What career or personal update would you like to give to your fellow Florida Tech Panthers alumni?
Since leaving Florida Tech in 2009 I have lead a career as a Software Engineer contributor and manager. My experience has spanned across Public Sector, Defense, and Healthcare. The latter afforded me the opportunity to work fully remote which I did for eight months while traveling Europe. Initially I focused on cyber security and malicious software, but pivoted into the world of services at scale. I hold several patents in the dynamic networking defense space. In 2009, I joined Harris as a Software Engineer. In 2014, I transferred into the Harris Healthcare Division which was ultimately sold off into a company called NantHealth. From 2014 - 2016 I remained a Software Engineer working scaled backend services for NantHealth. In 2016 I joined a small Public Sector Defense contractor named RadiantBlue. From 2016 - 2023 I worked to build a team and ultimately several teams to build a satellite data distribution platform for the National Geospatial Agency and served as the Director of Software Engineering for my group under what had become Maxar Inc. Today, I serve as the Technical Solutions Architect for another small defense contractor - Pole Star Defense. I am defining the technical strategy for the company as we pursue a comprehensive set of solutions for our customers. I still live in Melbourne with my wife and have a 4 year old daughter.
How did your time at Florida Tech help get you to where you are today?
Florida Tech and the Computer Science program gave me the foundational skills of problem analysis and solving. I was taught ways to look at a large problem and break that down into manageable chunks. Those skills are relevant across jobs and industries. I have found that successful endeavors in business are driven by those that can get to answers.
What is your favorite Florida Tech memory?
No specific memory, but I cherish all the moments I recall meeting fellow students for smoothies or sharing time in the computer labs trying to solve some of the hardest problems.
Was there a mentor or professor who had a big impact on you personally and/or professionally?
I had many professors that had an extremely positive impact both while I was at Florida Tech and beyond. Dr. William Shoaff was the department head during my tenure. His patience with my constant pre-requisite challenges (me being a transfer into FIT) and confidence in my abilities showed me that I can succeed in anything so long as I am dedicated. Dr. Ryan Stansifer lead all of the classes that I now cherish. He showed me that some problems go beyond academia and that even with a lot of effort you still may not find the perfect solution. This has proven as an invaluable source of necessary grit in the professional world. Dr. Richard Ford had an impact on both my beginnings and endings at Florida Tech. His charisma and knowledge showed me the caliber of professors at the school that ultimately tipped my decision to attend. Towards the end of my curriculum, I had the unique opportunity to work under Dr. Ford as a research associate and got my first taste of real-world problems.
Please share any advice you have for current Florida Tech students.
Utilize any opportunity your professors allow of their time. Office hours and other engagements are invaluable. Getting face to face to talk over challenges or opportunities is a good way to learn from the experts, but is also good practice for networking to success past University. Take some time to define your goals and values. With those in hand, reach out to your network constantly and ask for help! Your next opportunity is likely to be filled by the people around you, not a AI-filtered job board. (Reach out to me via LinkedIn any time!)
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