Spotlight: Josh Wood
From Cloud Startups to Open Source Advocacy: Joshua Wood’s KC Comeback
Each year, Back2KC brings homegrown talent back to their roots—and reminds them just how much Kansas City has evolved. But some, like Joshua Wood, returned before the official invite.
Josh left the region after school and built a life and career across LA, Greece, Denver, and San Francisco. While working at cloud infrastructure startup CoreOS in the Bay Area, he found himself thinking more seriously about home.
“I liked the city and being part of the lasting technical influence CoreOS has had,” he said, “but my family was in KC, the cost of living was lower, and I already knew some good fishing spots.”
After Red Hat acquired CoreOS, the timing was right. Josh returned to Kansas City, launching a new chapter with deeper roots—and even bigger reach.
Open Source for the Future
Now a Principal Developer Advocate at Red Hat, Josh helps translate complex open source systems into practical, usable knowledge for developers and enterprise customers alike. His focus? OpenShift, Red Hat’s Kubernetes-based platform for managing clusters of Linux servers as one powerful system.
“We developed Kubernetes Operators at CoreOS and continue to refine them at Red Hat,” Josh said. “They’re a cornerstone of how OpenShift extends Kubernetes—and the subject of my first O’Reilly book, Kubernetes Operators.”
But it’s not just about writing code. Josh sees advocacy as a two-way street.
“Connecting feedback loops between developers, customers, and product teams is how we iterate together with the open source community,” he explained. “I believe open software and standards are essential—not just for innovation, but for building trustworthy, governable AI systems.”
KC Roots, Global Reach
From bookshelves to dev stages, Josh’s impact spans the globe—but his love for KC is deeply local.
He’s an advocate for the Missouri Department of Conservation, a fan of the Royals and the Kauffman Stadium experience, and a loyal diner at Grünauer, which reminds him of meals in Vienna (and also voted most beautiful restaurant in KC). And while he’s spoken at conferences worldwide, he still supports KCDC and DevOpsDays, two standout events for Kansas City’s tech community.
“Prospero’s Books. The Nelson’s Cezanne and Caravaggio. Kansas City is a complete city in the western model – open, daylight in the streets and with access to land all around”
And his personal project? Restoring and preserving his family’s farm northeast of KC, ensuring that future generations have both roots and room to grow.
Back2KC: A Touchpoint for the Journey
While Josh had already moved back before attending Back2KC in the fall of 2019, the event still mattered deeply to him.
“Back2KC helped confirm I’d made the right decision—and I met some great folks through the program.”
He’s a prime example of the kind of leader Back2KC exists to support—someone who brings a national lens to KC’s local opportunity and who actively contributes to the region’s tech growth and ecosystem health.
Advice for Returnees?
“If you’re thinking about KC, think long-term. It’s a place where you can build a great life, meaningful work, and leave a legacy. You can succeed in tech and stay close to nature.”
Connect with Josh Explore his work at developer.redhat.com Check out his books on Amazon Visit joshix.com or reach out at joshix@redhat.com
Josh’s journey is a powerful reminder that coming home isn’t just about returning—it’s about reinvesting, reimagining, and helping shape what’s next. With his global expertise and local heart, he’s proving that Kansas City is the perfect launchpad for innovation, community, and lasting impact.
We’re proud to have Joshua Wood back in Kansas City and look forward his leadership fueling KC’s tech ecosystem and beyond.
Be sure to check back next week as we spotlight more Kansas Citians building bold new futures in and for KC—this time highlighting our friend, Jonathan Crawford, another incredible Back2KC success story!
Know someone who should be featured in our Spotlight series? Tell us more—we love celebrating the people who are building Kansas City’s future!