Executive Summary
Technology executive with 20+ years building and scaling engineering organizations from startup to growth stage. Proven track record growing teams 18x (14→253 engineers) while maintaining velocity and culture. Founded three companies, led acquisitions, and delivered platform transformations serving millions of users. Expert in marrying technical strategy to business outcomes, building high-performing teams, and driving innovation at scale.
Professional Experience
FOUNDER & CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
July 2024 - Present
Building an AI-powered factory sourcing platform connecting USA, Latin America, and European manufacturers. Architecting multi-region marketplace infrastructure, leading product strategy, and establishing technical foundation for international B2B operations.
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
December 2022 - Present
Partner with executive coaching and advisory firm providing CTO/engineering leadership guidance to venture-backed startups and growth-stage companies, with focus on the fintech sector. Deliver strategic counsel on technical architecture, team scaling, and organizational development.
Key Engagements:
- Technical Due Diligence: Conduct in-depth product risk assessments, codebase analysis, and technology capability evaluations for investor clients
- CTO Coaching: Guide engineering executives through scaling challenges, AI adoption strategies, and team optimization
- Engineering Strategy: Advise portfolio companies on technical roadmaps, architecture decisions, and build vs. buy assessments
- Team Building: Support founders in engineering hiring, organizational design, and performance management systems
FOUNDER
November 2022 - Present
Founded software development consultancy specializing in Ruby/Rails applications, developer enablement, and technical training. Delivered end-to-end solutions from architecture through deployment for startups and growing companies.
Consulting Services:
- Custom Development: Built production web applications using Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL, and modern JavaScript
- Technical Advisory: Provided architecture consulting, code reviews, and technology stack recommendations
- Developer Training: Created comprehensive learning programs teaching full-stack development
- Product Strategy: Advised founders on technical feasibility, MVP scoping, and engineering roadmaps
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
June 2017 - November 2022
Led all technology for Stash, a fast-growing fintech startup serving 3M+ users. Transformed engineering organization from 14 to 253 engineers while scaling the platform to handle massive growth. Reported to the CEO, managed the technical budget, reported progress quarterly to the board.
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Tagboard (acquired Capture Media)
December 2016 - June 2017
Led technical integration post-acquisition of Capture Media. Built backend services using Node.js, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, and Redis to merge two social media platforms.
VP OF ENGINEERING
Capture Media
May 2013 - December 2016
Founding engineering leader for social media analytics startup. Led product from prototype through acquisition by Tagboard. Built and managed engineering team, established technical infrastructure, and secured tier-1 publisher clients.
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
March 2008 - May 2013
Led software development for intelligence analysis platforms serving DoD customers. Managed two application teams working with Ruby/Rails, JavaScript, C, and PostgreSQL.
PHYSICIST
U.S. Army Research Laboratory
March 2004 - August 2007
Led experimental team on laser cooling/trapping and Bose-Einstein Condensation research. Developed automation software and electromagnetic field models for microchip atom traps.
PHYSICIST
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
May 2000 - March 2004
Conducted laser cooling and trapping experiments. Developed LabVIEW and MATLAB programs for data collection and analysis.
Technical Expertise
Languages & Frameworks
Ruby/Rails, JavaScript, Go, Node.js, Python, Java, C, React, React Native
Infrastructure & Data
AWS (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, ECS/Fargate), PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, Redis, Heroku
Tools & Practices
Git, CI/CD (Jenkins), Microservices Architecture, Agile/Scrum, OKRs, Technical Due Diligence
Leadership
Engineering Strategy, Team Scaling, Technical Recruiting, Budget Management, Acquisition Integration, Startup Operations
Education
M.S. Computer Science | Stevens Institute of Technology | 2007-2009
B.S. Physics | University of Mary Washington | 1997-2001
Additional: Physics PhD coursework (George Washington University, 2001-2003) | MEMS Certificate Program (University of Maryland, 2004-2005)
What Sets Me Apart
Rare combination: Physics background → software engineer → engineering executive. Deep technical credibility with strategic business thinking
Proven scaler: Track record growing teams 18x while maintaining quality and culture
Founder mentality: Three companies founded; understand P&L, fundraising, and building from the earliest stages
Full-stack leader: Comfortable from infrastructure to product strategy to team building
Modern tools: Power user of Claude Code, AI-assisted development, and cutting-edge engineering practices