Why do I develop software?
I have always loved using computers for automating solutions to improve both my work environment, and that of my colleagues.
As a manager and consultant in the gourmet grocery industry I found myself writing algorithms which included conditional statements to trigger math and string functions for data conversion using data structures resembling anything from booleans to multi-dimensional arrays. Dynamically creating multiple spreadsheet formats for both people and machines, and dynamically calculating data -- from levels of store coverage, to hours worked while compensating for unpaid break time, to spending, to financial periods -- made my life much easier than manually sifting for special cases on the computer (or worse yet, by hand), not to mention it was much more fun!
Even as a real estate agent I found ways to incorporate programming logic in my spreadsheets. My favorite example was writing filter algorithms and string functions in mail-merge spreadsheets in order to extract names and eliminate duplicates, thereby allowing me to inform hundreds of interested agents of changes to the status of my clients' property in an unobtrusive way.
How did I get here?
Not only do I love to build code, but clear communication with clients, customers, colleagues, superiors and subordinates is second nature to me from my background in retail food management and real estate sales. So, with me, you get the complete package - the technical critical thinking skills that it takes to find solutions with computers, and the people skills to work with fellow humans or craft solutions for them.
In my past and present positions - whether as a team member, team leader, or outside advisor - I made extensive use of computer technology and pattern analysis to increase efficiency, profits, and even team communication. Over the years I found that I was most absorbed in my job when I had the opportunity use my computer to automate, convert data, or make calculations based on conditions I gave it - so much so that I became the go-to person when colleagues needed their spreadsheets debugged! The next logical step was to dive into that state of mind and make it my full-time job.
While still working as a real estate agent in late 2018, I completed a full-time on-site immersive full-stack boot camp in Philadelphia called New York Code and Design Academy, where we focused on JavaScript, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, HTML5, and CSS3. (See my resume for a complete list of my tech, skills, and concepts) Inevitably, there were still bills to pay after the boot camp ended, so I increased my time spent working in real estate through the summer. In July 2019 I was finally able to start shifting my main focus back to writing and learning code, and was able to ramp up my learning even more in the fall. I reviewed and solidified the concepts I learned at boot camp, taught myself LAMP stack, delved deeper into Java than I ever had before, and had fun with some coding challenges.
Where am I now?
In January 2020, I was hired as a full-stack developer for University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Standardized Patient Department, writing software that tracks scheduling logistics, casting criteria, and finances for simulated medical visits. See SPMS Website for details. I create new features, fix bugs, and maintain a backend heavy multi-user restful web application using Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, CSS, HTML, Jquery, vanilla JavaScript, and raw SQL on the CakePHP MVC framework.
Real life challenges that involve critical thinking, and my love of finding solutions to those challenges, are what brought me to change my career to software development in the first place. I’m excited to be working in a team environment, solving problems for the real world. I am looking for full time position, where I can thrive, help grow the company and form a working relationship that will last a long time. Take a look on my resume and you’ll see that I’m a big fan of finding a good work situation and staying there. If you're looking to mold your future technical leadership from within by hiring a smart developer with proven soft skills imparted by an extensive business and management background, then you've come to the right place!
What technologies do I use?
- Java
- JavaScript
- PHP
- Ruby
- HTML5
- CSS3
- Typescript
- SASS
- Node
- Express
- Ruby on Rails
- Jquery
- React
- MySQL
- SQLite3
- Apache Webserver
- CakePHP
- MongoDB
- ActiveRecord
- Linux
- Git
- GitHub
Do I have other skills?
Yes, I do! My background in multiple work environments has given me strong skills in the following...
- Teamwork
- Team Building
- Clear Communication
- Research
- Problem Solving
- Data Analysis
- Pattern Recognition
- Public Speaking
- Negotiating
- Flexibility
- Project Management
- Training
- Growth Oriented
- Customer Service
- Documentation
- Sales
- Merchandising
- Oversight
- Customer Relations
- Thirst for Knowledge
- Profit Maximization
Do I have other interests?
Of course! I love cats, with a particular affinity for rescue cats who have stripes or grey tuxedos. I ride my bicycle on a daily basis, and I also like to hike, ice skate, and ski. Recently I've gotten into gardening, and am proud to have kept most of my flowers, herbs, and other plants alive - despite squirrels eating my Sun Gold tomatoes last summer! I'm always up for watching Star Trek, especially while eating a good piece of cheese and drinking some strong loose leaf tea, preferably with a striped cat and grey tuxedo cat by my side.
Anything else?
Head on over to my Projects page to see a few selected projects including the code for this site. If you want to know more about me and have some questions or think that I would be a good fit for your team, feel free to contact me.