Web Development & Technical Management Experience
Developer, July 2008 – Present
- Lead front-end development for small team using standards-based XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript, leveraging the jQuery JavaScript framework for custom interface behaviours
Developer, March 2007 – June 2008
- Contribute to scrum/agile team developing online tools for the travel & tourism industry using the Symfony PHP/MySQL web application framework
- Lead front-end developer for Travelbug, Trade Me’s online accommodation booking site
Independent Web Consultant, January 1998 – Present
- Sole proprietor, consulting on all phases of small- to medium-sized web projects on a contract basis.
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Recent clients include:
- Institute for Spanish Language Studies – Role: recoded ColdFusion site to be more maintainable and use more standards-compliant HTML/CSS
- WomensWallStreet.com – Role: perform technical maintenance on the site and consult on system architecture improvements
- APEX Education – Role: rebuilt a website that had been in development for two years in just one week using Ruby on Rails. Consult on usability of web applications, including an online event registration site.
- Quick Gym USA – Role: built a system using PHP/MySQL to allow potential franchisees to request access to a secure section of the website using encrypted timestamps
- The Garland Group – Role: implemented a more user-friendly system of client-side form validation
- A Painting a Day – Role: built Mac OS X Dashboard widget displaying a painting a day by the artist Duane Keiser
- The Art of John Dyer – Role: built Mac OS X Dashboard widget for the artist John Dyer
- Alzheimer’s Poetry Project – Role: designed and built website—pro bono—supporting efforts to enhance the lives of Alzheimer’s patients through poetry
- Myself – Role: built several well-received Mac OS X Dashboard widgets, including PHP Function Reference (which I recently open-sourced) and SlideShow, which spent a few days as Apple’s featured widget
- Have done business as Equipoise Webcraft in Seattle, Washington and Newfangled Telegraph in Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Technical Lead/Senior Developer, February 2006 – December 2006
- Developed complex Zope/Python/PostgreSQL web application to manage all high school sports for the state of New Mexico. Application currently serves over 5,500 users and manages information about more than 37,000 student athletes, incorporating Ajax and JSON technologies to streamline and enhance the user experience
- Managed Clearwired’s web development efforts including interfacing with clients, developing web sites and applications, supervising one senior programmer, and liaising with contract designers and programmers
- Contributed to refinement of Clearwired’s strategic direction, branding, and marketing
- Integrated “Blend” Content Management System (CMS) with graphic designs for clients including GoEspanola.com, Casa de Santa Fe, Radiation Oncology Associates of New Mexico, Center for Women’s Surgery, and the Clearwired site redesign
- Develop marketing materials including HTML email newsletters, press releases, and website copy
- Built Sundial time tracking widget for Mac OS X Dashboard, integrating with Basecamp API
- Solicited and managed group of nine translators for localized versions of Sundial widget
- Assisted senior programmer with network and server administration
- Presented technical portion of session on rich internet applications focusing on Ajax and JSON technologies
- Contributed to Albuquerque BarCamp by presenting technical arguments in favor of HTML over XHTML (using sock puppets) and an overview of the implications of Ajax and “Web 2.0” for web accessibility
Technical Coordinator, August 2005 – February 2006
- Maintained and developed new functionality for complex, PHP/MySQL website for national non-profit serving families of children with special health needs
- Deployed Mailman electronic mail discussion management software
- Administered Windows 2003 Server including Terminal Services for staff of 20 distributed around the United States
- Developed HTML email campaign under extreme time pressure to communicate with constituents and solicit donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina
- Managed new hardware purchases
- Wrote executive summaries of web statistics for quarterly board meetings
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of New Mexico
http://panda.unm.edu/
Webmaster, August 2004 – August 2005
- Sole developer, responsible for ongoing development and maintenance of complex PHP/MySQL Web site serving the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of New Mexico
- Conducted heuristic usability and accessibility analysis of department web site, correcting 90% of the issues identified in my first four months on the job
- Implemented improved, standards-based Dynamic HTML menu system and other improvements, improving accessibility for people with disabilities (Section 508 compliance)
- Developed database-driven online events calendar including interaction design, MySQL database programming, and PHP coding
- Developed other database-driven applications (and administrative interfaces) to meet department needs including a faculty and staff directory and an online view of the department library
Webmaster, December 2003 – August 2005
- Sole technical staff member for statewide non-profit, responsible for development and maintenance of complex PHP/MySQL Web site serving the arts and culture community in New Mexico
- Developed RSS 2.0 (XML) feed of calendar events
- Implemented feature allowing downloading of calendar events in vCalendar format
- Developed events calendar in Flash MX 2004 Professional for use on cable access television, pulling in event data via custom XML feed
- Designed, programmed and deployed online directory of artists and arts organizations including PayPal IPN e-commerce integration
- Deployed comprehensive interface redesign and back-end overhaul of the site, adding community features including a discussion board and “Wiki,” improved functionality for the online events calendar, and increased usability and accessibility for people with disabilities
Design Team Manager, Interactive Multimedia Applications Group, March 2002 – August 2003
- Hired, supervised, and evaluated team of three Web designers
- Gathered requirements from clients to formulate project plans
- Designed information structures and task flows for Web sites and applications
- Analyzed University Web sites for accessibility (Section 508 adherence) and usability
- Conducted user testing of Web sites and applications
- Developed “scorecard” tool to assist Web maintainers in evaluating their Web sites for usability, accessibility, technical correctness, adherence to University branding standards, and content effectiveness
- Major projects:
- Projects managed:
Senior Programmer/Analyst, Prometheus, July 2000 – February 2002
- Researched, designed, and built implementation of the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) run-time environment using ColdFusion, JavaScript, and Xerces DOM XML parser
- Presented demonstration of prototype SCORM player (first in the university courseware market) to Advanced Distributed Learning Network industry conference
- Interviewed, hired, and managed two outside consulting groups conducting heuristic usability reviews and user-tests of courseware product
- Designed and built HTML prototypes for implementation of improved interfaces by development team
- Led company-wide accessibility efforts including: reviewing portal and courseware products for violations of Section 508 and Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) content accessibility guidelines, training developers on techniques for fixing and preventing violations, and correcting violations
- Designed and coded Dynamic HTML (DHTML) to create browser-based drag-and-drop interface for manipulating course content
QRC Division of Macro International Inc.
http://www.qrc.com/
Senior Web Developer, December 1998 – June 2000
- Designed, prototyped, and built database-driven Web sites using ColdFusion and WebIC for clients including National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, U.S. Agency for International Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Smithsonian Institution
- Assured high levels of usability and accessibility by implementing industry standards of interface design and information architecture including Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidelines
- Enhanced usability of Internet applications using cross-browser DHTML
- Designed interfaces for Visual Basic applications, adhering to Microsoft Windows Interface Guidelines
- Determined optimal information organizations and task flows through targeted user focus groups and card sorting exercises
- Trained and mentored co-workers on technologies including DHTML and CSS
Founder and Technical Lead, July 1997 – December 1999
- Responsible for all aspects of site design and production including HTML coding, graphics creation, CGI and JavaScript scripting,interface design, information architecture, and content development
- Site awarded Top 5% designation by Lycos
Other Management & Training Experience
Technical Trainer, March 2005 – Present
- Teach software and programming skills including Macromedia Fireworks, Microsoft Outlook, and JavaScript programming
Instructor, May 2002 – July 2003
- Taught Introduction to Internet and Intermediate Conversational English to recent immigrants
- Developed course materials for Internet class
- Participated in English as a Second Language instructor training
Instructor, November 1999 – July 2000
- Taught Introduction to HTML and Intermediate HTML to adult learners
- Developed course materials and selected textbooks for use in class
- Informally advised students on careers in Web development
- Consistently received very favorable evaluations from students
Resident Director, September – December 1997
- Directed 75 college students within shipboard community of 700 during voyage to 10 ports in 9 countries around the world
- Led program excursions in China, Vietnam, and India
- Advised student-run community service group that raised $23,000 from shipboard passengers to give to charities in visited countries, a record at the time
Assistant Director of Residence Life, August 1995 – August 1997
- Provided leadership for residence life program serving 800 undergraduates including hiring, training, and supervising residence hall staff, resolving violations of student conduct policies, administering housing, and interfacing with constituents inside and outside the College
- Coordinated and presented comprehensive training program for 7 professional and 34 paraprofessional staff
- Initiated, created, administered, and analyzed results of residence hall quality of life assessment instrument
- Developed and presented professional in-service training sessions on technology and organizational development
Buzzwords, Technologies & Skills
Proficient to expert in all of the following:
Zope, Python, PHP, ColdFusion, SQL, PostgreSQL, MySQL, XML, XHTML, HTML, CSS, Ajax, JSON, DHTML, SVN, user testing, heuristic usability analysis, web accessibility (Section 508) best practices, technical writing, and web graphic production using Adobe Photoshop
Additional Info
- Seasoned professional trainer and teacher
- Comfortable with Mac OS 9/X, Windows NT/2000/XP, and assorted flavors of UNIX
- Thorough knowledge of idiosyncrasies of various versions of Firefox (Mozilla), Safari (Konqueror), and Internet Explorer
Education
Master of Education, College Student Personnel, August 1995
Bachelor of Arts, French Language & Literature, May 1990
Professional Development
Attended numerous professional conferences including User Experience in Washington D.C., Sydney, Australia, and Boston, Massachusetts, and ColdFusion, DHTML, and XML training courses
Interests & Community Involvement
Skills & Accomplishments Narrative
My greatest strength is my versatility. I am a techie with people skills. I have worked as a web developer, a manager, and an educator. I have strong experience in web usability and accessibility. I have developed complex, database-driven web sites and applications in Ruby on Rails, Python/Zope, PHP, ColdFusion and other server-side scripting languages linking to both PostgreSQL and MySQL databases. I am fluent in advanced applications of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS and am a whiz at Ajax.
I am passionate about the web. Here we are, more than 15 years in, and—while getting better—the web is still too hard to use. Today’s web is about helping people make connections to individuals, groups, and information. Today’s web is changing politics, commerce, and social structures in ways both subtle and striking. It is exciting to be a facilitator of these far reaching influences.
I want to build world-class websites. Whether that means writing standards-friendly code, testing interfaces on real users, training other developers on great techniques for improving websites, or more directly leading a team of designers and developers, I am confident I can help take any organization’s web presence to the next level.
My greatest professional accomplishments include:
- Participating in a 12-hour “sprint” to remake a state government website that was six years late and $11 million over budget. Our goal was not to deliver a working website, but to raise awareness of the speed and agility of small teams using the latest rapid development technologies, such as Ruby on Rails. The project struck a nerve with people who are fed up with millions of dollars being wasted on big, faceless companies when local talent can do the job cheaper, faster, and better in many cases.
- Building a web application to manage all high school sports in the state of New Mexico. Over 5,500 users manage information about more than 37,000 student athletes using the system. Coaches manage schedules, rosters, and results in this complex Python/Zope/PostgreSQL application that incorporates judicious use of Web 2.0 (Ajax) features to streamline and enhance the user experience.
- Trumping the competition by delivering the first working demo in the academic space of a player for the SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) learning management system specification for the Prometheus online courseware product. I was the sole developer on this project and took it from research to implementation in just three months using ColdFusion, JavaScript, and XML.
- Leading a team of designers in creating a new campus map application for The George Washington University. The new map was designed in Flash using custom XML to store the data. We focused on users from beginning to end using scenarios and use cases to guide interface and programming decisions.
I look forward to talking with you about how I can contribute to the success of your organization!
References provided upon request