Programming History
I started developing web applications in 1999, and over the years have gained experience in a wide variety of technologies. This experience has taught me to quickly apply concepts, think critically, and learn new technologies.
Latest Project
A social network for sharing and discovering the best music…curated by a community of music-lovers. GrooveSea.com is a bit like Pinterest for music, and was my first foray into Next.js, TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS.
2018 - 2025
SCOREBIRD.COM
Senior Full-Stack Software Developer - Freelance
Technologies Used:
Ruby on Rails
Twitter Bootstrap
Ruby
ReactJS
React Native
Flutter
JavaScript/TypeScript
AWS (Lambda, S3, API Gateway)
Websockets
MongoDB
Redis
Webflow
Duties:
- Developed customizable real-time scoring widgets and overlays using ReactJS & Websockets, allowing schools to integrate live scores onto their websites and live streams.
- Developed AWS APIs and backing Lambda functions in Ruby and JavaScript.
- Built an interactive sports portal for clients to show real-time scores, school information, and team schedule information in Ruby on Rails, to further expand the reach of the platform.
- Established overlay integrations with leading third-party video streaming services such as Tricaster, VMix, Boxcast, and Camstreamer, thereby increasing the platform offering.
- Designed and developed a React Native application for fans and schools that delivered real-time scores and game data to their mobile devices.
- Developed an application for large digital scoreboards using Flutter to display live scores at sporting events (for the scorebuddy.io product).
- Used Webflow to perform web design/development duties for scorebird.com, scorebuddy.io, and scoreview.io
2017 - 2018
Crashcartapp
Lead Full Stack Developer - Contract
Technologies Used:
Ruby on Rails
Twitter Bootstrap
Go
NodeJS
JavaScript
Websockets
MongoDB
Redis
Websockets
Duties:
- Developed a server monitoring platform that enabled customers to monitor their server health in real-time, and reported on statistics such as CPU, memory, disk usage, and other custom metrics. (Tools used: NodeJS, GoLang, Ruby on Rails, and Redis)
- Made contributions to the cross-platform GoLang agent that reported metrics back to the Rails website.
- Added real-time charts to show visual statistics, using HighCharts.
2015 - 2017
Spiral Star Development
Web Developer - Freelance
Technologies Used:
PHP
Zend Framework 2
JavaScript
Concrete5 CMS
Apache
Wordpress
Duties:
- Developed a web-based activities-tracking application for the Child Care Group of Texas using PHP, Propel ORM, and Zend Framework 2. The application was used by childcare staff to track statistics/metrics across the entire state of Texas.
- Responsible for optimizing the performance of the Ruby on Rails web application, adding new features, and fixing bugs for eipcards.com. Fixed bugs with their existing native Android and iOS mobile apps.
- Migrated titantnm.com to WordPress from a static website, and developed a custom PHP Wordpress plugin to manage and display their service areas.
- Designed and developed a website for a local concrete company using Concrete5 CMS and PHP.
- Ported drberardi.com to Concrete5 CMS.
- Ported static websites to Wordpress/PHP (myfloridaurology.com, harrisdermatology.com)
2014 - 2015
Wellmatch Health/Aetna
Software Developer - Full-time
Technologies Used:
Ruby
MiniTest
Micro-services
REST API
Grape
Duties:
- Built APIs in Ruby to support the company's medical cost comparison tool.
- Responsible for building a fully-tested OAuth2 provider in Ruby and MiniTest.
- Built a REST API (using Grape) that provided member insurance information.
2013 - 2014
Spiral Star Development
Web Developer - Freelance
Technologies Used:
Ruby on Rails
PostgreSQL
PHP
Concrete5 CMS
Wordpress
Duties:
- Added new features to a social network for musicians (nthamixx.com), using Ruby on Rails & PostgreSQL. Features included activity feeds, song management functionality, hashtag support, and a robust search feature.
- Built and designed a variety of Twitter-Bootstrapped Concrete5 PHP websites, including mobilefirstmedia.com, campcenterland.org, and rusticfence.com.
- Ported the guerrilla-rf.com static site to Concrete5 CMS and worked with the team to add new pages & functionality.
- Ported rbmedicalgroup.com from Wordpress to Concrete5 CMS.
- Designed and built fullcircleww.com in Wordpress.
2010 - 2013
Enilon
Software Developer - Full-time
Technologies Used:
Ruby on Rails
Rspec
Google Analytics
PHP
ASP.NET
Concrete5 CMS
Duties:
- Worked for a digital agency building web applications in PHP, ASP.NET, and Ruby on Rails.
- Worked on the Google Maps integration and responsible for Ruby on Rails development for fortworthparking.com.
- Rewrote a web-based survey tool using Ruby on Rails & RSpec, resulting in a more modern and fully-tested application for abusepreventionsystems.com.
- Worked with teams to set up Google Analytics on websites to allow them to better gauge the effectiveness of SEO and marketing campaigns.
- Provided various PHP/.NET/Ruby on Rails features for: sundancesquare.com, sagora.com, mottega.com, mainstreetartsfest.org, irvingartscenter.org, and fortworthparadeoflights.org.
2009 - 2010
TelaDoc Medical Services
Senior Software Developer - Full-time
Technologies Used:
Ruby on Rails
PHP
Flash/ActionScript
JavaScript
Duties:
- Worked on a team to rebuild the existing PHP-based telehealth portals in Ruby on Rails.
- Added support for video chat functionality into the platform, allowing patients to remotely meet with doctors.
- Identified and resolved various bugs with the platform’s Flash-based video chat application using ActionScript.
2008 - 2009
Clark MHC
Lead Web Developer/Infrastructure Analyst - Full-time
Technologies Used:
HTML
JavaScript
CSS
Active Directory
JQuery
Duties:
- Enhanced and launched the new clarkmhc.com website (HTML, JQuery, JavaScript).
- Responsible for maintaining servers and troubleshooting computers and network printers (running in Active Directory).
2006 - 2008
Suran Systems
Web Developer/Webmaster - Full-time
Technologies Used:
Ruby on Rails
JavaScript
CSS
HTML
Apache
PostgreSQL
JQuery
Duties:
- Expanded the existing church management software to the web for their “Web Ministry Tools” offering in Ruby on Rails, CSS, and JavaScript. The software allowed churches to log in and customize widgets (e.g., event registration, church directory, and others) and embed them on their website using JavaScript.
- Developed a change management system using Ruby on Rails and PostgreSQL stored procedures, which included the ability to see who changed data and rollback updates at the click of a button.
2005 - 2006
Octopi, Inc.
Web/Mobile/Desktop Game Programmer - Full-time
Technologies Used:
Java
JavaScript
CSS
HTML
Hibernate/JSP/Struts
J2ME
Duties:
- Worked on a team to develop the "PoxNora" turn-based strategy game, using Java.
- Added game features to the poxnora.com website using JSP, Hibernate, and Struts.
- Developed a diverse range of casual mobile games in Java/J2ME, including a suite of card games, a fishing game, an avatar editor, and a multiplayer Sudoku game built for Nokia.
Other Projects
Game of Life Simulator
A cellular automaton simulation of Conway's Game of Life, built in React and Twitter Bootstrap.
https://www.blakescreations.com/gol
https://bitbucket.org/newmicro/game-of-life/src/master/
Chuck a Banana
I’m currently working on a mobile physics game in Godot Engine. In the game, you “chuck” objects at a tree to try to keep it from falling over. As you play, enemies spawn that attempt to knock the tree over, and you can collect coins and ring the bell for extra points.
Meegles Frontier
I'm currently working on a game set in the Wild West/American frontier. The game features management simulation mechanics such as resource management, farming, and a 2D pixel art aesthetic. This is an on-going project that will take a long time to develop, so it's been on and off the back-burner as time permits.
https://www.meegles.com
