000

Nudge Security — Matching the first $2,500

Alectrona — Matching the first $1,000

These generous partners are multiplying the impact of every donor during this week, helping us accelerate support for the global Mac Admins community.

Where Your Contributions Make a Difference

The Mac Admins Foundation uses donor support to sustain key programs that directly strengthen and uplift our community:

Mac Admins Slack Operations

Keeping the world’s largest community of Apple IT professionals running takes real resources—over $100,000 per year. Your donations ensure this space remains free, accessible, and supported for everyone.

Scholarships for Community Members

In 2025, we proudly funded scholarships that enabled 13 people to conferences across 2 countries, that includes 2 first-time speakers! Your support brings more voices, more perspectives, and more opportunity to our field. (The number of awards has been corrected from the previous number of 7.)

Mentorship Program Expansion

After a successful pilot, we’re investing in a new mentorship platform set to launch in 2026—helping connect emerging professionals with experienced mentors who want to give back.

Why Become a Recurring Donor?

Monthly supporters help us plan for the future and receive a few perks of their own, including a digital membership card, stickers, and a discount code for our merch store. Already a recurring donor? An additional one-time contribution during December 1–7 will still qualify for sponsor matching.

Let’s Build the Future of the Community Together

The Mac Admins Foundation exists to support you—the practitioners, problem-solvers, engineers, and educators who make up this extraordinary global network. Your generosity fuels programs that empower others, expand opportunity, and keep our shared resources strong.

With your help, we can double our supporter base and continue building a sustainable future for the Mac Admins community.

This drive runs from December 1-31.

Ready to Support the Foundation?

🧑‍🧑‍🧒 Become a Member

🏦 Make a One-Time Donation

If you’d like to explore recurring donations, employer matching, or other ways to give, reach out anytime at giving@macadmins.org.

Mac Admins Foundation Announces New Supporting Sponsors: Nudge Security & Setyl

The Mac Admins Foundation, the leading nonprofit organization supporting people who manage Apple products in the workplace, is proud to announce that Nudge Security and Setyl have joined the supporting sponsors of the Mac Admins Community through sponsorship of the Mac Admins Foundation.

"We are delighted to sponsor the Mac Admins Foundation," said Russell Spitler, CEO and co-founder of Nudge Security. "As a company dedicated to simplifying and securing modern work environments, we deeply value the Mac Admins community's commitment to knowledge sharing and professional growth. The Foundation's mission to foster connections among Mac admins resonates with our own goal of empowering IT professionals. We're particularly impressed with how the Foundation has built such an accessible, welcoming community. Nudge Security is proud to support this vibrant ecosystem as it continues to advance the profession and share critical technical knowledge."

"We’re proud to sponsor the Mac Admins Foundation and to play a small part in supporting its decade-long commitment to advancing the global community of Apple IT professionals,” said Setyl CEO Christopher Batts. “At Setyl, we help IT teams gain complete visibility and control over their Apple devices and other hardware and software assets, so partnering with such a respected and collaborative group feels like a natural fit. We look forward to building on this partnership and supporting the Foundation’s mission in the years ahead.”

The Mac Admins Foundation plays a critical role in fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development within the Mac Admins Community, by running the popular Mac Admins Slack workspace, which provides more than 80,000 Apple-focused IT professionals a space to collaborate and share best practices. The Foundation also offers mentorship resources and provides Community & Conference Grants to support the entire Mac Admin community – from those just entering the workforce to seasoned professionals looking to advance their careers.

“The Mac Admins Foundation is delighted that Nudge Security and Setyl have joined the supporting sponsors of the Mac Admins community. We couldn’t be more excited to expand our sponsor roles with new vendors, who are driving the growth and depth of our industry. There is a constant expansion of people within the Apple admins community each and every day, and it’s important to have the support of industry-leading ecosystem partners for Apple so that our community can continue to advance” Co-Chair Chris Dawe said, “Having new friends at Nudge Security and Setyl will make the world better for Mac Admins, and make Apple platforms a leading option for IT departments everywhere.”