codebykat
10/17/2014 - 8:06 AM
resume.md
Kat Hagan
Summary
I'm a purposeful programmer with a strong CS background and focus on web application development. I'm passionate about mentorship, open source software, and technology that teaches, connects and inspires.
Technologies
Extensive WordPress experience (plugin development, custom post/taxonomy types, theming); at home with the web frameworks Ruby on Rails, Django and Flask; familiar with PostgreSQL, MySQL, and database abstraction layers (SQLAlchemy, Active Record).
Well-versed in modern JavaScript patterns (Node, React, Flux, Redux), common building blocks (jQuery, Underscore, d3.js) and next-generation browser capabilities (e.g. HTML5, CSS3).
Fluent in PHP, JavaScript, Ruby, and Python; comfortable in many languages, including C++, Java, Perl, and Matlab.
Conversant with version control systems (Git, Subversion), agile programming methods, and test-driven development.
Employment
Team Lead and Code Wrangler @ Automattic
March 2014 - Present
As part of Team I/O, I work on the WordPress.com REST API, the new WordPress.com post editor, and third-party integrations, among other projects. Since May 2015 I have been team lead of our five-person group, enabling my teammates to do their best work, as well as working as a programmer, code reviewer, project manager and overall cat herder.
OPW Intern w/ WordPress
June - September 2013
As a participant in GNOME's Outreach Program for Women, I removed the Post By Email functionality from WordPress core and rewrote it from the ground up as a standalone plugin. This allowed me to deepen my WordPress expertise and internalize best practices for WP development. Even more importantly, I learned the ins and outs of contributing to a large, community-maintained project. After the internship period, I am continuing to work on the next version of the plugin and provide support in the WordPress forums.
Freelance Web Developer
January 2012 - February 2014
I worked on a variety of client projects using Rails, WordPress, Django, and other technologies. The ever-changing nature of freelance work fulfilled my desire to be very self-directed and my love of new challenges.
Ruby Developer @ Pikimal
February - December 2011
At Pikimal, a Pittsburgh start-up, our small development team utilized a modified agile methodology to extend and improve the beta version of the site. One of my earliest tasks at Pikimal was upgrading the codebase from Rails 2 to Rails 3; I later focused on social and gamification features to build a greater sense of community.
Programmer Analyst @ CCNMTL
August 2007 - January 2011
Being a programmer at Columbia's Center for New Media Teaching and Learning required not only a wide variety of technical skills — from web development to system administration — but the ability to switch smoothly between multiple projects, budget my time to meet the frequent deadlines of an academic calendar, and communicate effectively with co-workers and faculty. Due to our small staff size and short project lifecycles, it was necessary for me to be highly self-directed, work closely with almost everyone in the office, and learn new technologies quickly.
New Media Associate @ CCNMTL
August 2006 - July 2007
CCNMTL's New Media Associates provide multifaceted support to the department and faculty. My job called upon customer service and troubleshooting finesse, the ability to multitask and be self-managed, and technical skills that ran the gamut from expertise in web technologies to UNIX shell scripting.
Software Engineer @ Boeing-SVS, Inc.
June 2003 - June 2005
At Boeing-SVS, I worked on several demanding, high-profile projects. These included a multi-part system for signal processing and an internal manpower-tracking database.
Education
M.S. Computer Engineering, Columbia University (May 2007)
B.S. Computer Science, University of New Mexico (May 2004), with a minor in Art Studio (Photography)