At Blended Sense, I was brought in to deliver foundational systems quickly and reliably. I architected and implemented a GraphQL backend to streamline data access, built a content ingestion pipeline to automate media workflows, and owned the CI/CD pipeline—cutting release times by 80% and ensuring stability across environments.

I worked independently while collaborating closely with stakeholders, navigating shifting priorities and incomplete requirements to ship production-grade solutions. This role sharpened my ability to balance speed and maintainability.

Between full-time roles, I focused on growing in areas I hadn’t had time to explore while embedded in larger teams. I built several web applications for local businesses using React and TypeScript, prototyped a mobile app in React Native, and stood up backend services to support them.

I also took on the unofficial role of “Family CTO,” managing infrastructure, troubleshooting hardware/software issues, and experimenting with creative projects—including building Roblox games with my son. This chapter solidified my confidence in owning the full lifecycle--from idea to implementation--across an even wider range of tools and tech stacks.

At Octane, I joined a fast-paced fintech environment focused on streamlining powersports financing. I delivered full-stack features across Python/Django and browser-based JavaScript, optimizing core workflows and improving application responsiveness. I also led key CI/CD improvements in Jenkins that cut build times in half, helping the team ship faster with greater confidence.

In parallel, I worked closely with end users and product teams to troubleshoot and resolve production issues—gaining a sharper sense of how technical decisions affect customer experience.

This role expanded my fluency in modern backend systems and strengthened my ability to build reliable software under pressure, without losing sight of clarity or care in the codebase.

At WeWork, I operated at the intersection of developer enablement and infrastructure—designing systems to help engineers move faster and smarter. I architected a language-agnostic mocking framework that simplified API testing across teams, cutting onboarding time and streamlining cross-service development.

I also built a full-stack ETL pipeline (Go, MongoDB, Grafana) that surfaced developer productivity metrics from GitHub, CircleCI, and AWS—bringing visibility to engineering health and catalyzing operational improvements.

Beyond the code, I launched mentorship programs to foster skill-sharing and community across global engineering teams. Despite a volatile environment, I focused on building tools and culture that would last—contributing calm, resilient engineering through periods of rapid change.

At Yodle, I held two distinct roles that shaped my approach to both leadership and deep technical work.

As a Senior Software Engineer (2013–2016), I drove major improvements to our infrastructure and backend services. I built CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins, Docker, and Mesos, enabling us to move from once-daily to on-demand deployments. I led initiatives in backend development using Clojure, Java, Python, and Node.js; introduced RabbitMQ to improve queuing performance by 10x; and automated our infrastructure using Ansible.

Later, as an Engineering Manager (2016–2018), I first led the critical migration of core services to a new data center with zero downtime—a complex initiative requiring cross-team coordination and precise execution under pressure.

Next, I was asked to take over what remained of a once-respected test engineering group—fragmented and struggling after an unsuccessful merger with Web.com’s QA team. I restructured the group into a focused, high-performing Engineering Productivity organization of 40 people across six global offices. I worked to restore clarity of purpose, build alignment, and reestablish delivery excellence. I mentored managers, facilitated cross-site collaboration, and managed all aspects of the annual cycle—performance reviews, promotions, and team transitions. Over time, the team became a trusted partner to engineering, delivering meaningful improvements to developer workflows and system reliability.

This was the most formative leadership role of my post-military career, and the lessons in scale, systems thinking, and people management have shaped every role I’ve held since.