Links

I have a presence on a number of properties on the Internet. The most up-to-date and complete list is kept at my Google profile.

Employment

Since 2005, I have been employed at Google and am currently a software engineer. I am a member of the Google Web Server project, where I am the tech lead of a team running Closure Library (Google's primary JavaScript library) and working on other user-interface infrastructure projects used throughout the company. Previously, I was an engineer and tech lead on the Google Books project, primarily in user interface, and have been involved in the patents, magazines, news archives, and page creator projects. I have also spent my 20% time working on the open sourcing of Closure Library and giving public talks on the topic.

It is a great place to work, perks aside — filled with bright engineers working on a dazzling array of projects on the frontier of applied computer science, positively affecting millions of everyday computer users.

While in college, I interned in both the constituent and campaign offices of former Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, volunteered on other campaigns, and worked as a programmer part-time.

Personal

I currently live in my adopted home, San Francisco. Before that, I lived in Madison, Wisconsin for five years where I was a student. I was raised in Wisconsin Rapids, though born in Milwaukee while my father was completing his residency. My family tree is mostly from two immigrant groups that came to Wisconsin: the Walloons of the Wisconsin peninsula and the Scandinavians of southwestern Wisconsin (culturally obligating me to love A Prarie Home Companion).

Education

I'm a product of WRPS and attended Wisconsin under Byrd, Kohl, and HEAB Academic Excellence scholarships. I attended a Montessori preschool and have tended towards the liberal arts, so have a history of pursuing disparate fields (I am a rare Google engineer with a bachelor of arts degree). I started college as a music student (in voice), but drifted away, eventually graduating with honors after five years with degrees in computer science, economics, and political science. I planned to attend law school, but instead a took job offer from Google. I sometimes take classes at Stanford.

Interests

My hobbies include hiking, museum-going, open-source projects, and music. I sang with the Stanford Symphonic Chorus winter term, and you're as likely to find me at the SF Opera as a rock show. I, of course, love making software (and getting paid for it — you should "love what you do"). But I also like topics that stradle disciplines, particularly the intersection between computing and broader areas of society, government, the economy, and intellectual property. Also, being from Wisconsin, I like beer.