About Me: From Legos to Logic Gates
Confession time, I wasn't one of those kids born with a keyboard in their crib. But tinkering with Legos sparked a love for building things, and that eventually translated into building digital experiences and products using code. Life took me on a couple of detours career wise: FedEx worker, Phlebotomy Instructor, Laboratory Manager. But I eventually found myself where I believe I was meant to do my best work, building software and leading teams.
Fast forward to today, and I'm a Senior Software Engineer diving headfirst into the exciting world of all things web development. Whether it's crafting user-friendly interfaces, wrangling complex algorithms, or building robust back-end systems, I find joy in the challenge of solving problems with code. I manage the above with also being a tech lead for a team of 5. My passion lies in using my skills to provide genuine value to people. I also enjoy documenting my learnings and sharing my experiences, which I share on my blog.
But life isn't all about ones and zeros! When I step away from the screen, you'll find me crafting a new recipe, chatting with town locals at the farmer's market, or catching up on my latest book of interest. I also love the hunt of finding a new park or green space, if you have any recommendations in the Southern California area, I'm all ears!
Experience
Senior Software Engineer · StepStone Group
As a tech lead for a team of 5, I spearhead the planning and development of critical features and modernizations. This involves collaborating closely with project managers, onshore and offshore teams, UI/UX teams, and stakeholders. I ensure projects are delivered on time by removing any roadblocks developers face, leveraging my technical expertise. Additionally, I mentor software engineers, fostering their professional growth within the team.
- JavaScript
- React
- Laravel
- MySQL
- HTML & CSS
- Material UI
- Styled Components
- Docker
- GitHub
Software Engineer II · StepStone Group
I led the design and development of a comprehensive React UI library that serves as the foundation for all our department's React applications. I built the core components myself and managed the work of 9 engineers who contributed to the library. This resulted in a 10-fold increase in developer productivity and established a single source of truth for UI components, significantly reducing bugs and unintended consequences.
In a separate three-month stint as interim team lead for 11 engineers, I ensured smooth operations by handling hotfixes, sprint deployments, and related meetings and rituals. I also conducted code reviews and provided direct support to developers and project managers.
Furthermore, I actively participated in the company's hiring process, contributing to the recruitment of several engineers and UI/UX professionals.
- JavaScript
- React
- Laravel
- MySQL
- HTML & CSS
- Material UI
- Styled Components
- Docker
- GitHub
Software Engineer I · StepStone Group
I led the front-end modernization of a large legacy application, transitioning it from PHP/JavaScript to React and Laravel frameworks. This not only significantly boosted developer productivity but also yielded a vastly improved UI/UX experience for our users.
Beyond technical leadership, I championed knowledge sharing within the engineering department by establishing its internal documentation space. Furthermore, I actively fostered a culture of learning and collaboration by initiating several bi-weekly events, including LeetCode challenges, code reviews, code jeopardy, and educational sessions.
Additionally, I served as a mentor for four engineers during this period, contributing to their professional development.
- JavaScript
- React
- Laravel
- MySQL
- HTML & CSS
- Material UI
- Styled Components
- Docker
- GitHub