Hello, my name is Ken and I'm a Developer Advocate living in the Salem, Oregon area. I've been immersed in computer programming for
over 35 years, starting with the
BASIC
programming language on TRS-80 and Commodore 64/VIC-20 machines in the late 1970s and early '80s. Currently, I'm part of the Developer Relations team at Heroku, where I help developers build, deploy, and scale their applications.
My technical focus spans: Python, Java, Go, HTML, CSS/Sass, JavaScript (jQuery, AJAX, Node.js with Express framework),
MongoDB,
Flask for Python development, and modern version control workflows. I'm particularly passionate about NoSQL databases, cloud platforms, and developer tooling.
As a Developer Advocate, I spend my time creating educational content, giving conference talks, and engaging with developer communities. I believe strongly in the power of clear communication—taking complex technical concepts and making them accessible. This skill translates across all my interests: whether I'm explaining a MongoDB aggregation pipeline, documenting the mechanical evolution of a historical firearm design, or writing detailed tasting notes on a fine wine, the process is the same: deep understanding, careful analysis, and clear articulation.
Beyond the Code: I'm fascinated by well-designed systems in any form. This interest extends to historical firearms—where I appreciate the engineering, the iterative design process over decades, and the craftsmanship involved. Similarly, wine interests me as an agricultural and chemical process—understanding terroir, fermentation, and aging helps me think about how environment and process shape outcomes in software development, too.
I also bring a unique perspective from over 10 years as a licensed, bonded, and insured Construction Contractor (CCB#179532)
in the State of Oregon, specializing in home repairs and remodeling with a particular passion for tile and wood work. That experience taught me about careful planning, attention to detail, and delivering quality results under real-world constraints—skills that directly apply to software development and technical communication.
Interested in learning more? Download my resume or reach out to connect.
Hello, my name is Ken and I'm a Developer Advocate living in the Salem, Oregon area. I've been immersed in computer programming for over 35 years, starting with the BASIC programming language on TRS-80 and Commodore 64/VIC-20 machines in the late 1970s and early '80s. Currently, I'm part of the Developer Relations team at Heroku, where I help developers build, deploy, and scale their applications.
My technical focus spans: Python, Java, Go, HTML, CSS/Sass, JavaScript (jQuery, AJAX, Node.js with Express framework), MongoDB, Flask for Python development, and modern version control workflows. I'm particularly passionate about NoSQL databases, cloud platforms, and developer tooling.
As a Developer Advocate, I spend my time creating educational content, giving conference talks, and engaging with developer communities. I believe strongly in the power of clear communication—taking complex technical concepts and making them accessible. This skill translates across all my interests: whether I'm explaining a MongoDB aggregation pipeline, documenting the mechanical evolution of a historical firearm design, or writing detailed tasting notes on a fine wine, the process is the same: deep understanding, careful analysis, and clear articulation.
Beyond the Code: I'm fascinated by well-designed systems in any form. This interest extends to historical firearms—where I appreciate the engineering, the iterative design process over decades, and the craftsmanship involved. Similarly, wine interests me as an agricultural and chemical process—understanding terroir, fermentation, and aging helps me think about how environment and process shape outcomes in software development, too.
I also bring a unique perspective from over 10 years as a licensed, bonded, and insured Construction Contractor (CCB#179532) in the State of Oregon, specializing in home repairs and remodeling with a particular passion for tile and wood work. That experience taught me about careful planning, attention to detail, and delivering quality results under real-world constraints—skills that directly apply to software development and technical communication.
Interested in learning more? Download my resume or reach out to connect.