experience

Head of Product and Tech

Axios; Remote 
2019
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  • Assumed roles of both CTO and VP Product during a 6 month executive transition.
  • Created the first ever product roadmap, introduced OKRs and launched a Product Council for establishing objective-based alignment across key stakeholders.
  • Addressed internal collaboration issues with the introduction of deep-vertical, cross-functional crews (on path to Spotify squad model) – combined with the adoption of agile methodologies. 
  • Advanced cross-functional collaboration with the creation of strategy groups composed of key reps from across the business to attack problems by leveraging the breadth of the organization.
  • Negotiated deals and managed relationships with multiple external dev, design, QA and strategy groups to help address short term resource deficiencies. 
  • Grew team by 30% across data, platform, product and frontend. Engineered and executed $0 acquihire.
  • Rolled out team learning time, introduced personal learning budget and created a plan for systematic technical debt management.
  • Owned tech diligence on two potential acquisitions.
  • Presided over the most successful quarter since launch - including AMP adoption, site-wide SEO improvements, newsletter signup initiatives, CMS evolution, delivery of a prototype for a high priority experiment and stabilization of release process prior to midterms and HBO pilot series.

Senior Director of Mobile

Axios; Remote 
2018-2019
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  • Lead new efforts in developing native reading and contributing tools for mobile devices. 
  • Oversee both staff and contract devs focused on building and maintaining iOS and Android apps. 
  • Manage cross-functional teams and coordinate with BUs like Marketing, Editorial, and Audience Growth. 
  • Combine strategic product thinking with a deep understanding of the capabilities and implementation details of mobile applications to deliver products uniquely useful to the company’s most valuable users.

PRINCIPAL Engineer - MOBILE AND MAC

Articulate; Distributed, Remote 
2013-2018
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  • iOS iPad and macOS desktop app development of e-learning software.
  • Co-architected Preso - an immersive, slide-based iPad authoring tool that transforms multimedia, annotations, narration, text and gestures into informal training videos. Crafted algorithms for patentable vector erase technology and optimistic background video rendering.
  • Led development of Peek - what’s now the quickest and easiest way to create high quality, shareable screen recordings for macOS. Built a custom OpenXML spec implementation with highly performant autosave and architected a runtime reflection mechanism for dynamically assessing object graph dirtiness for the Mac port of our flagship PC authoring app. 
  • Responsible for project management, App Store submission, instrumentation, analytics, cross-functional coordination and 5-language international launch. Developed hiring process, created code style guide and established architecture guidelines - all done to ensure high quality, clean, well-documented, maintainable code. Setup all process, infrastructure and scripting around continuous integration and deployment. Created cross-platform frameworks and libraries. Participated heavily in interface/UX design.
  • Assist with backend, frontend and API development of Rise, a web app (SPA) designed for quickly creating beautiful, fully-responsive e-learning courses. Ran point on all things accessibility/WCAG.

Use of Objective-C, Swift, Xcode, Instruments, Cocoa Touch, Cocoa, UIKit, AppKit, AVFoundation, Core Audio, Core Graphics, Core Animation, GCD, Auto Layout, XCTest, JSON, RESTful web services, Git, XLIFF, vector-based touch drawing and erase, video transcoding, H.264 encoding, background transfer service, menu bar apps, Xcode Server, Xcode Bots, TestFlight, HockeyApp, Crashlytics, Airbrake, AFNetworking, OAuth and JWTs, ​Javascript, React, Redux, Node, Postgres, Knex, Docker, VSCode, Agile methodologies, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator.

Lead Software Engineer - Mobile CS

Thomson Reuters; Dexter, MI
2009-2013

iOS, Android and web service system architecture, feature implementation and development oversight (with heavy participation in UX design) for all Professional division award-winning mobile and tablet apps: Mobile CS, NetClient CS and myPay Solutions. 

Took over client-side mobile development for a special projects team. This evolved into the technical leadership of all mobile development. Through fast-paced self-study, became proficient in all of the languages, tools and patterns necessary to do mobile development. Developed a platform employing many performance techniques (server and device caching, state restoration, highly performant SAX-based parsers, multi-threading, efficient memory models, etc) for balancing desktop-originating, large datasets on then very hardware-constrained devices, with the desire to have a "flashy" app. Evolved this platform into a library with reusable view controllers, custom drawn/animated views and a custom data layer for abstractly interacting with database and HTTP resource objects consumed from RESTful web services. This platform has turned building new apps into a process more like adding new screens.

Handle all App Store submissions, internationalization/localization, HIG assuredness, performance profiling, open source compliance and security scanning. Developed cross-platform code generators for model, parser and controller stubbing to speed up development given limited resources. Built a cross-platform continuous integration build server with notifications and over-the-air distribution capabilities. Perform technical interviews and assembled a training curriculum for new developers. Document all processes and liaison with other product teams. Oversee Android and backend web service development. 

Use of Objective-C, Xcode, Instruments, Cocoa Touch, Core Data, Core Graphics, Core Location, APNS, XML, JSON, RESTful web services, Java, .NET, C#, SQL Server, Jenkins, Bango Analytics, Adobe Photoshop.

Visuals and Downloads

Senior Software Developer - Accounting CS

Thomson Reuters; Dexter, MI
2008-2009

Created a proprietary reporting layout designer (essentially Visio for accounting reports) for Accounting CS. This involved architecting a proprietary object model that allowed for high-quality, flicker-free rendering, advanced drawing features, virtually unlimited object manipulation capabilities (size, movement, deletion, orientation, rotation, formatting, copying, layering, etc.), transparency, zooming, n-level parenting/docking, focus cues and event-driven object status. To closely follow the spec and competitor products, many custom controls such as a design grid, rulers, color selectors, on-the-fly editors and property panes were created. Integrated with backend Active Reports-based print engine. This designer was given a 5 star rating by CPA Tech Advisor Magazine. Use of C#, .NET, GDI+, TFS and Visual Studio.

Visuals and Downloads

Independent Software Developer

Independent; Chelsea, MI
2008-2009

Developed a point of sale, inventory and automotive management system for D&S Auto Repair. This SQL Server-backed .NET desktop application handled invoicing, customer management, employee management, vehicle tracking, parts inventory management, sales and accounting reports, and an automated backup solution. Performed all analysis and design based on many days of customer shadowing. Usability and intuitiveness was essential given the technical awareness of the front office and mechanical staff. Use of C#, .NET, GDI+, ADO.NET, SQL Server 2005, and Adobe Photoshop.

Visuals

Senior Software Developer - ToolBox CS 

Thomson Reuters; Dexter, MI
2005-2008

Co-created and solely maintained ToolBox CS. This N-Tiered, smart-client, database-driven, .NET application features a full line of interactive tax and financial planning tools. Deeply involved in all aspects of product development including platform development, interface design, database architecture, business logic, content creation, print engine design, application deployment/patching, documentation, support and cross-product integration. Also created a module that dynamically rendered tax forms based on coordinate and graphics data extracted from a case tool.  Implemented specialized logic for input, print, and calculation of tax forms with an RPN-based, xml-driven runtime engine that allowed business analysts (non-programmers) to specify all calculation logic with an easy-to-use proprietary API and custom case tools. Use of C#, .NET, ADO.NET, SQL Server 2000/2005, TFS, Visual Studio, GDI+, XML, COM, and multi-threading.

Visuals and Downloads

Senior Software Developer - Planner CS

Thomson Reuters; Dexter, MI
2007

In a self-initiated skunkworks project, invented a "Return Analysis" add-on for Planner CS. Through COM Interop to the existing Delphi-based app, this .NET tool would be used to create data-driven tax planning strategies. The application extracted data from the user's 1040 and cross-referenced changes, amounts and line-specific return information against expert-analysis data obtained from sister-company web services. Pairing the two allowed for the creation of a highly customized report with per-user guidance for future tax planning strategies. Due to unfortunate barriers, this highly praised innovation did not see the light of day. Use of C#, .NET, ADO.NET, SQL Server 2000/2005, TFS, Visual Studio, GDI+, XML, COM, Delphi, Pascal and RESTful web services. 

Independent Web Developer

Independent; Ann Arbor, MI
2005-2007

Developed, maintained and hosted Mensam.com. This web front for a local accounting firm featured Outlook-integrated appointment scheduling, web questionnaire submission, and an administrative back-end. Built and maintained several Debian Linux servers for web, database, and email hosting. Developed custom framework for module loading and database access. Use of Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP (LAMP stack), JavaScript and Adobe Photoshop.  

Web Developer    

JCS Solutions; Ypsilanti, MI
2004-2005

Subcontractor for Joe Stump, doing web and database development on several high-profile e-commerce sites. Use of Apache, MySQL and PHP and a proprietary development framework (JAX) in a Linux environment (LAMP stack).

Software Developer    

Thomson Reuters; Dexter, MI
2003-2005

Programmed in C/C++ on the 1040 Federal Development team for the UltraTax product line. Developed code for new products and modified existing code for tax law changes and discovered issues.  Developed in-house utilities. Worked with tax and accounting analysts daily to translate tax law to code. Prior to releases, performed quality assurance testing. Used Microsoft’s Visual Studio for coding, debugging, and building.

Software Engineering Project

Lake Superior State University; Sault Ste. Marie, MI
2003

Led a three-person team that designed and developed a transformer inventory system for the Edison Sault Electric Company. The client/server application manages transformer inventory, PCB content tracking, and transformer property tax records. Performed needs analysis, wrote project proposal, met weekly with company management, designed and normalized system database, developed graphical user interface, wrote data migration program to port data from existing Professional File system, performed all testing, wrote technical documentation and user manuals, provided end-user training, presented system to company executives. Development technologies: Borland’s Delphi 5.0, Crystal Reports 8.0, Photoshop 5.5, and Access ’97.    

Programmer/Systems Administrator    

Edison Sault Electric Company; Sault Ste. Marie, MI
2001-2003

Developed and modified Delphi/SQL-driven database applications. Performed testing and quality assurance for all in-house development. Developed custom Crystal Reports for existing Delphi systems and R & R Reports for Solomon IV Accounting System. Provided accounting system support and developed custom screens for Solomon IV.  Responsible for IT policy and procedural documentation. Network support, PC support, end-user training, and application support. Maintained corporate Internet/Intranet, Intranet web server, Cisco Internet routers (ISDN and T-1), and firewall. Performed database archiving, anti-virus administration, and equipment installs (PCs, printers, hubs, switches, cabling, and telephones). Performed phone system administration. Responsible for hardware and software auditing. Interacted with vendors for purchases, support, maintenance, and repairs.

Systems Administrator/Web Master    

Jamadots.com; Brimley, MI
2000-2001

Website design, development, and maintenance for Jamadots ISP as well as design and development for corporate clients (use of HTML, JavaScript and Adobe Photoshop). Completely redesigned and recoded ISP's homepage. Worked closely with Ameritech, Atlas, and Lucent to setup Sault dial-up connection. Network maintenance and troubleshooting, ISP Internet specialist, PC support, phone technical support, application support, print support, graphics and ad design for entire office. Developed 3-tier phone and trouble ticket tech support system. Responsible for maintaining dial-up network system.

Network Technician/Phone System Tech    

Chippewa County Telecom; Sault Ste. Marie, MI
2000-2001
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Small network design, phone system troubleshooting, Category V network cabling and termination.

Information Services Support Staff

Heritage Broadcasting (9 and 10 News); Cadillac, MI
1998-2000

Started as an information systems intern, later promoted to support staff. Network cabling technologies, network administration in an NT environment, workstation cloning.

Conference attendance 

WWDC 2019

Apple World Wide Developer Conference - San Jose, CA
June 3-7, 2019

Cocoa conf

Chicago, IL
March 27-28, 2015 - Conference + Swift 2.0 Workshop
​March 07-08, 2014 - Conference + AVFoundation Film School

WWDC 2013

Apple World Wide Developer Conference - San Francisco, CA
June 10-14, 2013

WWDC 2012

Apple World Wide Developer Conference - San Francisco, CA
June 11-15, 2012

WWDC 2011

Apple World Wide Developer Conference - San Francisco, CA
​June 6-10, 2011

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