Senior Software Engineer
25+ years web development | 11+ years Ruby on Rails expertise
Passionate about crafting robust backend systems, mentoring teams, and delivering production software that serves millions of users. Currently seeking new opportunities to bring technical excellence and leadership to innovative projects.
About Me
I'm a Senior Software Engineer with 25+ years of web development experience, including 11+ years specializing in Ruby on Rails. I focus on building scalable web applications and backend systems, with a proven track record of delivering production software serving millions of users. My expertise spans full-stack development, team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration.
As a Team Lead at Optoro, I led a 5-person engineering team building complex backend systems processing 90M+ transactions annually. I'm passionate about mentoring developers, maintaining high code quality standards, and solving complex technical challenges.
Technical Skills
Backend
- Ruby on Rails
- PostgreSQL
- MySQL
- Redis
- RESTful APIs
Frontend
- JavaScript
- Vue.js
- React (learning)
- HTML5
- CSS3
Testing
- RSpec
- Capybara
- Jest
- Test Coverage
Infrastructure
- Docker
- CI/CD Pipelines
- Google Cloud Platform
- AWS (learning)
- Git & GitHub Actions
Professional Experience
Team Lead
Optoro, Washington, DC
- Led Ruby on Rails development for 5-person engineering team, mentoring 3 engineers on technical best practices
- Built complex backend systems processing 90M+ transactions annually with focus on performance and scalability
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality solutions while maintaining technical excellence
- Planned and executed technical projects independently, keeping stakeholders informed throughout development cycles
Senior Software Developer
Optoro, Washington, DC
- Developed scalable Rails applications with comprehensive testing using RSpec and modern JavaScript frameworks
- Optimized database performance and API response times by 300% through systematic problem-solving
- Contributed to strategic technical direction while balancing practical solutions with engineering excellence
- Mentored junior developers and maintained high code quality standards across development team
Software Developer
Optoro, Washington, DC
- Built production-ready Rails applications serving millions of users with emphasis on system reliability
- Implemented RESTful APIs and database systems for complex business workflows
- Developed automated testing frameworks and CI/CD processes to maintain code quality
Software Engineer
Global Thinking, Phase2 Technology, and others
10+ years of full-stack development across various technologies and platforms
US Army Paratrooper (E-4 Specialist)
Fort Kobbe, Panama
1992 All Army Marksmanship Championship Team Member; Army Commendation Medal
Projects
☕ Make a Coffee
AI-powered coffee instruction generator creating hilariously overcomplicated safety card style illustrations.
☕ Make a Coffee
Generate hilariously overcomplicated coffee instructions in airplane safety card style using AI. Features three illustration styles (Simple, Fun, Chaos), PB&J-precision prompts emphasizing programming-level detail, and high-quality PNG export with timestamps. Built with React + Vite and Hugging Face FLUX.1-schnell model.
🎴 Flash Cards
Beautiful flashcard app for learning through active recall and spaced repetition.
🎴 Flash Cards
A beautiful, reusable flashcard app for learning any topic through active recall and spaced repetition. Features markdown-based content with auto-discovery of topics, progress tracking, keyboard shortcuts, and a stunning UI with smooth animations. Built with React + Vite and deployed on GitHub Pages.
🗽 Constitution Compass
Interactive tool exploring constitutional principles and civic engagement.
🗽 Constitution Compass
An interactive educational tool for exploring U.S. constitutional principles, civic engagement, and the foundations of American democracy. Features comprehensive content on constitutional amendments, historical context, and modern applications. Built with React for an engaging learning experience.
📄 Markdown Resume Manager
Full-featured VS Code extension for managing markdown resumes with automated builds.
📄 Markdown Resume Manager
A full-featured VS Code extension for managing markdown-based resumes and cover letters. Features one-click building to DOCX/PDF using Pandoc, clipboard paste support for AI-generated content, keyboard shortcuts, interactive prompts, and automated project structure. Cross-platform with no shell script dependencies. Published on VS Code Marketplace with 14 automated test suites.
📊 JobTrail
Rails-based job application tracker with analytics on rejection stages. (Work in Progress)
📊 JobTrail
A full-stack Rails 8 job application tracker that provides visibility into the complete hiring lifecycle. Track applications from submission through screening, assessments, interviewing, and offers. Features rejection stage analytics, conversion rate insights, CSV import/export, and an analytics dashboard. Built with Rails 8, Hotwire (Turbo + Stimulus), PostgreSQL, and Tailwind CSS. (Active Development)
Get in Touch
I'm actively seeking new opportunities where I can contribute my expertise in Ruby on Rails development, team leadership, and building scalable systems. Let's connect!
📍 Silver Spring, MD 20901