Dane Summers

Durham, NC | dsummers@pinedesk.biz | pinedesk.biz

Summary

Software architect and developer. I strive to work on friendly and collaborative teams, for passionate clients. My favorite part of any product is to uncover the aspects of it that make it magical, learn how its loved, and how we can take it forward.

Skills

I have worked with numerous technologies, including but not limited to:

  • Languages: Javascript, TypeScript, Python, Ruby, PHP, R, Go, Java, Groovy, Lua
  • IAAS and PAAS: AWS, Heroku, OpenShift, GCP
  • Automation: Ansible, Chef, Puppet, Terraform
  • Style: Bootstrap, scss, less, CSS, tailwind
  • Profiling: strace, valgrind, tcpdump, sysdig
  • Data: R, pandas, scikit-learn, matplotlib.
  • Databases: Postgres, Oracle, MySQL, sqlite, mongo, redis
  • Backend: Django, Express, Rails, Flask, FastAPI
  • Frontend: Redux, Redux-Toolkit, lodash, React, React Native, d3.
  • testing: I approach problems with a TDD mindset. and strive to make myself comfortable with the testing tools specific to the technologies I have worked with.
  • Virtualization: docker, kubernetes, helm, vagrant
  • Administration: shell scripts, sed, gawk, rsync, jq, nmap, etc
  • Build Tools: maven, makefiles, gradle, rake, composer, npm/yarn, gulp, pyinvoke, poetry, pipenv

Education

BS in Computer Science Washington University in St Louis 1998-2000

Graduated cum laude.

BA majoring in Pre Engineering Warren Wilson College 1995-1998

Awarded the Katherine A Fitton Award in Mathematical Science.

Work

Presence PG, Contractor, October 2019 – present

  • General Motors – A technical lead for several teams varying from 6-12. Our teams created demo and proof of concepts of products, and is currently working with GM teams to realize them as production products.
  • FIS – Created product APIs and integration APIs within the context of accounting systems to provide standard product APIs crossing several FIS products. Key technologies OpenApi, Express, Java Spring Boot.
  • Land Tender – technical lead of team of 5, creating a planning tool for land management tool. Key technologies include AWS, mapbox, GDAL, flask, react.
  • Fig1 – setup project source code structure for a NextJS React app using GraphQL APIs of Contentful, and Shopify and worked with team to achieve an MVP.
  • OpenFIDO – technical lead of team of 4, creating an open source distributed jobs platform targeted to energy grid analysis. Implemented authentication, job and workflow, and integration API services using Flask, and Celery.
  • Forest Observatory – technical lead of team of 4, creating a React SPA of geoserver map data. Implemented flask REST authentication service, and implemented APIs to integrate with client’s datasets.
  • Reviewed large set of Flask, Rails, and Android IP source codes for clients. Architected a plan for adapting for new business use case, implemented first set of features. Technologies: Flask, Rails, Android, Paypal and Stripe virtual card APIs.
  • Orange Box – Implemented the backend and frontend of this site using React, tailwindcss, integrated to SendGrid.
  • Harrison Metal – Redesigned and maintained the system, added the features that unlocked the ability to host self paced courses. Technologies: Rails, Heroku.

Melon Technologies, Solutions Architect, May 2019 – October 2019

I worked with clients to release redesigned systems:

  • Updated site redesign of Rails-based Gusto website. Optimized webpack-based JS and CSS CSS bundles, and built CSS and SVG animations.
  • Helped implement new Drupal sites.

Cofactor Software, Contractor, April 2016 – October 2019

I supported clients in managing their Ruby and Javascript projects:

  • Advised clients on security, hosting, and upgrade decisions.
  • Implement new features specific to the client’s project such as: WYSIWYG editor integrations, Mandrill and Slack integrations, security and system audits, implement site redesigns, design new database models.
  • Maintain Rails and Sinatra platforms (in-house systems, AWS, and Heroku).

Caktus Group, Contractor, September 2016 – March 2019

I worked on a team responsible for a variety of Django projects:

  • Made steady progress on several client projects as part of an Agile team.
  • We help clients throughout the SDLC process: craft proposals, discover and estimate new features, and schedule and implement features.
  • Deploy and maintain systems using Salt and Ansible on disparate platforms (AWS, DO, and internal platforms).

Cofactor Software, Contractor, June 2014 – April 2016, San Francisco, CA

I maintained and supported mobile ad-serving systems for BrightRoll.

  • Fixed client integration bugs, application bugs, and made optimizations to improve overall performance.
  • Designed and implemented the bulk of the project’s testing infrastructure: unit test framework, continuous integration, code coverage metrics, and JMeter load testing.
  • Migrated the core NodeJS HTTP server to Express and CommonJS.
  • Maintained native mobile APIs in IOS (Objective C) and Android (Java).
  • Assisted in Heroku to AWS migrations of several systems.
  • Created or contributed patches or forks to open source projects: interval-logger, node-xml2js-xpath, and chainsinon, grafana-docker-dev-env, network_chisel.

VoiceThread, Systems Developer, October 2012 – June 2014

I worked as a systems developer improving the overall functionality of VoiceThread’s server infrastructure:

  • Created a distributed job queuing system, to decouple frontend web services from backend document processing activities.
  • Automated AWS EC2 AMI creation.
  • Setup unit testing, and integration testing systems, and continuous integration system.
  • Migrated AWS infrastructure to CloudFormation providing an auto-scaling solution for stacks of servers.
  • Helped establish disaster recovery plans, personnel policies, and a security review processes.
  • Maintained production infrastructure: monitored server state, evaluated and prioritized new events and was the main point of contact with our AWS service provider.
  • Created or contributed patches or forks: sshmux, ec2-check-reserved-instances, cloth.

SharkByte Systems, Lead Developer, April 2006 – November 2012

I filled many technical and managerial roles, and acted as the lead developer.

  • Managed up to 6 developers.
  • Created organizational processes for development (release planning, QA, testing, regressions) and support (ticketing, technical support docs, etc).
  • Researched new technologies & wrote specifications for new products and features.
  • Provided technical support.
  • Facilitated quarterly and yearly meetings. Led design and technical meetings with clients and vendors.
  • Crafted hiring requirements, and interviewed perspective technical staff.

I worked on innumerable projects. Some highlights include:

  • Implemented hardware drivers for various hardware: RFID readers, ticket spitters, exit gates, relays, receipt & ticket printers, a Verifone CC terminal, an encrypted MSR, cash acceptors and dispensers.
  • Documented change processes required for PCI PABP certification.
  • Directed the adoption and maintenance of several software tools: from no bug tracking to Bugzilla, CVS to SVN, ant to maven, no continuous integration to TeamCity.
  • Wrote our in-house configuration and support infrastructure.

SharkByte Systems, Developer, May 2001 – April 2006

  • Implemented several drivers for peripheral hardware: biometric fingerprint, ticket and receipt printers, and external line displays.
  • Deployed, supported and maintained a suite of products on a Java/Windows/Unix platform.

PineDesk Software, 2005 – 2007 Boston, MA

I developed an educational flash-card application for Palm OS and sold it through Tucows and Handango. Read more about it on its blog (http://pinedesk.blogspot.com).

  • Implemented a complete desktop (webstart) and mobile (java via superwaba) product.
  • Integrated with the Handango customer registration system.

Barpoint, Inc, Developer, July 2000 – August 2001

  • Designed a key/value configuration system for Palm OS product, wrote the C library and Java desktop configuration application.
  • Designed an XML DTD schema for a product database, implemented and hosted an HTTP server that allowed customers to query the product database.

Extra

  • I am an active volunteer with my local Code for America chapter where I onboard new volunteers, and work with local Durham government to build projects that meet the community’s needs.
  • I am interested in interactive data visualizations, and have spent considerable time exploring the medium:
  • I have contributed to several open source projects, including:
  • Several libraries and applications that I have written are publicly available on github.