Joe's Blog

About Me

Hello, I'm Joe

Welcome to my corner of the internet! I'm a full stack software developer, home cook, and gamer based in Seattle, WA. With nearly a decade at Amazon and a passion for helping bring the right product to life, I love exploring the intersection of code, creativity, and problem-solving.

What Drives Me

Technology is by people and for people. I love problem solving and building solutions that solve real problems for people, whether that's creating new systems, improving user experiences, or helping people work more effectively together. Pragmatic solutions that fit the situation at hand is more important than being zealous about any particular technology.

I also love to help others (I'm available currently for hire!) and I hope you all can learn from some of my writings. Projects where I can combine my deep technical experience with meaningful impact excite me the most.

Beyond Code

When I'm not writing code, you'll find me exploring other interests that keep me creative and grounded. I love cooking (there's a lot of overlap in recipe development), playing Magic: The Gathering and other strategy games, and learning about technology and software engineering. I've also become obsessed with ceramics in the past year and have been practicing my wheel-thrown pottery.

Career Journey

I've spent nearly 10 years at Amazon across multiple teams, progressing from Software Development Engineer Intern to Senior Software Development Engineer. My journey has taken me from mobile development to developer tools, education platforms, and most recently applied AI/ML solutions and support tools. I bring an eye towards product development: full-stack/full-product.

Current focus: Freelance Developer (Present)

I am motivated to help others achieve their goals through guidance on software integrations and custom development. Particularly focused on:

  • AWS Integrations and Architecture: custom cloud development, and optimization (cost and maintenence) of existing software, never compromising on security.
  • Applied Generative AI: Useful Large Language Model (LLM) Integrations and optimization of related technology like Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) systems.
  • Technical Strategy: I can help you figure out how to best apply technology to your business and help optimize your goals.

If you feel I can help you achieve your technical goals, let's chat!

Last role: Applied AI development & Developer Experience (2023-2025)

As a Senior SDE 3 on the Alexa Developer Experience team, I'm working at the forefront of AI integration:

  • Lead PRFAQ project for LLM-based tools supporting global technical support teams
  • Own and operate the Alexa Enterprise Services suite, supporting global support engineers
  • Work extensively with AWS services including Lambda, OpenSearch Serverless, Bedrock, and more

Key Career Highlights

  • Developer Education (2021-2023): Launched pilot (PRFAQ) education tools for Alexa developers, including reusable Code Sandbox with real-time feedback. Also powers examples on Alexa Technical Documentation site
  • Developer Evangelism (2019-2021): Expanded Alexa developer community through open-source samples, technical talks across the world (including at Re:Invent), and developer workshops (online and in-person).
  • Mobile Development (2015-2019): Worked on core iOS app for Amazon sellers, launched the Seller Central Alexa Skill, and created reusable UI frameworks in addition to leading development of various pages, notably the homepage of the app.
  • Education: I hold both a BS and MS in Computer Science from Drexel University.

Technical Expertise

I'm proficient in a wide range of technologies and have deep experience with cloud architecture.

  • Languages: TypeScript, Java, Python, JavaScript, Objective-C, C#, Perl
  • Frameworks & Libraries: ReactJS, StencilJS, Spring MVC, Cloud Development Kit (CDK)
  • AWS Services: Lambda, DynamoDB, S3, OpenSearch, Bedrock, API Gateway, and many more
  • AI/ML: Large Language Models (Claude, Titan), Text embedding models, RAG systems
  • Tools: Claude Code, Git, IntelliJ/WebStorm, VSCode, npm

Let's Connect

I love connecting with fellow developers, potential collaborators, and anyone interested in technology. Whether you want to discuss a project, share ideas, or just say hello, I'd love to hear from you.

Get in touch and let's start a conversation.