Introduction
Hello, and welcome to my online portfolio. I’m a web engineer specializing in WordPress such as developing custom themes, plugins, and functionality with over ten years of professional agency experience. I might be one of the more atypical programmers who enjoys working on the front-end as much as the back-end and I’ve been doing full-stack development for the last several years. I’ve worked on projects for household names to small mom and pop shops and appreciate the variety and challenges this field of work delivers. In addition to my normal work I also have a couple of side projects that are important to me. I created and actively develop a WordPress store locator plugin called Cardinal Store Locator and an open source jQuery Store Locator plugin.
Work Highlights
Cardinal Store Locator
I developed the Cardinal Store Locator plugin to give customers a way to set up a highly customizable locator feature for their WordPress website. It was built with the Google Maps API, WordPress Settings API and my open source jQuery Store Locator plugin and integrates with WordPress core features such as custom post types for location data and custom taxonomies for location categories and filtering. It was programmed following the WordPress Coding Standards, is responsive by default, can read Snazzy Maps styling, makes use of Handlebars for simple info window and location list overrides in addition to several other features.
jQuery Store Locator Plugin
The open source jQuery Store Locator plugin takes advantage of Google Maps API version 3 to create an easy to implement store locator via KML, XML or JSON data. I initially released the plugin in 2012 and have been actively developing it since then adding new features and improving the code over time based on feedback I receive.
Express Modular
I led a performance audit project for Express Modular to help determine why the site would crash after the client had tried hosting with multiple vendors. After gaining insight on overview calls with technical staff we took steps to set up and analyze important server log files, performed local tests with specialized performance tools, and took a deep dive through the site’s custom programming to identify issues and prioritize them by the overall impact.
Thomson Reuters
For the Thomson Reuters Lawyer Marketing project I created new PHP classes within their custom mu-plugins structure to send submitted form data and campaign information to the Oracle Eloqua API asynchronously, process website audits via a custom internal tool and send the information to the customer and Eloqua, and generate downloadable PDFs of all blog posts. In addition, I completed various other front-end and back-end ad hoc requests and communicated directly with the client.
Loll Designs
The Loll project included a complete redesign of the site, the removal of the Visual Composer page builder, a full plugin audit and my WordPress Cardinal Store Locator plugin was used to create a new retailer locator. The previous website had been set up relying on many components from ThemeForest and CodeCanyon that were a drag on overall performance and left the back-end feeling bloated. This project was all about creating a completely custom and optimized solution versus the previous pre-built approach.
Solium
For Solium, which is a multisite installation, I set up and developed the front-end and back-end of the Knowledge Center site with a child theme of the Westwerk developed parent them, set up the UK, German, French and Australian sites and complete ongoing maintenance and ad hoc requests.
Sandow
We developed a new WordPress theme based on a completely custom design. As the lead developer on the project I completed a significant portion of the front-end work, set up many of the modules with Advanced Custom Fields, converted the careers section from a legacy plugin to a WordPress custom post type and used a stripped down version of my jQuery Store Locator plugin for the contact/office locations page. We chose to use Roots (now renamed to Sage) as the base started theme for the project and the Advanced Custom Fields plugin and flexible content fields to let the client choose the order that content is displayed on several of the subpages.
Edible Manhattan
I merged Edible Manhattan, Edible Brooklyn, Edible Long Island and Edible East End from individual WordPress installs to a multisite. The client chose to start with the SimpleMag WordPress theme as a base and we implemented several design customizations. I was primarily responsible for all of the front-end customizations, restructuring the content with new custom post types, setting up a new version of the Guide with a customized version of my jQuery Store Locator plugin and setting up a network wide Google Double Click for Publishers account and tagging all the sites.
GRSS IEEE
For GRSS I developed a new theme from scratch based on a completely custom design, restructured content into new custom post types and went through a long list of installed plugins to remove as many outdated and unneeded as possible. I was the solo developer on this project and completed all of the front-end and back-end work.
New Jersey Bride
I worked with Westwerk development team to migrate the old PostgreSQL database to WordPress and complete a full refactor of the website. On this project I was responsible for setting up the majority of the back-end and some portions of the front-end.
Fairview
On the Fairview project I was responsible for cutting a multitude of PSD page templates and setting up some of the front-end functionality with JavaScript. These templates were then delivered to Fairview for back-end implementation by their development team.
Résumé
Work History
10up
Lead Web Engineer
May 2018 -
Crowd Favorite
Project Lead
August 2017 - March 2018
- Worked through project development tasks as needed
- Led development staff through technical work based on projects
- Broke down projects into detailed actionable tasks for developers to work on
- Scheduled development staff to work on tasks based on project requirements and availability
- Participated in regular meetings to coordinate with department heads, management, and staff
- Assisted developers with technical questions
- Trained clients on new sites and large code updates
- Reviewed and tested code
- Made technical recommendations based on experience and research
- Wrote documentation and project reports
- Continued attending local WordPress Pro meetup and WordCamps
- Increased remote work experience
3five Inc
WordPress Developer
February 2016 - June 2017
- Developed new custom WordPress websites from the ground up and updated existing sites
- Took on existing projects developed by WordPress VIP level agencies
- Developed custom functionality and refactored outdated and/or less effective code
- Continued following WordPress Coding Standards and made use of code sniffers when developing
- Researched, installed and configured WordPress plugins as needed
- Participated in regular meetings to coordinate on projects with clients and co-workers
- Trained clients on new sites and large code updates
- Wrote detailed development overview briefs for client review
- Made technical recommendations and estimates
- Coordinated workload with team
- Continued attending local WordPress Pro meetup and WordCamps
- Gained better understanding of what it’s like working remotely full-time
Westwerk Designs
Senior Web Developer
October 2013 - February 2016
- Enhanced expertise in WordPress by attending local meetups, WordCamps, and working exclusively with WordPress
- Developed completely custom WordPress sites following the WordPress Coding Standards
- Debugged issues and completed customizations on existing WordPress sites
- Transformed Adobe PSD designs into hand-coded templates
- Installed and configured appropriate WordPress plugins
- Developed custom functionality and plugins as needed
- Trained clients on new sites
- Made technical recommendations and estimates
- Coordinated workload with project managers and development team
- Participated in client calls and meetings
Risdall Marketing Group
Application Developer, UI Engineer
June 2008 - September 2013
- Developed web sites from the ground up
- Worked with WordPress, Drupal, DotNetNuke and other CMSs
- Transformed Adobe PSD designs into hand-coded front-end templates for a variety of systems
- Communicated with designers to best translate design into code
- Took over existing web sites for maintenance and/or updates
- Installed and configured content management systems in Apache and IIS environments
- Researched, tested and fine-tuned modules and plugins
- Coordinated with account executives to keep projects moving forward
- Trained clients on new systems
- Debugged issues that arose
- Made technical recommendations based on prior experience and research
- Estimated the length of time it will take to complete a task or project
- Met with clients to gather information and discuss the status of their projects
- Coordinated work load with development team
- Set up and configured LAMP staging environment
- Full-service interactive agency environment
Education
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Bachelor of Science, December 2007
Major: Management Information Systems
Honors