I build free, high-performance open-source software. I'm a full-stack engineer with 18+ years of industry experience — equally at home in teams and working independently. Programming is a craft that rewards a creative mind. My work spans Relay, music tools, interactive narrative, and history research.
Key Projects
Forgotten Future
activeAI-driven interactive book and game exploring narrative through parallax scrolling and WebGL.
Paradigm Threat
publishedAn investigation repository and alternate history timeline compiled from ancient testimony.
Relay
activeGit-backed distributed hosting and social stack — content, search, and SSR across a mesh of peers.
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.
Published Libraries
High-performance JSX/TSX transpiler optimized for Relay hooks and dynamic module injection.
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 and 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 at Universityof Phoenix
Available on request
Mike McDonald
Software Architect at Harkins Theatres
Available on request
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
JavaScript/TypeScript · ReactJS · React Native · NodeJS · HTML5 & CSS3 · PHP · .NET & C# · SQL · Android/iOS Dev · CI/CD · API Design (REST/GraphQL)
AI & Agents
GitHub Copilot (all models) · Prompt Engineering · Per-repo Copilot Instructions · Agentic Data Scraping & Cross-referencing · Document & Summary Generation · Meeting Transcript Automation · Agent-driven Infrastructure Monitoring · Context-aware Jira Ticket Management
Leadership
Stakeholder Communication · Mentoring & Coaching · Sprint Planning · Cross-team Coordination · QA & Ticket Ownership · Feedback Culture
Administration
Linux SysAdmin · Nginx / Apache · SSL Certs · AEM · AWS Lambda & EC2
Tools
Git · SSH · Bash · JetBrains IDEs · VS Code · Gimp · Kdenlive · OBS Studio · NVDA
Media
Video Editing · Image Creation · Music Composition · Production
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 kindof lead who removes blockers, translates complexity, and keeps the team moving — without losing sightof the bigger picture.