Summary

Full-stack web developer with more than 18 years experience in the online media field, and a strong track record of delivering creative, efficient solutions to the full gamut of content creation and management challenges.

Key Skills

Professional Experience

• Developer – Stanford Web Services, Stanford University
  Stanford, CA, 1/2020-present
  Website architecture and development with Stanford Web Services, providing Drupal 7 & 8 websites for schools, departments, and other organizational units across Stanford University. Worked with Acquia Cloud Site Factory, Acquia Cloud Pro, and Acquia Cloud Environments.  Testing with PHPUnit, Behat, Codeception. Scripting and automation for devops using bash, Robo, CircleCI and other tools.
• Lead Developer – Consumer Engagement, LegalShield
  Ada, OK, 11/2018-12/2019
  Web software architecture and development for a leading international pre-paid legal services company. Worked on consumer-facing web properties in the US, UK, and Canada, using technologies including PHP7, Drupal 7/8, NodeJS, Yarn and Gulp. Helped build development and deployment workflows based on Acquia, Docker, Codeship, and PHPUnit/Selenium. Worked on new website launches, CMS replatforming, and redesigns to support changing business needs. Helped improve analytics and tracking in direct-to-consumer and network sales funnels across multiple web properties.  Helped increase direct-to-consumer sales by 50% over eight months. Worked remotely, in Agile-style teams, with members in the US, UK and South America, using collaboration software such as Slack, Jira, and Zoom.
• Owner, Monroe Digital LLC
  10/2017-present
  Created autonomous AI journalism software and associated news website, News-Mash.com. Created the SaaS personal note-keeping and databasing application Coldreader (www.coldreader.net), currently in private beta. Development with Python, WordPress, Laravel 5.5+, Laravel Spark, VueJS, ElementUI and a variety of third-party APIs.
• Senior Web Developer, Veritas Health, LLC
  Deerfield, IL, 3/2016-8/2018
  Drupal 7.x web programming for a network of advertising-driven health information websites, including www.spine-health.com and www.arthritis-health.com, which serve tens of millions of pageviews per month. Collaborated with other developers and designers within in an Agile-like workflow, including version control with Git, virtualized development environments reflecting a LEMP stack on CentOS, and Jira for project management. Produced user-interface elements, new content-management functionality, and supported redesigns and new site launches.
• Web Producer, ABA Journal
  Chicago, IL, 8/2010-3/2016
  Updated content and code for www.abajournal.com, a trade magazine-associated news website operated by the American Bar Association, which served ~2M pageviews monthly. Content production, including processing and formatting magazine copy, producing web video and audio podcasts, and email newsletter production. Worked within the ExpressionEngine 1.6-2.9 CMS, including all front-end development, in a LAMP environment. Singlehandedly implemented a full site refactor and redesign, including an infrastructure overhaul, which resulted in 100x greater capacity, while reducing infrastructure costs by 50%. Redesigned and restructured mobile web offerings, and built a mobile app for Android using PhoneGap and jQuery Mobile. Produced in-depth audience research, including analytics and readership survey data. Advised on online strategy, social media, and advertising strategy. Received an Azbee Gold National Award for Online Excellence, Web News Section in 2014. Nominated for 2015 Webby Award for Law Websites. Awarded 2015 Azbee Bronze National Award for Web Site Redesign.
• Webmaster, Acceler8or.com
  5/2011-11/2012
  Responsible for the technical operations of www.acceler8or.com, a web site publishing cutting-edge articles about futurism, new technology, and counterculture. Worked directly with the editor-in-chief, noted cyberculture author R.U. Sirius, to create and maintain the site from the ground up, including server support, CMS installation and customization, web design, theme programming, advertising operations and content production. Produced audio and video for the web. Helped create and curate an associated Facebook group for site users.
• Consultant, “Project R” Alternate Reality Game, Pabst Brewing Co.
  2/2011-9/2011
  Worked with a brand manager to develop an experimental transmedia alternate-reality game to promote Rainier Beer in the Pacific Northwest. Contributed to the development of the project from its inception, including story development, game structure, and online asset development, including two websites. Helped administer the game through completion, growing a small, but highly-engaged audience of local opinion shapers, to promote word-of-mouth and produce large amounts of user-generated content.
• IT Specialist, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
  Chicago, IL, 3/2010-8/2010
  Responsible for all technical operations of the premier fine art auction house in the Midwest. Handled all hardware and software support for a mixed-platform network, including Windows servers, Windows 7, XP, and Mac workstations, in an Active Directory environment. Development and maintenance of websites using ExpressionEngine 1.6, Drupal 6 and Übercart 2, in a LAMP environment. Operation and maintenance of multiple online live-bidding platforms. Worked closely with marketing and production personnel on digital marketing, email marketing, and social media strategy.
• Medill Interactive Innovation Project: Online Obituaries
  Chicago, IL, 9/2009-12/2009
  Worked with a team to re-think the structure and content of Legacy.com, one of the top 100 most-visited web sites on the internet. Produced detailed, scholarly research regarding the history of obituary content in media. Primary author of a report on the State of the American Obituary (pdf), which was widely cited by the Washington Post, Poynter, NPR, the AP, and ABC News. Contributed to the blog at obitresearch.com.
• Freelance Multimedia Reporter, Web Programmer, Computer Consultant
  Chicago, IL, 12/2008-present
  Wrote technology and arts & culture articles on a freelance basis for publications including h+ Magazine, the ABA Journal, WindyCitizen.com, Medill Reports Chicago, and others. Provided consulting services to individuals and small businesses. Developed web sites for small business clients, including e-commerce sites using Drupal 6 and Übercart 2.
• Web Editor/I.T. Manager, Orlando Weekly
  Orlando, FL, 12/2001-12/2008
  Maintained all online content for www.orlandoweekly.com, a newspaper website serving one of the top twenty media markets in the United States. Nominated for “Best Weekly Newspaper-Affiliated Web Site” Eppy award from Editor & Publisher magazine in 2006 and 2007. Duties included processing and posting articles, reviews, images, and related materials, developing new content and website functionality, and database and web programming with MSSQL, ASP and VBScript. Managed online advertising systems. Helped to increase website revenues by more than 800% over three years. Simultaneously, provided all technical support services for the business network. Supported file, email, web, and database servers, both Win32 and Mac clients, printers, and associated software. Authored editorial content such as cover stories, music reviews, interviews, and columns. Supervised interns, managed large projects.
• System Administrator, University of Central Florida College of Education
  Orlando, FL, 9/1999-12/2001
  Supported 250+ node network for faculty and staff of the College of Education, including support for workstations and servers. Taught classes for university faculty on technology and new media. Evaluated and recommended hardware and software for purchase. Assisted in the development of content such as web pages, presentations, and digital video. Helped design a technical support operation including phone support, asset tracking and auditing, and break/fix work.

Education

• Northwestern University – Medill School of Journalism
  M.S. Journalism, 12/2009
  Specialization in interactive storytelling. Training included beat reporting, health and science reporting, arts reporting, as well as multimedia production, including audio and video for the web.
• University of Central Florida
  B.S. Liberal Studies – Computer Information Technology, 12/2001
  Liberal Studies degree with a minor in Computer Information Technology, and a specialization in art.