# William Putnam > Software Engineer at Meta Location: Oakland, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/williamputnam I am a software engineer focused on building usable, intuitive, and scalable applications. I have significant experience in React, Redux, PostgreSQL, and NodeJS. Prior to beginning my career as a software engineer, I was working in microfinance in Africa as well as in education in Bangkok. Working abroad, I saw first-hand the potential for technology to improve the world. After helping to launch a scalable vocational school for youth in Liberia, I realized I wanted to dedicate my career to using technology to catalyze development. I would like to use my software engineering skills to build applications with substantial social value. I thrive in team settings and fast-paced environments. In my spare time, I like to read, write, take photos, and explore. I have experience in both personal and professional blogging. My passion for travel and exploration has led me to become certified as a PADI Divemaster and NOLS Wilderness First Responder. This same passion led me to run several ultra-marathons as well as motorbike through Cambodia and Laos in 2013 and travel to Somaliland in the summer of 2017. Don't hesitate to reach out at williamputnamjr@gmail.com or visit my blog at https://medium.com/@willputnam ## Work Experience ### Senior Software Engineer @ Meta Jan 2023 – Present | Menlo Park, California, United States ### Software Engineer @ Meta Jan 2022 – Jan 2023 | Menlo Park, California, United States ### Rotational Software Engineer @ Meta Jan 2021 – Jan 2022 | Menlo Park, California, United States ### Software Engineer @ ADARA, Inc. Jan 2018 – Jan 2021 | Palo Alto, California, United States ### Associate Software Engineering Instructor @ Hack Reactor Jan 2018 – Jan 2018 | San Francisco ### Partner Monitoring and Operations Fellow @ Kiva.org Jan 2016 – Jan 2017 | Monrovia, Liberia; Nairobi, Kenya; and Kampala, Uganda - Selected as one of <15% applicants for the Kiva Fellowship Program (KF31) - Increased BRAC Liberia’s KIVA program from $0 in loans post-Ebola Crisis to $90,000 per month - Researched, met with, and conducted due diligence on potential partner institutions to find innovative and catalytic avenues of providing Liberian borrowers with capital - Selected as a panelist to discuss “Financing Options for MSMEs” for the Liberian Ministry of Commerce annual MSME Conference - Worked with Accountability Television and the TEDx Monrovia Conference to expand the message of microfinance and provide new opportunities for citizens to access media and information in Monrovia - Trained field partner staff at Strathmore University, Kiva's only student loan partner in Kenya, in Kiva processes and policies and assisted in the selection of students for 2017 - Wrote regular blogs detailing my experience and highlighting new developments in Liberia and East Africa ### Co-Founder and Consultant @ As One Education Jan 2016 – Jan 2017 | Liberia - Received $10,000 in grant funding from the Tony Elumelu Foundation as one of 1000 companies out of 93,000 applications in March 2017 - The goal of As One Education is to become the Khan Academy of vocational education in Liberia - We aim to increase access to education and vocational training using a scalable model and a mobile-based curriculum Liberian students and jobseekers lack access to education and skills training in both academic and vocational subjects. Only 35% of school-aged children attend school of any sort, and estimates of illiteracy rates range from 40 to 75%. Even for students who do manage to complete their educations, jobs are hard to come by. Although the youth unemployment rate is stated as 4.5%, there are high levels of underemployment and most youth work in the informal sector. Given the illiteracy rates and lack of jobs for school graduates, we created a mobile-based vocational training program using trained facilitators. ### Counselor @ Top Scholars Jan 2014 – Jan 2016 | Bangkok Top Scholars aims to revolutionize the college and high school preparation process. We see these preparation periods as a crucial time for students to develop academic and ethical understandings, and thus commit ourselves to helping students become competent writers, true intellectuals, and empathic global citizens. Our comprehensive program teaches students academic writing skills, intellectual debate and discussion, test preparation, and most importantly, how to best prepare for the challenges of the 21st century. Through integration with teacher-friendly technology, we enable teachers to focus their time on the students, and leave the perfunctory tasks to the computers. Through this process, we help students to take more active roles in their academic and personal development that enable them to achieve admission to the schools of their choice and to lead ethical and successful lives at these schools and beyond. During my time at Top Scholars, I taught test preparation and wrote curriculum for the SSAT, ACT, and new SAT. I also counseled in reading and writing and college admissions. In addition, I wrote regular blogs for clients regarding the US college admissions process and miscellaneous other topics: http://topscholars.me/author/william/ ### English Conversation Teacher @ Satreeprasertsin School Jan 2012 – Jan 2013 | Trat, Thailand - Taught English Conversation to Mattayom 1-5 students (ages 12-18) in eastern Thailand - Tutored students for the TOEFL and TOEIC examinations - Tutored grammar and reading comprehension to students wishing to study abroad and/or study English in Undergraduate or Master's programs ### Student Caller @ Washington University in St. Louis Jan 2011 – Jan 2012 | Saint Louis - Overall gifts received placed me in the top 5% of student callers - Was chosen to speak with specific lead donors expected to contribute > 5000 dollars to the school and received donations at this level - Received the Highest Average Gift Award for Summer and Fall 2011 ### Reunion Internship Coordinator @ Washington University in St. Louis Jan 2010 – Jan 2011 I assisted in planning and setting up the Wash U alumni reunions. During my second year working with the WashU Reunion, I worked as a Reunion Coordinator and helped to lead the planning of the event. ### Branch Manager @ Ivy Insiders Jan 2010 – Jan 2010 - Selected as a Branch Manager for the Ivy Insiders program (<20% acceptance rate) - Single-handedly managed my own SAT tutoring business - Clients achieved average score improvements of 280 points (results in top 20% of Ivy Insiders tutors) ## Education ### Advanced Software Engineering Immersive Program in Software Engineering Hack Reactor Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 ### Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Washington University in St. Louis Jan 2008 – Jan 2012 ### Data Structures and Algorithms Bradfield School of Computer Science Jan 2018 – Jan 2018 ### CORe - Credential of Readiness in Data Analytics, Accounting, and Economics Harvard Business School Online Jan 2015 – Jan 2015 ### Leading With Finance Certificate in Finance, General Harvard Business School Online Jan 2016 – Jan 2016 ### NOLS Jan 2008 – Jan 2008 ### High School Lakeside School Jan 2004 – Jan 2008 ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/william-putnam - Website: https://medium.com/@willputnam - Website: https://fellowsblog.kiva.org/users/will-putnam?language=en - Website: https://www.ajarn.com/blogs/william-putnam --- Source: https://flows.cv/williamputnam JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/williamputnam/resume.json Last updated: 2026-03-22