About Me

Hi, I'm Justin. I make complicated things run simply.

Background

I've been building for the web for over twenty years, starting while I was studying physics and computing at Queen's University. That background still shapes how I work. I look for the underlying system before I write code: how the data should be modelled, where the boundaries between services belong, and which decisions will be expensive to undo later. Most recently I was Lead Developer at a Vancouver creative agency. I set the technical direction across more than twenty client projects, designing content architectures, relational data models and custom integrations that connect separate platforms into systems that run themselves.

The work I'm proudest of is taking messy operational problems and turning them into something reliable. That usually means sitting down with the people who actually run the business, understanding their workflow better than they expect me to, and then designing a solution simple enough to maintain long after I've moved on. I care a lot about the parts of engineering that don't show up in a demo, like consistent standards, readable code, accessible interfaces and sensible defaults. I've also carried the infrastructure side: identity and access management, device fleets, security tooling and the everyday IT that keeps a team productive.

I'm most useful where engineering meets people: working with designers, strategists and clients, mentoring less experienced developers, and explaining technical trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders so good decisions get made early. I keep learning on purpose, and my current side project is a full-stack TypeScript app that pulls public environmental model data into a real product. I'm looking for a team that values that mix of hands-on building, systems thinking and clear communication.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science, Physics & Computing

    Queen's University, Kingston, ON ·

  • Bachelor of Arts, Global Development Studies

    Queen's University, Kingston, ON ·

Skills

  • Engineering

    • Front-end architecture
    • Responsive, accessible interface development
    • API integration and custom middleware
    • Relational data modelling
    • Content and CMS architecture
    • Workflow automation between platforms
    • Full-stack web applications
    • Cloud deployment and deployment pipelines
    • Parsing and ingesting external data sources
    • Search engine optimization
    • AI-assisted development
  • Infrastructure & IT

    • Identity and access management (SSO, user provisioning)
    • Device fleet management and security policy
    • Networking fundamentals
    • SaaS administration
  • Leadership & Delivery

    • Systems thinking
    • Technical standards and code quality
    • Requirements gathering and solution design
    • Project management, from requirements to delivery
    • Cross-functional collaboration
    • Mentoring

Tools

  • Languages

    • TypeScript
    • JavaScript
    • HTML
    • CSS
    • SQL
  • Frameworks & Libraries

    • Next.js
    • React
    • Node.js
    • Tailwind CSS
  • Data & APIs

    • REST APIs
    • PostgreSQL
    • Prisma
  • Cloud & DevOps

    • Vercel
    • AWS Lambda
    • Docker
    • nginx
    • Git & GitHub
  • Platforms & CMS

    • Webflow
  • Systems & IT

    • Google Workspace
    • Mosyle MDM
    • Dashlane (SAML/SCIM)
    • macOS administration
    • POSIX command line
    • Microsoft Entra ID / Active Directory
    • PowerShell
  • Design & Collaboration

    • Figma
    • ClickUp
    • Asana
    • Slack
    • Adobe Creative Cloud
    • Zendesk
  • AI Tools

    • Claude Code