I'm a full-stack developer with over 18 years of industrial experience. I consider programming to be a form of art requiring a creative mind. I work well with teams and just as well autonomously. I am a US citizen born in Texas. I would like to work long-term in a position of responsibility. My ambitions include designing music software and video games and studying history.
Key Projects
Forgotten Future
activeAI-Driven Book and Game Project exploring interactive narrative through parallax scrolling and WebGL.
Paradigm Threat
publishedAn investigation repository and alternate history timeline compiled from ancient testimony.
Relay
activeA decentralized Web3.0 stack and social network architecture (relaygateway.net).
Skinner Family Dental
publishedProfessional dental practice website featuring patient portals and appointment integration.
Gordonston Arts Fair
publishedAnnual arts community hub for Savannah's historic Gordonston neighborhood.
Song Walker
activeA music programming language and browser-based composer with Rust/WASM synthesis engine, Monaco editor, and retro game console emulation.
SNESOLOGY
activeA retro music composer and sample library for SNES audio, featuring authentic SPC700 instrument presets and a browser-based editor.
Published Libraries
High-performance JSX/TSX transpiler optimized for Relay hooks and dynamic module injection.
Rust core library for the SongWalker music language — lexer, parser, compiler, DSP engine, and WASM bindings.
Resume
Experience
Software Contractor (Engineer II)
June 2021 - PresentDeveloped applications and web pages for UofPhx, collaborating cross-functionally with stakeholders to communicate timelines and translate technical requirements into actionable tasks. Designed and implemented ReactJS components in AEM & NextJS. Partnered with QA and product teams to track ticket resolution and ensure delivery milestones were met. Guided team members on best practices while managing tech debt. Maintained AWS infrastructure and monitored user experience via FullStory, SpeechMiner, and ContentSquare.
Software Contractor
June 2017 - June 2021Developed Harkins.com website and mobile apps. Served as the technical liaison between IT and marketing teams, aligning stakeholder expectations with engineering capacity. Implemented features using NodeJS, PHP, MySQL, jQuery, and REST. Identified and resolved blockers to maintain stability during high-traffic events and security incidents. Managed migrations from Windows to LAMP and deployed React Native apps to Play and Apple stores.
Software Contractor
Aug 2016 – Dec 2018Redesigned entire payment processor in PHP including a front-end UI generating forms on the fly. Integrated APIs for processing bank transactions. Developed modules for payment, payout, and financial systems. Maintained encrypted storage, scheduling, and automation.
Originator and Software Engineer
Aug 2013 – Dec 2014Built apps for Android, iOS, WinRT, and Windows 8 desktop. Investigated proximity-based social networking technologies.
Head of Information Technology
May 2005 – Oct 2012Lead Developer and IT Head for a payment processor. Set realistic development milestones, communicated project status to non-technical stakeholders in clear terms, and steered the team across a 6-year roadmap. Accountable for team output and cross-department deliverables. Built financial systems, account management, and real-time data integrations with global banking.
Education
Arizona State University
2002 - 2008B.S. in Computer Science
Tempe, Arizona
University of Arizona
2001 - 2002Computer Science (Transferred to ASU)
Tucson, Arizona
Professional References
Jynx Younan
Agile People Leader @ University of Phoenix
Mike McDonald
Software Architect @ Harkins Theatres
"Ari is the real deal and I can't imagine a company hiring him as a developer and being dissatisfied with his work. He turned a non-functional site into a functional one. In a high-stress environment he kept his cool and was able to meet all requirements asked of him."
Technical Arsenal
Programming
AI & Agents
Leadership
Administration
Tools
Media
Certifications
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- AWS Certified Developer
Philosophy
Great teams thrive when communication is honest, goals are realistic, and every member feels supported. I aim to be the kind of lead who removes blockers, translates complexity, and keeps the team moving — without losing sight of the bigger picture.