Engineering
I’m originally from Northeast Ohio, but like so many astronauts, I’ve left Ohio to chase my dreams. After a few years in San Francisco, I now call Los Angeles my home, with my wife and our beagle, Maple.
Software development has been a passion of mine since I was a little kid typing in BASIC programs into my Apple II clone from magazines. I graduated from Miami University with a B.S. in Systems Analysis, and then started plying the trade. I spent many years as a backend engineer in the Microsoft ecosystem. But as soon as I got my first smartphone (a Nokia 3650 running Symbian 6) I got hooked into the world of mobile apps. Eventually I got a chance to work on an Android app and I’ve never looked back. Having a computer in my pocket still kind of feels like it’s out of Star Trek!
Beyond work, I’m still keeping it somewhat 20th century. I refurbish and modify old video game consoles from the 8 and 16-bit generations, and dream of owning a few old arcade and pinball machines. I also keep a small fleet of old cars and motorcycles running, which are a wonderful thing to enjoy in sunny Southern California. I do occasionally visit snow though, as I have been snowboarding for most of my life and love it.
Maple, Queen of the Softs