About

About Me

With over 15 years in the tech industry, I’ve had the opportunity to work across startups, government, and non-profits. My journey started with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a Master’s in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Since then, I’ve led engineering teams, driven product development, and always focused on delivering innovative and accessible solutions.

My Work

Login.gov - Director

As the Director of Login.gov, the US government’s digital identity and single sign on platform, I led an amazing team of public servants dedicated to providing secure and accessible digital identity solutions for millions of users. I was hired to stabilize and scale the organization during a challenging period marked by a major inspector general report. This involved managing media relations, congressional outreach, navigating complex organizational dynamics at the same time as shipping key product enhancements and growing the team.

• Product Improvements: Launched in-person proofing services at over 18,000 USPS locations and established a 24/7 call center, significantly enhancing user support and service delivery.
• Responsible AI: Oversaw the implementation of facial recognition technology with a strong emphasis on ethical considerations and responsible AI practices.
• Fraud Mitigation: Create a dedicated fraud team and enhanced the product with key features to detect and mitigate fraudulent activities, safeguard user identities, and improve system integrity.
• Stakeholder Management: Regularly briefed stakeholders at the White House, congressional committees, and agency leadership, ensuring alignment and support for Login.gov’s initiatives.
• Technical Policy Guidance: Provided technical policy guidance to ensure compliance with evolving regulations and standards, contributing to policies that balance innovation with user privacy and security.

City of Philadelphia - Director of Software Engineering

At the City of Philadelphia, I led the development of modern, user-centric applications that improved city services while introducing modern digital services and software design practices to the City. My leadership helped streamline operations and foster a culture of innovation across the City’s technology products.

• Team Growth and Management: Expanded and scaled OIT’s software engineering team from 4 to 18 developers across three teams.
• Diverse Hiring Practices: Conceptualized and implemented a DEI-focused apprenticeship program to upskill existing City employees via a partner coding bootcamp, resulting in multiple new engineering hires from non-traditional backgrounds.
• Product Development: Led the planning, and implementation of numerous projects at the City, ranging from shared services like login.phila.gov to major applications like the Lead and Healthy Homes Portal.
• COVID-19 Response: Oversaw the development of critical COVID-19 related applications, including a vaccination interest form and GIS-based web applications to find test sites, free food, and vaccination sites.
• Agile Transformation: Implemented agile processes across OIT engineering, UX, and product teams, leading to high-quality project deliveries and improved stakeholder engagement.
• Cloud Engineering: Created and managed a new Cloud Engineering team, directing the secure expansion of AWS usage across the City and reducing AWS spend by 35% monthly. Personally developed terraform modules to quickly launch secure, scalable applications using AWS Fargate for City applications.

Startup Experience

Prior to my work in government, I was deeply involved in the startup ecosystem. I co-founded or served as a very early employee at successful, fast growing startups, where I played key roles in product development and engineering leadership. My startup experience honed my skills in agile development, rapidly scaling engineering teams and managing complex stakeholder environments. These experiences have given me a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in both the public and private sectors.

Expertise

• Engineering Leadership: Building and nurturing high-performing teams, driving technical strategy, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Product Development: Leading cross-functional teams to deliver impactful products, from concept to launch, always focused on user needs and market demands.
• Digital Identity Solutions: Designing and deploying secure, user-friendly identity verification and authentication systems.
• Responsible AI: Ensuring ethical implementation and use of AI technologies, particularly in areas like facial recognition and fraud detection.
• Technical Policy Guidance: Supporting the development and implementation of technical policies that ensure compliance and foster responsible innovation.
• Accessibility: Advocating for and implementing best practices in web accessibility to ensure inclusive experiences for all users.

Mission

I believe in the power of technology to drive positive change. Whether it’s improving public services, enhancing accessibility, developing responsible AI solutions, or guiding policy, my goal is to create solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives.

Let’s Connect

I’m always interested in discussing new opportunities, sharing insights, and collaborating on meaningful projects. Feel free to contact me or connect with me on LinkedIn.