About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet.

I’m a Chicago-based software developer turned project manager and, at heart, a lifelong problem-solver. I began my tech journey during the pandemic through a coding bootcamp after years in account management. While I started as a developer, I quickly discovered that project management is where I thrive, blending technical insight, collaboration, and strategic thinking.

My background in client relationships, combined with hands-on development experience, allows me to bridge the gap between technical teams and stakeholders. I hold my CAPM certification, and I’m currently preparing for the PMP as I continue leveling up in this ever-evolving field.

Background

Before tech, I spent over a decade in client-facing roles across finance and insurance, work that taught me how to navigate high-stakes conversations, manage risk, and build trust over time.

During the pandemic, I made the leap into software through an intensive full-stack boot-camp and started my career as a developer. That hands-on engineering foundation still shapes how I lead today: I understand the realities of delivery, the tradeoffs teams make, and what it takes to ship quality work.

Today, I serve as a Technical Project Manager at Caktus Group, supporting mission-driven teams as they build robust, data-driven Django applications. I feel most at home where clarity, people, and systems converge. I help teams transform complexity into forward motion.

Certifications

  • Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) — PMI (2023)
  • Certified Full-Stack Engineer — Momentum Learning (2022)

What I Do

  • Professional Work: Technical Project Manager at Caktus Group — scope clarity, delivery planning, stakeholder alignment, risk management, and keeping engineering work moving sustainably.
  • Technical Collaboration: Bridge between product, clients, and developers with a strong foundation in Python/Django.
  • Community Engagement: PSF Diversity & Inclusion Working Group member; Django Girls volunteer; Djangonaut session captain and organizer, DjangoCon Conference Chair 2025 & 2026.
  • Speaking & Leadership: Speaker across the Django community, including DjangoCon US and DjangoCon EU. Individual Member of the Django Software Foundation.

Interests

  • Building sustainable, collaborative delivery cultures
  • Open Source Sustainability
  • Developer community work (Django, mentorship, inclusion)
  • Learning in public and continuous improvement

Contact

Feel free to reach out if you’d like to connect, collaborate, or just chat!