About Me

Product leader and software engineer with a passion for building systems that make people's lives better.

Professional Philosophy

People organize into companies to make their lives better. If it's not making their lives better, it's not working. The main way we make each other's lives better in companies is by making money and sharing that (hopefully fairly!), but we also improve each other's lives by being mentors, friends, and collaborators.

I approach my work by thinking from first principles and creating systems that lead to solutions. Whether I'm building platforms, developer tools, or leading teams, I focus on connecting the small, boring details to the big, grand picture—showing how each piece contributes to meaningful outcomes.

Career Journey

My path has been shaped by three pivotal transitions: moving from technical theater to advertising, building an engineering team at OAO, and becoming an entrepreneur. Each shift has expanded my perspective and deepened my understanding of how technology can solve complex problems.

Beyond Work

I helped create a collective of tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) designers in Chicago. We ran a successful Kickstarter campaign, and I'm actively designing TTRPGs in my spare time. This creative outlet complements my professional work by exercising different problem-solving muscles and exploring systems design from another angle.

I'm an avid reader of fantasy and science fiction, which fuels my imagination and provides fresh perspectives on what's possible in technology and product design.

Looking Forward

With experience leading small teams, I'm now focused on developing my leadership capabilities for larger organizations. I'm particularly interested in platforms and what I call "expert tools"—applications that are worth steep learning curves because the power they provide once mastered is transformative. Think Vim and the Linux terminal versus Notepad and Windows.

I believe the most valuable tools strike a balance between accessibility and depth, allowing experts to achieve remarkable results while remaining approachable for newcomers.