SUMMARY:

UNIX Systems administrator turned software developer and (/turned) instructor/mentor. Tools and automation focus.

OBJECTIVE:

Not actively seeking work. Open to considering opportunities using Common Lisp, Clojure, Scheme, or Haskel; to remote-friendly contracts or employment in other areas of my past experience; to junior-level management in software development and/or operations groups; and most importantly, to opportunities (including as a volunteer) helping under-represented folks (women, BIPOC, trans folk, etc.) learn the sorts of skills I've had the privilege of learning.

AREAS OF EXPERIENCE:

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT:

Independent (November, 2022 through the present): Technical Mentor

Built up new mentorship relationships with multiple people, helping them learn new programming languages (Python, Ruby, C, and more), new skills (web development, low-level network programming, electronics with CircuitPython, etc.), practicing for job readiness, and generally providing guidance in people's technical learning process. Aiming to work with folks who face systemic barriers, including women, people of color, and formerly-incarcerated folks. Mostly have worked 1:1 with folks, though also joined up with other like-minded folks to provide group "office hours" to help people get questions answered.

Techtonica (July, 2018 through May, 2020): Volunteer Mentor

Provided 1:1 and sometimes group mentoring with current Techtonica participants, initially coming in to the offices where the program was being hosted, and later via video calls (when Covid lockdowns began). Helped folks navigate the twists and turns of their path to completing their projects, taught about concepts underlying what they were doing, and generally answered technical questions and helped out.

Hackbright Academy (February, 2018 through July, 2018): Instructor (part time)

Part of the instruction team for Hackbright's Prep course. Presented lectures, answered questions during lectures and lab time, made curriculum improvements, and general administrative tasks (taking attendance, etc.).

Hackbright Academy (January, 2016 through July, 2018): Volunteer Mentor

Provided 1:1 mentoring with current Hackbright students throughout this time, answering questions they had about the material, about life in industry, about how different pieces fit together, etc. Generally gave insights from my years of experience to help them contextualize what they were learning. Later also staffed regular "office hours" in their Alumnae Lounge, where I helped people debug problems, did practice interviews, explored computer science concepts, and generally helped out the grads who showed up in whatever way was needed.

iRhythm Technologies Inc. (through Taos Mountain, LLC. ; October, 2015 through January, 2016): Consultant

• Created automation for AWS deployment of services, including Ansible-based installation configuration, ruby-based AWS interactions, CloudFormation templates, etc.
• Reverse-engineered existing non-automated configurations in order to best replicate the above.
• Converted Subversion code repository to git, including providing user documentation and support for the migration.

Autodesk, Inc. (through Taos Mountain, LLC. ; February, 2015 through October, 2015): Consultant

• Created and maintained automation around AWS services.
• built command-line tools for interacting with same in a streamlined fashion.
• generated new SSL certificates, including a new Certificate Authority.

Hortonworks (through Taos Mountain, LLC. ; June, 2014 through January, 2015): Consultant

• Acted as a technical resource for the IT department -- advising management, and providing training, troubleshooting assistance, and general expertise to other individual contributors.
• Evaluated IMAP migration tools for a large-scale (500GB) email data migration using IMAP -- finding these tools lacking for client needs, ultimately developed (in Python) automated tooling for the migration including user-facing documentation, web front-ends for obtaining user passwords in an ephemeral manner, web-based reporting on migration progress for users and management, and performance analysis (using R) of IMAP server interactions to allow understanding of bottlenecks.
• Evaluated BCFG2, Salt, and Ansible for automation of configuration management on corporate servers.
• Developed Ansible rules for same.
• Provided instruction on Ansible to peers, to further the efforts.
• Created and executed a detailed test plan for an OpenLDAP deployment that had been previously built but left untested. Wrote Change Control procedure for deployment of same.
• Performed forensic analysis and corrected data inconsistencies from a failed data migration.
• Assisted in planning and deployment of 200-physical-node OpenStack cluster.

(May, 2009 through May, 2014): Personal time

Took time to travel, pursue artistic endeavors, etc.

Google, Inc. (January, 2008 through April, 2009): Site Reliability Engineer

Provided support, including on-call duties, for Google Analytics, Webmaster Tools, and other Google products.

Super Pod, LLC (for several clients) (August, 2007 through November, 2007): Consultant

Developed a full website using Ruby on Rails to gather customer feedback for a major shrink-wrap software vendor: Set up SVN-based revision control; Implemented front-end design from specifications, including image-upload and text entry functionality; Created back-end ("administrative") interface, including search functionality (using ferret); Configured Apache web server with password-protected admin area, and password-protected staging version. Performed system-admin tasks for Super Pod internal infrastructure. Developed automated tools to assist in a major website localization project. Assisted and trained junior staff members in technical aspects of localization.

Localcents, Inc. (working on their Villij.com website) (January, 2007 through July, 2007): Consultant

Initiated getting their source code into revision control (First CVS; later converted to Subversion). Trained users on these systems. Separated their environment (both database and code) into development, staging, and production modes, with a development environment for each developer. Introduced pair programming, test driven development, refactoring, and other best practices. Installed NTP on servers to get good time synchronization. Created, and automated, backup procedures. Consulted on company development strategies. Created system for recording and monitoring application growth statistics. Instituted use of web page templating using Smarty. Instigated the use of TinyMCE for WYSIWYG blog editing. Converted PHP system to Ruby on Rails (still in progress as of last update). Created Rails database Migrations to get table structure to work with rails; instituted the use of Migrations for all database changes.

Isilon Systems (July, 2005 through January, 2006): Software Development Engineer

Fixed various bugs in the Isilon system, including kernel-level changes. Provided general maintenance for "CPR", Isilon's utility for filesystem integrity checking, debugging, and repair. This work included fixing bugs, working on documentation improvements, and doing minor feature enhancements.

Infospace (through Kforce Professional Staffing ; March, 2005 through July, 2005): Consultant

Modified existing PHP application to add new functionality and fix bugs. Customized workflow to create new custom functionality in Remedy's CSS application. Consulted on additional Remedy workflow changes. Created an application for tracking and reporting on Remedy license utilization over time.

Amazon.com (August, 2003 through December, 2004): Software Development Engineer

Supported, operationally, several high-visibility applications on a rotating 24 by 7 basis. Debugged various problems in software supported by me as well as that upon which it depended. Gathered requirements for, designed, and developed several reporting tools. Designed and developed data visualization utilities for several of these (including a "traffic light" indicator as well as various graphs). Designed an internal web site organizing several such tools, including tools developed by myself and by others. Mentored and trained (informally) others on topics ranging from software development to basic UNIX understanding to the intricacies of specific tools and applications. Advocated for quality solutions to problems at hand -- pushing for long-term solutions over short term; sustainability over easy-right-now; the "right" solution over something that merely solved the most pressing problem currently surfacing. Assisted the Remedy team with Remedy administration and troubleshooting tasks. Participated in the interviewing of new candidates both inside and outside of my immediate group.

Silicon Graphics, Inc. (contract) (April, 2002 through May, 2003): Software Developer/Network Analyst

Developed several reporting tools (including the aspects of data collection and data mining and reporting) as well as automation-oriented tools. Utilized XML and XSLT to do data encapsulation and extraction for collection tools, as well as for configuration of dynamic reporting tools. Automation work included configuring SGI's installation tools for 100% automated install, and doing post-install scripting for configuration of installed machines. Mentored various members of the immediate group as well as a couple of adjoining groups on myriad topics ranging from general systems and network administration principles to best practices to perl scripting. Provided technical assistance and conference to various SGI team members worldwide, having various technical skill levels and cultural backgrounds. Analyzed and solved myriad technical problems as they came up. Filed bug reports when problems with SGI's IRIX operating system or related tools were involved. Performed a variety of cleanup tasks, working towards making an environment which had been filled with legacy configurations which were frequently not very well understood into a smooth, uniform (to the extent possible), and much more stable environment.

Independent consulting work (April, 2001 through June, 2001): Software Engineer

Authored C code to provide a Python module which would interface to Remedy's Action Request System (ARS) through the ARS C API. Wrote code to pull data from a MySQL database and then dynamically build from it an ARQualifierStruct to represent a search in the Remedy ARS. Assisted with debugging and enhancement of the larger application -- a Remedy interface for WAP devices (e.g. mobile phones).

Counterpane Internet Security, Inc. (January, 2000 through April, 2001): Software Engineer

Developed code to use the Remedy C API to communicate between Remedy's Action Request System (ARS) and Counterpane's proprietary automatic incident reporting system. Created and maintained Counterpane's CVS repository, including back-end programs to do notification of changes, validation checks, and automatic pushes of some data, such as web content, to appropriate servers. Provided training in the use of CVS to developers not already familiar with it, or who needed additional training. Performed a variety of Systems Administration tasks until such time as we hired on a full-time sys-admin.

Global Networking And Computing (GNAC), Inc. (July, 1999 through January, 2000): Member, Technical Staff

Designing and building internal tools, maintaining and enhancing existing tools. Acting as a mentor to junior Operations staff. Providing tool development services to client companies.

Netscape Communications Corporation (September, 1998 through June, 1999): Member, Technical Staff

Acted as a liaison between Technical Support and Core Engineering for the Netscape Messaging Server product. Took escalations from Technical Support into Engineering. Created bug fixes for customers. Acted as a main back-line contact for large customer deployments.

Silicon Graphics (including subsidiaries) (July, 1996 through September, 1998): Senior Systems Administrator

Provided back-line system administration support for several engineering user communities, while also being an active, contributing member of SGI's worldwide systems administration community. Provided implementation and maintenance support for business supporting programs and applications. Supported and monitored divisional servers (DNS, NIS, sendmail, web, Synchronize, Networker). Active participant in the implementation of IS processes, tools, and procedures. Represented Silicon Studio and Alias|Wavefront subsidiaries to global SGI IS community. Defined, developed, documented, built and maintained applications, scripts, and tools to enhance effectiveness of users and the divisions. Designed and built a nameservice management system, backed by a Sybase database.

MicroUnity Systems Engineering (through Taos Mountain ; April, 1996 through July, 1996): Systems Administrator

Responsible for upgrading 60 SGI workstations and servers from IRIX 5.2 to 5.3, while maintaining functionality of highly customized local environment. Built installation images for local software. Documented upgrade process for other SysAdmins. Assisted the SysAdmin group with other tasks.

Silicon Graphics (through Taos Mountain ; October, 1994 through April, 1996): Remedy Administrator, Help Desk Staff

Sole administrator of Remedy system for worldwide IS group. Provided reporting of Remedy data, including aggregate metrics, trending graphs, and custom reports. Upgraded, configured, and maintained Remedy server software. Worked with Server Operations to provided 24x7 availability of the Remedy application. Built installation images for client software distribution.

Provided front-line phone support to SGI employees, and acted as a leader within the SGI Help Desk group. Ran backups for group using Legato Networker. Served as administrator for group's main WWW and mail server. Resolved numerous system administration and application problems. Assisted in operational decisions for the group. Trained and mentored new help desk staff members.

Sun Microsystems (through Taos Mountain ; May, 1994 through September, 1994): Technical Support Engineer

Provided technical support for Sun customers as part of the North American Solution Center team. Re-created customer environments, reproduced customer problems and filed detailed bug reports.

Silicon Graphics (January, 1994 through April, 1994): UNIX Systems Administrator

Provided overflow assistance for divisional Systems Administrator. Provided end-user support for a small hardware design group and their IRIX-based systems. Assisted with backups and other tasks throughout the division. Enhanced automation of tasks.

Passage Systems, Inc. (October, 1993 through December, 1993): Member, Production Staff

Proof-read conversions into SGML of technical documents for on-line viewing, comparing against print copy. Assisted with systems administration tasks.

San Francisco Bay Area Theatres (December, 1986 through December, 1994): Technical Theatre Staff

Served as a member of the staff at a half dozen bay area theatres at various times. Responsibilities included Stage Management, Lighting, Sound, Video, Set Construction, Painting, Properties Management, Stage Crew, and more.

MEMBERSHIPS:

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS:

HOBBIES & INTERESTS:

OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR:

• Volunteer work with San Francisco Sex Information, providing media support for training staff, answering calls and e-mails on the switchboard, and some time on the board of directors.
• SFSI-endorsed sex educator.
• Active participant in the planning of a new "atheist church" in Seattle, 2013 (services scheduled to start early 2014).
• Lived about a year in Berlin, Germany, first in late 2011, then much of 2012 and into 2013.
• Volunteer Mentor, Youth In Focus -- a non-profit organization whose mission is "to empower urban teens, through photography, to experience their world in new ways and make positive changes in their lives." -- 2006 through 2011.
• Vice President, Seattle Photographic Society, 2007-2008.
• Director, Seattle Photographic Society board of Directors, 2006-2007 (later elected Vice President).
• Served on the BayLISA board, with a 1998-2000 term, including 1 year as Secretary (1998/1999).
• Regular attendee of BayLISA board meetings, 1997-2000.
• BIND IRIX port maintainer, from the time of early BIND 8.x until SGI took this on by buying support from the ISC.
• Secretary of the Southern Peninsula Emergency Communications System (SPECS), 1999-2000.
• Secretary of the SGI Amateur Radio Club, 1998.