I am a polymath and a multipotentialite who excels at building and leading high performing teams, creating efficient productivity systems, and developing innovative solutions to tough problems at the intersections of technology, engineering, and the arts.
I have currently paused full-time engagements to focus on consulting, sustainability-related endeavors (especially cycling instruction), and parenting.
Experience
Artisan’s Asylum
Shop lead, working group lead, and committee member
December 2021-present
I support the bicycle shop and finishing shop at Artisan’s Asylum, a 52,000 square foot innovation space that hosts shared workshops, artist studios, classes and community events.
I am responsible for training and testing new bike shop and finishing shop users, repairing, maintaining, and improving equipment and infrastructure, and maintaining accessible and functional shops. As a working maker, I build bicycles, bicycle-shaped-objects, and human powered devices, including metal and part fabrication, welding, finishing, and all phases of assembly. I also design and build furniture in wood, metal, and mixed media, as well as bicycle-mounted audio and lighting systems.
I also lead the wiki working group, which has ~10 volunteers with technical writing, librarian, and software development skills. We are rebuilding the information architecture and customizing the wiki platform that underpins knowledge management across Artisan’s Asylum.
I am also a member of the Health and Safety Committee, which supports the facilities manager in ensuring a safe environment for hundreds of working artisans.
I provide additional support in hiring and operational improvement at Artisan’s Asylum.
Massbike, Bicycle Riding School, and private lessons
League Cycling Instructor
October 2021 – Present
I develop the road riding curriculum and teach road riding skills to children and adults at the Bicycle Riding School. With Massbike, I teach basic bicycle maintenance, handling, and group riding skills to ~100 sixth graders annually in Cambridge public schools. I also teach at bike rodeos, which typically each have 20-70 children in grades K-6; at rodeos I run skills courses (including obstacle courses) that challenge children to build and improve bicycle handling and safety skills. I develop and deliver curriculum for basic, intermediate, advanced, and group riding classes to adults. I also teach private one-on-one lessons to develop confidence, safety, and handling skills in cyclists of all age levels.
Russell Street Web Hosting
Owner
September 2002 – Present (19 years)
Started a self-sufficient consulting company specializing in web hosting,website design, back-end programming, and graphic design.
Akamai Technologies
Director, Network Standards
Oct 2017 – April 2021 (3 years 6 months)
Managed and mentored managers and leads in the Network Design, Training, Documentation, and Workflow Engineering teams. These teams analyze business processes and develop dashboards that monitor them, work with stakeholders to optimize their processes, document tasks/reference/concepts, build and deliver training, provide quality and feasibility checks at handoffs between technology, planning, and infrastructure organizations in the Networks division, and break down complex site architectures and network designs so that they can be efficiently built at scale. Helped create and execute the 3-5 year vision for Networks at Akamai. Provided subject matter expertise and insight in many internal technologies, and acted as a Product Manager in our scaled Agile implementation.
Senior Manager, Network Standards
Jan 2015 – Sep 2017 (2 yrs 9 mos)
Managed and mentored the Network Design, Training, Documentation, and Workflow Engineering teams. Collectively, we continuously analyzed and optimized deployment workflows and architectures, then identified and communicated optimized standards and practices that reduced capital and operational expenses. Provided subject matter expertise and insight into many internal technologies.
Manager, Network Infrastructure
2011-2014 (3 years)
Established the Network Training and Network Documentation teams to standardize and improve onboarding, knowledge management, and training in technologies new to Akamai. These teams are responsible for training, documenting and promoting best practices for Akamai’s global network infrastructure and field technician teams.
Established the Network Design team and assumed management responsibility for Network Infrastructure Engineering QA. Network Design creates scalable and repeatable network deployments for Akamai’s distributed planetary scale 400,000+ server network. Planned complex network reconstructions and deployments with multiple interdependencies, restricted timelines, and minimal operational and capital expense.
Team Lead, Network Infrastructure Engineering
2007-2011 (4 years)
Mentored and lead network infrastructure engineers and field technicians responsible for Akamai’s deployments in the western half of North America including Dallas Fort-Worth, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. Planned, implemented, maintained and upgraded deployments in all data centers in the Bay area, managed technical incidents, and acted as a subject matter expert for several internal technologies.
Network Infrastructure Engineer
2003-2006 (3 years)
Planned, implemented, maintained and upgraded deployments in data centers in the Bay area and beyond. Researched, designed and tested new system architectures and hardware configurations for specialized networks, expanded and assisted with the continuing evolution of Akamai’s distributed data collection network, and acted as an infrastructure subject matter expert for Akamai’s distributed data collection and global host testing networks.
Gilder Publishing
Network/Software Engineer
Sep 2000 – Aug 2002 (2 years)
Developed and maintained the hardware and software infrastructure of websites related to all franchises. Built new servers and deployed new server and network hardware to Gilder Publishing’s web server farm. Maintained the security of websites, local area networks, and user systems by monitoring security alerts, installing patches / updates, and penetration testing. Assisted in the production and distribution of weekly eNewsletters. Administered and maintained the back-end SQL server cluster, then designed, developed, and maintained interfaces to the SQL databases. Administered a Cisco load balancer, router and switches, an internal Windows 2000 LAN and backup system, as well as the company e-mail system. Assisted and trained coworkers in solving software and hardware problems. Maintained e-mail mailing lists and sent bulk mailings.
OnDisplay Software
Software Engineer
Jul 1998 – Jun 2000 (2 years)
Performed quality assurance tests on enterprise application integration software, assisted developers in troubleshooting, bug hunting and resolution of software issues, and created benchmark tests in the form of visual programs to evaluate the efficiency of Prospero, one of OnDisplay’s flagship products. Transferred to software development in June of 1999. Resolved bugs in the core section of Prospero, implemented new features in Prospero as needed, isolated performance bottlenecks and optimized routines to improve runtime performance, and implemented enhancements to Prospero’s SAP interface.
Vivo Software
QA Engineer
Apr 1997 – May 1998 (1 year 2 months)
Performed quality assurance tests on streaming media software under development, assisted software developers in troubleshooting, bug hunting and resolution of software issues, and assisted in the design, implementation and maintenance of a Windows NT subnetwork for the QA department. Assisted with the maintenance and revision of internal and external test web servers and web sites.
Education
League of American Cyclists Certified Instructor
2021
Completed the League of American Cyclists bicycling instructor certification. This is the only nationwide cycling safety instructor certification program.
Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science; Computer Science, Music
1993-1998
Activities/Societies: A Capella, local band, Ultimate Frisbee
Volunteer Experience
Thompson Elementary School PTO Garden Coordinator
I coordinate the activities of the garden club at my local elementary school. We maintain a learning garden used for educational activities where kids can learn all about basic agricultural and sustainability practices like how to grow food, composting, pollinator-friendly habitat, and more.
Artisan’s Asylum
Bicycle shop and finishing shop craft area lead
May 2011 – March 2020
Along with several other volunteers, responsible for supporting the bicycle craft area at the Artisan’s Asylum. Run a weekly bicycle project night focusing on bicycle design, construction and repair. Improve shop infrastructure to support bicycle fabrication and repair activities.
SCUL
Executive Officer emeritus
2014 – Present (8 years)
Responsible, with other volunteers, for maintaining and improving SCUL’s bicycle shop. Periodically update SCUL’s internal documentation and standards as needed, replenish out-of-stock inventory, and engage in shop area improvements.
Executive Officer
2008 – 2013
Led the move of SCUL’s bicycle shop a total of six times, starting from a ~250 square foot basement and culminating in an expanded ~800 square foot dedicated shop floor in the Artisan’s Asylum hackerspace. Optimized most internal tasks and volunteer responsibilities to improve adoption, consistency, and quality. Led and participated in weekly maintenance/repair/construction events. Built improved infrastructure for SCUL’s workspace, including improved tool stands, an electronics workbench, a computer desk, a sewing desk, and an elevated bicycle storage system. Participated in and led weekly group rides, including one multi-day trip of over a hundred miles and ~3600 feet in elevation gain, as well as multiple single-day hundred mile rides through several New England states.