Best-fit role
AI Systems Engineer
Best fit for work that combines backend services, workflow automation, infrastructure, and AI-enabled product logic into one operating system.
Experience & Skills
Experience, skills, and credentials behind the systems.
This page shows the background behind the portfolio: backend engineering, infrastructure automation, cloud delivery, security work, applied AI systems, and current graduate study in artificial intelligence.
The strongest fit is work where backend platforms, workflow automation, infrastructure, and AI-enabled product logic need to ship together as one system.
Best-fit role
Applied AI Engineer
Strongest when AI is part of a grounded workflow such as retrieval, guided intake, summarization, or decision support.
Best-fit role
Platform Engineer
Comfortable owning the APIs, deployment workflows, cloud infrastructure, and operational tooling that keep products reliable.
Work Experience
Roles across consulting, enterprise engineering, infrastructure, security, and application development that support systems-focused AI work.
Founder & Principal Software Engineer
People's Connection LLCSole engineer responsible for the full delivery lifecycle of accessible web systems for nonprofit organizations: architecture, frontend, infrastructure, deployment, and ongoing operational support.
June 2020 - Present
New Brighton, MN (Remote)
Highlights
- •Owned the entire production stack for the VIFG nonprofit website: React frontend, Dockerized delivery, Nginx reverse proxy, and AWS Lightsail hosting
- •Built and maintained CI/CD pipeline with GitHub Actions for repeatable production deployments
- •Managed DNS (Route 53), SSL/TLS provisioning, and host-level security configuration
- •Treated accessibility as a system constraint: screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and contrast requirements enforced throughout delivery
Stack and Tools
ReactViteAWS LightsailDockerGitHub ActionsNginxRoute 53
Systems Engineer
U.S. BankShort-term contract focused on enterprise API integration support: testing, validation, troubleshooting, and cross-team coordination for internal system workflows.
November 2024 - February 2025
Minneapolis, MN (Remote)
Highlights
- •Validated and troubleshot REST API integrations using Postman across internal enterprise systems
- •Coordinated with external vendors and internal engineering teams to diagnose and resolve integration issues
- •Maintained technical documentation to support handoff and escalation workflows
Stack and Tools
PostmanREST APIsTechnical Documentation
Infrastructure Engineer
Securian FinancialOwned infrastructure automation and cloud application delivery across AWS environments: provisioning, configuration management, microservice development, and operational tooling.
November 2022 - March 2024
St. Paul, MN (Remote)
Highlights
- •Authored and maintained Ansible playbooks for server provisioning and application deployment across enterprise infrastructure
- •Deployed and operated cloud-based applications on AWS EC2, S3, and RDS with responsibility for uptime and configuration
- •Built Java microservices with Spring Boot for internal platform needs, including data pipelines and operational tooling
- •Automated recurring data processing workflows with Python, reducing manual operational load for the team
Stack and Tools
AnsibleAWS EC2AWS S3AWS RDSJavaSpring BootPythonSonarQubeGitHub
Cybersecurity Engineer
General Electric AviationOwned application-level security hardening across internal web applications: vulnerability remediation, secure API design, and authentication enforcement.
October 2021 - October 2022
Cincinnati, OH (Remote)
Highlights
- •Remediated vulnerabilities across Java and JavaScript applications using AVA/SAST/DAST scanning results
- •Implemented CSRF protections, OAuth2/JWT authentication, and API endpoint hardening across internal systems
- •Applied secure coding practices in React and Java codebases, working with engineering teams to prevent regression
- •Designed and documented REST APIs through Swagger/OpenAPI to support secure integration patterns
Stack and Tools
JavaReactJavaScriptAWSOAuth2JWTSwaggerSAST/DAST
Software Engineer
Target CorporationBuilt and maintained frontend and service-layer software for internal retail systems at enterprise scale: cross-repo modernization, microservice development, and cross-team delivery.
June 2019 - June 2020
Minneapolis, MN
Highlights
- •Built and supported React applications used across internal operational workflows
- •Developed Kotlin-based microservices for internal platform functionality
- •Diagnosed and resolved issues across 30+ repositories as part of platform support rotations
- •Led modernization work across 50+ repositories: dependency upgrades, build tooling migration, and configuration standardization
Stack and Tools
ReactKotlinMicroservicesGitAgile
Software Developer
Graphic Systems LLCDeveloped and maintained e-commerce and inventory management software.
July 2018 - November 2018
Minneapolis, MN
Highlights
- •Upgraded and maintained shipment and inventory software including storefront and API workflows
- •Improved inventory management workflows inside the existing system
- •Worked with Four51 batch upload integration
Stack and Tools
APIsFour51Adobe Creative Suite
Data Analyst (Space Physics Internship)
Augsburg UniversityAnalyzed space physics data and contributed to published research on Ultra-Low-Frequency Wave Investigations.
May 2016 - August 2017
Minneapolis, MN
Highlights
- •Edited IDL programs for further analysis of space events
- •Analyzed terabytes of data for papers published with co-authorship in professional journals
- •Published works on topics including Ultra-Low-Frequency Wave Investigations
Stack and Tools
IDLData AnalysisResearch
Skills
Current stack organized around applied AI systems, backend and platform engineering, cloud infrastructure, and production delivery.
Programming
JavaPythonJavaScriptTypeScriptKotlinSQLShell Scripting
AI & Machine Learning
Applied LLM systemsConversational AI workflowsRetrieval and knowledge workflowsPrompt and system designAutomation-oriented AI integration
Backend Systems
SpringSpring BootNode.jsREST APIsMicroservicesSwagger/OpenAPINginx
Frontend
ReactAngularViteTypeScript web applications
Cloud & Infrastructure
AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS, Route 53, Lightsail)OpenShiftFirebaseLinux deployment environments
DevOps & Platform Engineering
DockerKubernetesTerraformAnsibleGitHub ActionsGitCI/CD Pipelines
Databases & Data Systems
PostgreSQLMySQLMongoDBRelational schema designDatabase management
Security Engineering
OAuth2JWTSSL/TLSCSRF protectionSASTDAST
Systems Architecture
Distributed servicesWorkflow automation systemsAPI-first platform designServerless patternsInfrastructure-backed web systems
Tools
LinuxPostmanProxmoxVS CodeIntelliJ IDEAmacOSWindowsAVA
Working Style
AgileDevOpsFull-stack delivery
Additional
Sign Language (Fluent)
Current Focus Areas
Where the stack is going deeper right now as the work moves further toward AI systems and platform engineering.
Retrieval & Knowledge Workflows
Grounding AI-assisted products in retrieved context so the system stays useful, inspectable, and easier to trust.
Knowledge retrievalStructured outputsTraceable responses
Conversational Automation
Designing intake, triage, and guided interaction systems where AI supports the workflow without owning every decision.
Workflow constraintsHuman handoffOperational routing
Model Serving & Evaluation Patterns
Improving how AI-backed software validates outputs, compares behavior over time, and avoids demo-only quality.
GuardrailsRegression checksQuality review
Data & Orchestration for AI Systems
Building the queues, APIs, persistence, and task routing layers that make AI features behave like maintainable software.
QueuesPersistenceJob orchestration
Education
Academic work that supports the applied systems and AI focus of the portfolio.
Master's in Artificial Intelligence
In ProgressUniversity of St. ThomasSeptember 2024 - December 2026
Focusing on applied AI, cloud computing, and machine learning.
Cloud ComputingMachine LearningData Analytics & VisualizationData Preparation & Analysis
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science | Mathematics | Physics
Augsburg University2016 - May 2020
Built a strong foundation in computer science fundamentals, mathematical reasoning, and physical sciences.
Certifications
Credentials that support the infrastructure and cloud side of the work.
