I began my working career as a teacher, with a BS in Sociology and teacher certification in Nursery thru 6th grade. Because there was a glut of teachers at the time, I was unable to get a full time position and so I worked as a substitute for 2 years. While I truly loved the teaching, I did NOT love the fact that I spent more time as a referee and babysitter than as a teacher. After 2 years I decided that I did not have the passion that all good teachers should have, and so I decided to move on to something else. I returned to school and completed a second BS degree in Computer Science. I found that computers rarely talk back, and almost never fight! Until January of 2010 I was happily employed for 10 years at Dow Jones LMG (Local Media Group). When they decided to phase out the AS/400 and trade in the homegrown software for a packaged software my entire department became obsolete. For the past 4 years I've been looking for a job where I can be at least as happy as I was there. I thought Galaxe Solutions might be it, but after about 18 months they too found it necessary to downsize and I find myself again searching for a new home. As Applications Analyst for Dow Jones LMG, I was responsible for the 24/7 support of several newspaper sites as well as software development for Circulation, Advertising, and financial applications. In addition to development and maintenance, I resolved system errors, worked with 3rd party vendors to install new software, provided ad-hoc queries, participated in disaster recovery drills and system upgrades, documented procedures for both IT staff and end users, and presented training sessions for Circulation Managers. As part of my development work I gathered requirements, created project specifications, researched potential strategies, performed impact analysis, etc. In short, I gained extensive experience in every stage of the software development life cycle. My work at Galaxe Solutions involved helping CVS/Caremark to integrate 3 major platforms into one. I began as a developer but was promoted to Tech Lead after my first project. I supervised shifting teams of developers, BA's, and QA's to find ways to make the RxClaim software work for Aetna, Quatum Leap, and Recap as well. It was my job to meet with CVS managers to discuss strategy, report progress, gain approvals, etc. I assigned and oversaw the work of my team developers, I devised and executed unit test plans, and supported QA testers. I frequently served as mentor to other teams and assisted in the resolution of conflicts. When I arrived at Galaxe there was no written documentation, and virtually no training. On my own time and under my own initiative I gathered as much information as I could from online help and knowledgeable colleagues, and I created a highly detailed user guide. I included CVS procedures and best practices, as well as instructions for the Aldon change management software. When my documents came to the attention of management I was asked to develop and present training sessions for my colleagues. I was also put in charge of evaluating Aldon skills in order to determine which developers were adept enough to be given Alden access. The work was extremely challenging, and I learned a great deal in my time there. I also discovered a talent for management, and I hope that my future holds an opportunity to move up into a management position. I would be a tremendous asset to any company. Programming is not just about the language. A lot more goes into a good program design. In my nearly 20 years of experience I have had extensive experience in every facet of software development. I've taken projects from the very first glimmer of an idea to implementation, training, and documentation. I've been able to adapt to any field and any environment. I've worked on teams and I've worked alone. In each case I was able to deliver a quality project on time. I can handle pressure and stress, I'm eager to learn, and I enjoy a challenge. I would make an excellent IT manager. I'm very organized, detail oriented, and highly motivated. I'm able to inspire respect, and loyalty, and to ignite a desire to succeed. I have a good dose of common sense, excellent communication skills, and most importantly an aptitude for leadership. I know how to encourage and support, but I can also be firm when necessary. I always get the job done no matter what it takes, but I never settle for less than my best effort. I've spent the time since I left Dow Jones learning new skills and doing some contract work. I dislike contracts because it seems as if you just get a good working relationship going and it's time to say goodbye. But, I need to pay the bills and keep my skills up to date. I just finished a 3 month contract at Bank of America in New York City, and I'm anxious to get started on my next venture. I would really welcome a position with the opportunity to expand my skills and improve a business. These Are a Few of My Favorite Things!
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