The reason I code is why I do pretty much anything: I don’t want to be bored.
I’ve always been someone who learns by doing. I taught myself Java in ninth grade just so I could mod Minecraft. I wanted to dye wool in the game, so I downloaded Eclipse, and after lots of trial and error, figured out how. That same curiosity and drive to build better things has stuck with me ever since.
In college, I explored everything from cybersecurity to data science. I built a dashboard for a security firm that saved them hundreds of hours annually in reporting time. I also earned both my bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science at Arizona State University, taking summer classes during COVID and finishing my undergraduate degree in just three years. Because I still had a year of scholarship left, I rolled straight into my master’s. It felt like a no-brainer, given that I also ended up winning a teaching assistant position that paid for most of my fees.
By the time I graduated, I knew what I didn’t want: slow environments, layers of middle management, and legacy codebases. I wanted something fast-paced and challenging. I wanted to grow, not just code.
That’s what led me to Leverege.
What Made Leverege Stand Out—From the Very First Email
The hiring process was the first sign that something was different here. I applied, and within three hours I got an email back. That kind of responsiveness continued through every step, from the take-home assignment, which let me showcase my own style, to a panel with engineers that felt more like a conversation than an interrogation.
What really stood out was how thoughtful the process was. The questions weren’t just leetcode puzzles. They covered machine learning, system design, and real-world problem solving. It felt like the team genuinely wanted to understand how I think and work, not just whether I could code fast.
Learning by (Sometimes Messy) Doing
When I joined, I onboarded alongside Scott Rising, who was the lead engineer on our project. Getting to shadow and learn from someone with that much experience right off the bat was incredible. Even when I made some “junior engineer” mistakes, like overloading the system in my first month, everyone was supportive. No finger-pointing, just a shared goal of helping me grow. In fact, I’d say I learned more in my first three months here than in an entire year of university.
Working on real, production-scale systems taught me things school never could. I learned how to navigate a massive codebase, think about long-term maintainability, and respond quickly when a customer flags an issue. In school, if your program doesn’t run, no big deal. Here, if something goes wrong, there’s time, money, and reputation at stake. That pressure pushes you to be better, and I’ve loved that.
A Remote Company That Doesn’t Feel Remote
I’m based in California, and I start my days early with standups, project meetings, and then long blocks of focused work. Even though we’re remote-first, it doesn’t feel isolating. People are kind, welcoming, and incredibly responsive. I can ping someone on Slack and usually get a reply within minutes.
I love the way we’ve built culture here. Donut chats are one of my favorite things. They’re randomly scheduled conversations that give you a chance to meet coworkers outside your team and just talk like people. And our Slack channels range from deep technical threads to lighthearted banter and celebrations. It’s a great way to see everyone’s personality shine through, even virtually.
And then there’s the annual in-person get-together. As someone who’s a bit introverted, that one week is the perfect balance of social interaction and connection building. It makes the rest of the year feel more connected with my fellow colleagues.
Edge Servers and Everyday Excellence: What Keeps Me Engaged
Right now, I’m working on a project involving windmill blade factories. The edge servers used in it are more distributed, focused systems compared to the all-in-one setups I was used to. I’ve really enjoyed the shift in scope. There’s something satisfying about building something modular, deploying it, and seeing it work in the real world.
The Horizon is Bright—and Full of Machine Learning
Every week in our town hall meetings, it seems like there’s a new opportunity in a new industry. It’s exciting to see the company grow and evolve and I’m hoping to dive deeper into future projects involving AI and ML. I love that we’re always pushing the boundaries and always exploring something new.
If you’re someone who wants to learn constantly, contribute meaningfully, and be surrounded by people who support and challenge you in equal measure, Leverege might be the place for you. It certainly has been for me.
~ Quick Facts ~
- My Leverege Shoutout: Barry Brinkley. He’s incredibly skilled at translating technical ideas into clear client communication and vice versa. He represents the kind of excellent communication that makes Leverege thrive.
- Life Outside of Work: Since moving to California, I’ve gotten into running, biking, and even signed up for a triathlon. I also bring my camera along and shoot photos whenever I’m in a new place for races—it's a fun way to blend photography with the outdoors.
- Content Recommendation: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. It’s thematically rich, beautifully written, and brutally honest about the role of violence in American history. It makes you reflect deeply on human nature—even if it’s not exactly a light read.
- Could Give a TED Talk About: The history of chess strategy. I used to play competitively and still dabble, and I could talk for hours about how the game has evolved over the centuries.
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