Stacy Clements is the owner of Milepost 42, a technology partner for people who want to focus on their passion and not the “techie stuff” needed to support it. Prior to starting her business, she spent 23 years in the Air Force, the majority of that time in cyber operations. Dubbed “a fixer, a problem solver, and a pitbull”, she enjoys figuring out solutions, often using WordPress, to make people’s lives easier. In addition to building and caring for WordPress sites, she also enjoys educating people about basic cybersecurity practices to help keep the web safe.
We’re thrilled to have Stacy onboard as a speaker at WordCamp Sacramento 2018 asked a few questions to help you get to know more about her. Check out our mini interview with Stacy below:
What is the topic of your WordCamp talk?
WordPress Security: Beyond The Plugin
Why do you think this is important?
Your WordPress site is an investment in your business, and it needs to be maintained and protected just like your other assets. Security can be a complex topic, and some site owners feel overwhelmed or don’t know where to start to secure their sites. As with many things in WordPress, “there’s a plugin for that” — and often a question pops up in chats or forums, “What’s the best plugin to secure my site?”
While security plugins can be useful tools, they are only part of the security posture needed to care for and protect your site. This session will offer a look at several actions website owners should take as part of their overall security plan.
What’s your WordPress origin story?
I dabbled in website creation almost from the inception of the World Wide Web; I learned a little HTML, a little CSS, and had some bad experiences with web page builders that shall not be named. Ten or so years ago, I began experimenting with some interesting software called Mambo and Joomla – in fact my first “paid” website which made me a freelancer was built in Joomla. I found that the people I was trying to help thought Joomla was very hard to understand, so in seeking a system to make it easier for them to update information on a website, I came across WordPress. I thought the learning curve was much less steep than with Joomla – at least from the user perspective; I’ve learned since then how complex it can be!
How has WordPress impacted your world?
WordPress gave me a tool that I could use as a very part-time freelancer to help individuals and small businesses get a foothold on the web. Its flexibility and extensibility, along with a robust ecosystem and a community of helpful people, made it my tool of choice as both a freelancer and a new small business owner.
You can connect with Stacy further at:
@stacyclements/ | LinkedIn | Facebook
Get Your Ticket ASAP!
WordCamp Sacramento 2018 sold out in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and we do expect it to sell out again. Be sure to get your WordCamp Tickets asap to secure you spot at this awesome event! Tickets are only $40 (thanks to our generous sponsors) and include:
- Two full days of Beginner Tracks, walking new users through how to use WordPress.
- Two mixed tracks of sessions on Saturday.
- Two mixed tracks of sessions on Sunday.
- A Happiness Bar — our version of a help desk, open throughout the event so you can get help with your site and get your questions answered.
- An opportunity to network with and meet sponsors, speakers, and other WordPress community members, including business owners, designers, developers, agency owners, bloggers, copywriters, freelancers, site owners, and more.
- Refreshing drinks throughout the entire event.
- A WordCamp Sacramento 2018 t-shirt.
- A catered lunch on Saturday.
- A networking reception Saturday immediately following the event.
- Snacks on Sunday.