My Story

A new chapter begins...

Built business from scratch and handled most internal operations. Managed a constant stream of projects. Built relationships with 50 + customer organizations, including the US Forest Service, Sizzler Restaurants, Outback Steakhouse, Massage Envy Spa, universities and other large organizations.

Designed and developed hundreds of custom apps using Node, JavaScript and React. Developed dozens of advanced web forms using React Hooks for state handling and field validation. Often used D3 and incorporated third-party components for charts and maps. Focused on lightning-fast Single Page Applications (SPA) using React Hooks. Built modular components for reuse between projects, speeding development, fostering consistency and easing code maintenance. Managed source code using Git and GitHub.

Designed, developed and maintained nutandem.com. Used JavaScript, PHP and CSS to extend WordPress creating custom templates, menus and widgets. (I’m also in the process of rebuilding this site with WordPress as a headless CMS and a Next.js frontend.)

Contributed to the next evolution of claremontmusicscene.com, including migration to Next.js, Django REST framework and PostgreSQL. Developed responsive pages, dynamic forms and React components.

Collaborated with other developers to complete a steady stream of projects. Helped explore and evaluate platforms and languages for developing custom apps. Provided training to help colleagues build and use custom web apps. Juggled a steady stream of web projects for internal websites and the public website at www.fs.usda.gov. Used Git and GitHub to share, review, manage and merge code. Participated in code reviews and incremental refactoring.

Built web apps using JavaScript, CSS, PHP and SQLite. Implemented pure JavaScript components to support the team’s goal of reducing reliance on jQuery. Helped demonstrate apps to leadership. Lead a project to build a Content Review Tool to support the agency’s cumbersome efforts to review and improve hundreds of thousands of pages in their public website.

Reengineered business processes and tools for teams across the organization. Improved efficiency, effectiveness, customer satisfaction and employee engagement. Improved usability and adoption for internal software tools. Conducted research and helped define KPIs. Implemented a Continuous Improvement initiative, empowering employees to actively participate in the betterment of their own activities. Built custom SharePoint-based tools, including custom CSS and JavaScript. Improved and maintained an inhouse SQL-based ticket management application.

Merged customer service, sales and marketing teams into a tightly integrated Business Solutions Department. Reengineered business processes to better utilize the talent and experience of previously separate teams. Worked directly with customers to increase engagement. Facilitated idea sharing and helped build a customer community.

Interviewed stakeholders and subject matter experts. Documented requirements and produced software specifications. Authored and maintained technical content. Improved documentation standards.

Completed various types of writing projects. Maintained end-user software documentation. Authored various types of content for a wide range of organizations.

Developed extensive in-app help systems. Produced formal user guides. Developed and maintained an extensive knowledge base with hundreds of technical articles. Helped submit cryptographic patent applications by providing research, mathematical consultation, figures and diagrams.

Worked with esteemed Professors Emeritus at Claremont Graduate University to build a new version of their popular textbook. I helped rethink the instructional approach and rework examples, helping to make the book more effective and easier to understand. I also selected and solved equations, and wrote and edited content. I learned to use LaTeX to typeset pages of the book. Within months, I was the lead typesetter in charge of layout. I helped train other typesetters. This role uncovered my love for using software to develop a user experience, spawning a long career in software, with an emphasis on user perspective and user experience.

Received full fellowship for PhD program, but chose to pursue a career in the software industry.

Departmental Honors, Endowed Alumni Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, Scholar Athlete Award