# Anniessa A. > Software Developer | Educator | Culture Worker Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/anniessa I am a software developer, educator and culture worker who believes in the power of creative, playful, and collective work. My career spans education, arts and culture work, and most recently, technology. I transitioned into software development to deepen my love of languages and creative problem solving. I bring a healthy amount of curiosity and wonder to learn about and architect new systems. In my free time, I am an emerging weaver, mushroom forager and I love singing karaoke, solving escape rooms, playing D&D, and hanging out with my two cats, Bert&Ernie and Chicken Noodle. ## Work Experience ### Software Engineer and Founder @ Sirocco Labs, LLC Jan 2023 – Present I co-lead a software company that architects custom software and interactive applications from the ground up. As a hands-on technical leader, I bridge the gap between client vision and robust, scalable application delivery. My core competencies include: Full-Stack Development: Architecting cross-platform mobile (React Native) and web applications (Next.js). DevOps & Infrastructure: Building and optimizing CI/CD pipelines for high-availability deployments on Vercel. Product & Project Leadership: Directly managing client relationships, scoping projects, and driving on-time delivery of key milestones. End-to-End Ownership: From initial concept and data architecture to launch and maintenance. ### Adjunct Faculty @ Minneapolis College of Art and Design Jan 2023 – Present | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Instruction for Community & Context, an MFA program course where students reflect on personal and situational context, privilege and difference, intentions versus results, and intended audiences for their creative practices. The course establishes a framework for sustained commitment to antiracism in practice and community life by introducing related vocabulary and concepts. ### Software Engineer @ Pathfinder Solutions Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 Played key role in front-end development and collaborative design efforts for a complex, multi-platform digital ecosystem supporting peer recovery, behavioral health, and culturally responsive care delivery. Partnered with internal leadership, client success teams, and distributed developers to translate real-world client needs into accessible, highly usable digital tools that directly serve over 10,000 individuals across Minnesota and Arizona. Played an instrumental role in crafting one of the first ever software applications built to support peer recovery services in the Ojibwe language. Crafted and maintained web and mobile platforms (React, React Native, Next.js) used daily by clinicians, peer recovery specialists, and support staff delivering behavioral health services. Partnered with client success teams to design user listening sessions, gather actionable Voice of Customer feedback, and translate qualitative insights into tangible product improvements. Delivered complex product features including real-time chat, clinical dashboards, and culturally specific peer support tools, ensuring usability for non-technical end users focused on addiction recovery outcomes. Led accessibility-first development, building interfaces that reduced cognitive burden for end users and prioritized inclusive, equitable digital experiences. Developed and maintained robust automated testing frameworks (Jest, Playwright) to ensure stability, scalability, and performance across distributed care teams. ### Associate Software Engineer @ MPLSART.COM Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 | Minneapolis, MN Collaborate on design and implementation of new features for a Next.js and Supabase/PostgreSQL application serving 3k+ page views per day ### Freelance Software Engineer @ Minnesota Marine Art Museum Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 Developed an interactive Progressive Web App for visitors to contribute artwork to an art exhibition. Users capture a photo of their artwork and upload it to a collective digital quilt that is displayed in the gallery. Built a network platform for remote database and system management, integrated AWS SDK for file hosting. Scoped and communicated project timelines, milestones, and design updates with the client. Technologies used: React, Node.js, Redux, PostgreSQL, Framer Motion, OpenSSL, Network Engineering, AWS, Git ### Software Engineer @ Clockwork Jan 2023 – Jan 2023 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Clockwork builds enterprise websites, software platforms and mobile applications that help businesses solve technical problems. In this role, I contributed to both front-end and back-end features of multiple WordPress sites using both ACF and Gutenberg, building components from high-fidelity designs in Figma. I also collaborated with a small, cross-disciplinary client delivery team to develop and maintain right-sized solutions for five clients. I was also able to practice skills in agile project management using Jira and Trello. ### Full Stack Software Developer Student @ Prime Digital Academy Jan 2022 – Jan 2023 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Accelerated full-time software development program utilizing modern technologies, such as: JavaScript, React, Redux, PostgreSQL, Node.js, and more. A holistic teaching approach on career and professional skills development, mentorship programs and project-based learning with real-world applications. Team-driven learning techniques in cohort assignments, solo-projects, and client projects. ### University Lecturer @ St. Catherine University Jan 2020 – Jan 2022 | St Paul, Minnesota, United States Developed curriculum and co-delivery of instruction for the undergraduate writing-intensive course, Art and Power. ### Seeding Cultural Treasures Program Manager @ Propel Nonprofits Jan 2021 – Jan 2022 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Seeding Cultural Treasures is an initiative to nourish and cultivate the landscape of emerging arts and culture organizations run by and for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC). This initiative provides unrestricted general operating grants and technical assistance support and learning opportunities through 2025 for emerging BIPOC arts and culture organizations. Program managing Seeding Cultural Treasures involved coordinating a Design Team of 25 community members to co-design grant and capacity-building opportunities for a cohort of 32 arts and cultural organizations. I created a process to recruit participant organizations and oversaw the selection of the cohort. I worked on developing and managing cohort convenings to strengthen relationships, share insights, and explore generative topics, including opportunities for learning, network-building and collaboration. I managed and responded to requests for technical assistance, resources, connections and guidance; oversaw regranting for 32 organizations. Working with an outside partner, TerraLuna Collaborative, we worked on a Developmental Evaluation plan for the program. Overall, I made sure that this program aligned with Propel’s strategic plan to advance justice and equity. ### Activation Specialist @ Minneapolis Institute of Art Jan 2019 – Jan 2021 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States As the activation specialist, I oversaw adult events, including Third Thursdays, the monthly free adult program, and aligned programmatic themes with the museum's strategic goals and initiatives. I worked to build community partnerships for events and programs and integrated audience participation into programming. During Covid, I shifted to adapt on-site activations to digital platforms, including web development and social media channels. I developed and facilitated anti-racism, Cultural Fluency & Multicultural Organizational Development workshops for staff through Mia’s Equity Team. This also included coordinating BIPOC staff capacity-building, professional and personal workshops. I also organized with OPEIU Local 12 as a union steward. ### Museum as Site for Social Action (MASS Action) Coordinator @ Minneapolis Institute of Art Jan 2017 – Jan 2019 Responsible for the coordination and hosting of MASS Action, a convening of over 300 museum practitioners, artists, community organizers, and scholars from over 40 museums and cultural institutions. Co-created a two-and-a-half day program of active learning to build a community of practice. Co-edited the MASS Action toolkit, a resource for changemaking in museums. Planned and maintained lodging, transportation, and contract logistics for participants. ### English Language Assistant Professor @ Ecole nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs Jan 2016 – Jan 2019 | Paris, Île-de-France, France Content-based instruction and assessment of English language, especially oral and written production, with a narrow focus on art, design and critical theory. Developed original curricula aligned with social justice and decolonial frameworks. Served as faculty advisor to student theses. ## Education ### Full-Stack Software Engineering Certification in Computer Software Engineering Prime Digital Academy ### Master's of Education - M.Ed. in Second Languages and Cultures University of Minnesota ### Bachelor's of Arts - B.A. in Philosophy and Arabic Language McGill University ### Certificate of Intensive Arabic in Arabic and North African Studies Program Al Akhawayn University ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/anniessa-antar --- Source: https://flows.cv/anniessa JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/anniessa/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13