How did I get here?

Engineer

Daily

06/2021 – Present

Responsibilities

  • Lots! But I just started at the time of writing this, so I'll have to update at a later date.

Learnings

Media
Working with streaming, real-time media.
Preservation
Better understanding of modern web-based and streaming media.
Open Source
Working with and writing open source code.

Consultant, DVRescue

Moving Image Preservation of Puget Sound (MIPoPS)

05/2019 – 03/2021

Responsibilities

  • Development, testing, and UX work for suite of tools (DVRescue) that support the transfer, analysis and packaging of DV data.

Learnings

Media
Analysis of DV format specification.
Preservation
Creating software for use in audiovisual preservation workflows.
Open Source
Authoring and testing open source software.

Visiting Assistant Professor

Pratt Institute School of Information

Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020

Responsibilities

  • Taught information technologies fundamentals. Topics include: web technologies, database concepts, markup languages, data management, and design and accessibility

Learnings

Media
Requires mastery of and ability to define/teach file formats as it relates to technology issues.
Preservation
Requires mastery of and ability to define/teach technical requirements for modern preservation.
Open Source
Use of open source tools/technology are class requirements.

AV Preservation Specialist

Artefactual Systems, Inc

01/2018 – 05/2021

Responsibilities

  • Wrote and maintained software, provided expertise in complex digital media, created workflows, and provided technical support and training for clients such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of Modern Art, Denver Art Museum, Tate Galleries, and UCLA.

Learnings

Media
Irregular file formats, large-scale ingest and processing.
Preservation
OAIS-based workflows, file format registries, microservices, software development and maintenance.
Open Source
Archivematica and Access to Memory are significant open source projects, the business and community management side of open source software; maintenance and technical debt management on a budget.

Archives and Web Development Consultant

Mark Morris Dance Group

10/2017 – 12/2019

Responsibilities

  • Developed CollectiveAccess database, data model, cataloging workflows, and access portal for and with a dance company's archives team.

Learnings

Media
Limits of media upload/playback in CollectiveAccess.
Preservation
Data modeling for the preservation of intrinsically ephemeral content. How to simultaneously optimize for cataloger and end user.
Open Source
CollectiveAccess.

MediaConch Consultant

MediaArea

07/2014 – 12/2017

Responsibilities

  • Developed elaborate architecture and design, comprehensive documentation, API, and project management goals for open source audiovisual file conformance checker software project.
  • Managed testing and quality analysis for software from creation to production.
  • Managed user experience research and outreach, including leading or providing content for workshops and conference presentations, providing documentation for varying skill sets and needs, drafting reports and promotional materials, conducting interviews with potential and active users, and seeking user feedback through the creation of and analysis of user surveys.
  • Instigated the standardization of Matroska, FFV1, and FLAC through collaboration with IETF community, code manipulation and migration, new contributor support, and detailed technical specification analysis.

Learnings

Media
Bit-level file analysis.
Preservation
Building of software that supports large-scale analysis, error detection and error reduction.
Open Source
Working with C++ and irregular MediaInfo builds.

QCTools & SignalServer Consultant

Bay Area Video Coalition

01/2014 – 03/2018

Responsibilities

  • Optimized user experience for highly technical quality control software.
  • Created unique icons for complex concepts and other graphic design work, including the SignalServer logo and promotional materials.
  • Managed software quality control and testing, design, and documentation.
  • Managed portion of two-year grant-based budget for self and contractors.
  • Created (and still creating) a welcoming open source work environment and acting as an advocate for new contributors.
  • Represented the software tools and team at various conferences and workshops. Prepared workshop materials.

Learnings

Media
Improved understanding of FFmpeg.
Preservation
Building of software that supports large-scale analysis, error detection and error reduction.
Open Source
Working with C++ and irregular FFmpeg builds.

Applications Developer

New York Public Library

08/2015 – 08/2017

Responsibilities

  • Designed and implemented scalable, optimized, maintainable database-driven web applications.
  • Improved existing web applications and develop new features to optimize data pipeline from catalog content and newly digitized assets to public-facing interfaces.
  • Collaborated with a larger team and stakeholders across the library to create new and innovative online experiences for the public.
  • Developed library-wide workflows for petabyte-scale media ingest for instant web-based patron access points and long-term preservation of assets.

Learnings

Media
How to work collaboratively and appease all interested parties in a major video migration project.
Preservation
Repository development and infrastructure management. Metadata manipulation and standardization. Finding aid access, migration, and presentation.
Open Source
Team-based development practices. Ruby.

Archives and Web Development Consultant

La MaMa ETC

05/2015 – 03/2016

Responsibilities

  • Developed CollectiveAccess-based digital archives access portal for small non-profit arts organization.
  • Provided design, front-end development, and user experience work for the public face of the archives collection.
  • Developed, monitored, and tested scheduled microservices for digital preservation of media, and provided documentation for sustainability.

Learnings

Media
Understanding pros/cons of web access to media using CollectiveAccess.
Preservation
Creating digital path for patron access. Writing reliable scripts for backing up data across platforms.
Open Source
Working on open source PHP-based framework.

Forward Deployed Engineer

Bluecore

12/2014 – 05/2015

Responsibilities

  • Ensured client success by writing custom scripts that allows for personalized targeted marketing at scale.
  • Acted as the primary technical representative in all client and sales conversations.
  • Provided quick response and immediate correction of system bugs.

Learnings

Media
n/a
Preservation
n/a
Open Source
JavaScript skills. Handling fast-paced production environments and live deployment practices. Version control. Managing conflicting priorities.

Fox Movietone Digitization Project Cataloging Manager

USC Libraries Moving Image Research Collections

09/2011 – 05/2014

Responsibilities

  • Responsible for training and assisting multiple student workers and volunteers, providing assistance to curators in current internal and external cataloging practices, and ensuring project progress.
  • Trained, organized, and supervised the work of up to nine active student workers and volunteers per semester.
  • Maintained performance on schedule with aggressive grant-based deadlines.
  • Developed and modified scripts to accelerate and streamline the cataloging process.
  • Established a cohesive workflow for the most efficient processing and updating of unique and/or outdated catalog records.
  • Led the coordination of an annual two-day nitrate film inspection event, including the recruitment of 25+ volunteers and production of an archival film handling training video.
  • Actively participated in Drupal, Metadata, Workflow, and User Study working groups, offering solutions and troubleshooting issues related to the creation of a digital repository.
  • Won two National Film Preservation Foundation funding awards for a small home movie collections.

Learnings

Media
Metadata standards (DACS, PBCore, EAD). Nitrate handling guidelines. VHS cleaning.
Preservation
Physical and digital media storage. FileMaker Pro development.
Open Source
Islandora. Open source development practices. Working with consultants. XSLT.

And many other things

This is a small set of the work I've done over the course of my career. For a fuller look at my professional history, including community work, education, talks, writing, grants, and other notable projects, please return to my main webpage or download my resume.