It is with deep sadness that we mark the passing of Mikeal Rogers, a leader, builder, and advocate for open source communities and for the people who power them.

Mikeal’s contributions to Node.js, the broader JavaScript ecosystem, and the global open source movement cannot be overstated. He shaped not only the software we use every day, but also how we come together to build it.

In 2014, at a time of uncertainty and fragmentation in the Node.js project, Mikeal was one of the key organizers behind the io.js fork not to create division, but to demonstrate a path forward built on open governance, transparency, and trust.

This work led to the reunification of io.js and Node.js, under a new, more open governance model that persists to this day. Mikeal was later named the inaugural Executive Director of the Node.js Foundation, where he helped ensure that Node.js would be managed in the open, by and for its global community. The governance models Mikeal helped champion are now used by projects across the open source world. The Node.js Foundation, and now the OpenJS Foundation, stand as testaments to his belief in open, neutral, community-led institutions.

His passing is a tremendous loss to the Node.js community, to the broader open web, and to everyone who cares about the health and sustainability of open source. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the many people around the world who learned from, worked with, and were inspired by him. The best way to honor his work is to continue building the kind of open, welcoming, and resilient communities he spent his life advocating for.