The experiences I have had throughtout my career have given my many life lessons. I would not trade any moments, however difficult, because they have made me more determined and cautious about how I move forward. My story is not a typical one for a programmer but I think it sets me apart from how I create applications and deal with stakeholders or customers.
My exposure to technology did not come about as an internship as I completed my computer science degree. I actually graduated with an American Literature degree from USC. I planned on going to law school after taking a constitutional law class. I soon realized that I was attracted to history and not law. I was lucky to have friends studying to be attorneys that also recommended I pursue the law.
After getting my bachelor’s degree I really didn’t have any specific aspirations but when a good friend asked me to help him with some computer code I was intrigued. He did not have a computer science degree either but we were both interested in the logic behind programming. We talked a great deal about getting into programming but for that time period we also worked together on real estate sales. After a few difficult clients I knew that real estate was not my calling. In 1997 I got a job in the mortgage financing industry. I made some great friends there but I was also introduced to computer technology and networking configurations. At that same time another friend showed me what he was working on in terms of something called HTML. I went over to his house and he showed me Netscape Navigator. I took to this language almost immediately. I started learning the Microsoft tool called FrontPage. This whole experience made me reflect on my first computer, a Commodore VIC-20. I learned BASIC and it was a great childhood experience. HTML was offering the same attraction and I took to it very quickly. I soon started programming with other server side scripting languages like ASP and PHP. I continued to read more and more about being a web designer and developer. I had found the industry that would allow me to use my creative skills with my interest in programming. As I honed my programming skills I had to pay the bills so I worked as a technical writer because it combined my ability to write with my technical knowledge. I came to discover that I was a good liaison between clients and programmers. I could interpret the intentions of coders and communicate the customers’ needs. Once I felt that my web development skills were up to par, I ventured out on my own as co-owner of a web development and graphic design firm. This was the most fulfilling time of my professional life. I was making an impact on my clients and actually helping them succeed. Unfortunately, my partner and I suffered a few sizeable setbacks, one being arson. Someone with a vendetta against another company decided to burn down the entire business park structure and that included my office. We did manage to move and rebuild our offices but we could not defend against the economy downturn that started around 2007. We were forced to close our offices and I realized that I needed to have some stable income. Fortunately for me, I was hired by CSULB and I have been the Lead for the Web Development Center ever since. I was made aware of the ETEC program and I feel that technology in education is the next phase of my development. The opportunities that exist now fall in line with what I want to do in terms of goals and markets. The benefit I see is that the end result is an improvement in educating the next generation of leaders. I am excited to see what the future brings in this area of my life.