Welcome to my personal site.  Somehow you've found it, so you might as well spend a few minutes here. This site serves as a main entry point for the various things I have going on. 

Here's my elevator bio

I am a technology leader, educator, and researcher/practitioner, specializing in cloud and DevOps. I am proudly part of the information systems faculty at a major university, as well as an experienced professional. I have led technology strategy initiatives and teams in such diverse domains as convention and tourism, healthcare, manufacturing, higher education, and government. I am a lifelong student who strongly believes that education is the most powerful way to change the world. I grew up among the snow-capped peaks, industrious spirit, and brightest minds who inhabit the Silicon Slopes in Utah, and I remain inseparably coupled to its people and to its spirit.

Instructor at the University of Utah

Courses I teach
IS 4410 - Introduction to Information Systems
  • Hardware, software, data, procedures, people
IS 4440 - Networking and Servers
  • OSI model, TCP/IP, data cabling, routing, switching
IS 4480 - Data Warehousing
  • From operational source systems to streamlined, efficient, data analytics systems
IS 6410 - Systems Analysis and Design (graduate)
  • DevOps, Agile, UML, BPMN, database design, IT project management
IS 6640 - Networking and Servers (graduate)
IS 6641 - Cloud Computing (graduate)
  • Infrastructure as code, SaaS, IaaS, PaaS, containers, serverless, load balancing

Online Course Author

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A note on leadership:

The word "leader" is thrown around a lot. If you read five different leadership books, you are likely to get five different ideas of what leadership means. For me, that is a challenge to discover what leadership means to me personally. One of my favorite articles is from Harvard Business Review called "How to Lead When You're Not in Charge," wherein the authors lay out eight leadership qualities for 21st century leaders. According to the article, modern leaders are:
  • Seers -- Future-focused, interested in "what could be" rather than what is.
  • Contrarians and free-spirited thinkers -- Creative solvers of challenges, unbound by the status quo
  • Architects -- Builders of systems of collaboration
  • Mentors -- "Rather than hoarding power, they give it away."
  • Connectors -- Connecting others to people who can help them build their careers
  • Bushwackers -- Blazing new trails and committed to doing the right thing. Whacking down unnecessary bureaucracy at every turn.
  • Guardians -- Protecting the big picture and embracing the higher values of why we do what we do
  • Citizens -- Other-centered and committed to doing the most good for the most people
I’m the kind of leader who believes that when people are happy, autonomous, supported by a team, and understand how their work contributes, amazing things can happen. Challenges start to be met in creative ways, the flame of innovation is stoked, and the organization benefits greatly. Some structure, and a clear vision are essential tools that help people understand how their work contributes. 

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