San Francisco Bay Area
Besides being a talking head on LinkedIn, I lead software development teams, mentor developers and help career changers learn to write complex software. At the core of all these efforts is a simple goal: empowering developers and magnifying their capabilities. Sometimes that means changing processes to allow teams to move faster, deploy code with less friction and confidence. In my courses and programs, empowerment is making the abstract practical with lessons and challenges which mimic the experience of being a software developer. If you actually read this, thanks. Always happy to connect and check out the links in about section 😉
As the first hire on the web engineering team, I partnered directly with the CEOS and CTO to build an AI-powered influencer matching platform helping the world’s biggest record labels connect with creators. I worked across the entire stack—from front-end prototypes in Next.js + TypeScript to back-end services, data pipelines, and proof-of-concepts—taking the product from zero to one. I designed and shipped the first data pipelines ingesting hundreds of thousands of TikTok data points daily, powering campaign insights at scale. I also implemented our first retrieval-augmented generative (RAG) database using GCP (Vertex AI, BigQuery, Firebase) and OpenAI models, enabling AI-driven recommendations and analysis. My work combined fast iteration with strong engineering fundamentals, blending modern AI development with traditional software practices to accelerate innovation.
Founding team member at an early-stage AI-driven procurement startup, working closely with the Head of Engineering, product, and go-to-market teams to shape product direction. Contributed to the development and implementation of an AI-powered chat feature using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with Pinecone and OpenAI’s API, enabling users to quickly retrieve supplier insights. Developed and implemented multiple key features, including in-app messaging, Stripe integration, and custom landing pages to improve user experience and streamline business operations. Utilizing TypeScript, Prisma, PostgreSQL, Next.js, React, and Vercel to develop scalable, AI-driven procurement solutions. Collaborating in a small, agile team to refine the core product architecture, improve internal tooling, and accelerate product development.
This was a short yet impactful 1 month stint: Led the planning of a migration from legacy systems to modern frameworks, including Next.js and CloudFront, focusing on scalability and code reusability. Implemented a CI/CD pipeline that accelerated the migration process and improved overall development efficiency. Provided technical leadership for modernizing the platform, helping the company establish a future-proof infrastructure.