I will try to post on here at least once a month. To share what I’m learning, interested in, goals, recommendations, etc.

About me

To start off I would like to give some more information regarding my background and interests.

Growing up my favorite subjects were Math and Science. I remember winning many 1st place prizes in science fairs and competing, regionally, and nationally.

I’ve always been around the latest and greatest technology growing up. Both of my parents worked for the government in areas of photography, graphic design, and technical illustration. So, I am very grateful to my parents for bringing me to work and exposing me to technology growing up.

I still vividly remember my parents taking me the Navy base they worked at and being at awe at all the fencing, military personnel, scientists, engineers, computers, etc.

The experience lit a spark in me. I told myself that I would work hard so that one day I would get to work with all that cool technology and smart people. Looking back, I now realize that was one of my first goals that I set.

Many years later I accomplished that goal by applying for a Science and Engineering Apprenticeship program at my local military base. It was one of my proudest moments of my life. I was a rising junior in high school when I was selected to take part in the program. It was such an amazing experience! I was able to learn in detail about the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system here in the USA. On top of that I had the opportunity to meet and work with so many amazing people.

Topic Video

The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System

Due to my success in that program, I applied for a highly competitive national CO-OP program at the same base and was selected! This was right after graduating high school. I got to focus on Software Engineering as a trainee. It was such an amazing experience! I had a security clearance and worked with software that our military and allies used to achieve its objectives.

Fast-forward to now …

Life has a way of coming full circle as I’ve been preparing to re-turn to the science and technology field.

I started this journey in November of 2014 by reading AWS whitepapers and learning about Cloud computing. Then around the same time I came across Udacity a educational tech focused re-skill or up-skill platform. I liked that it offered project-based learning so I could learn by doing. So, I enrolled in the Front End Web Developer Nanodegree. It was a great experience I gained so many skills.

After I successfully passed all my projects and received my Front End Web Developer Nanodegree. I moved on to the Full Stack Web Developer Nanodegree. I started to notice that a lot of the skills from one role in IT are similar or build upon one another. So, I decided to keep leveling up my skills.

I continued taking many more courses through various platforms such as:

  • Code School now Pluralsight
  • Edx
  • Coursera
  • Udemy
  • Youtube courses

One of my favorites was the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) such as the one through Udacity, Georgia Tech, and AT&T. It was one of the first of its kind an online Master’s degree in Computer Science. I really enjoyed the program and taking the following courses:

  • Artificial Intelligence for Robotics
  • Machine Learning
  • Software Development Process
  • Computer Networking
  • Advanced Operating Systems
  • Knowledge-Based AI: Cognitive Systems
  • High Performance Computer Architecture
  • Introduction to Computer Vision
  • Introduction to Information Security
  • Computational Photography
  • Introduction to Operating Systems
  • Reinforcement Learning
  • Machine Learning for Trading
  • Educational Technology
  • Software Architecture & Design
  • High Performance Computing
  • Linear Algebra Refresher Course
  • GT -Refresher - Advanced OS
  • Big Data Analytics in Healthcare
  • Database Systems Concepts & Design
  • Compliers: Theory and Practice
  • Embedded Systems
  • Network Security
  • Cyber-Physical Systems Security
  • Software Analysis & Testing
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Data Analysis and Visualization
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Machine Learning: Unsupervised Learning

For more information you can check out the program at Georgia Tech College of Computing.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the courses, but the Software Development Process, Software Architecture & Design, Software Analysis & Testing, and Human-Computer Interaction courses really stood out to me.

So, I researched more about different IT roles to better align my learning with my skills and interests. I kept coming back to Cloud Computing. So, I rolled up my sleeves and enrolled in Udacity’s Cloud Developer Nanodegree as well as Udacity’s Cloud DevOps Engineer at the same time. It was very challenging to tackle both Nanodegrees at the same, but I really wanted to gain a boarder set of cloud skills. It was so exciting to apply all my knowledge over the years from the other courses and reading the AWS whitepapers from years before to these programs.

I learned so much about AWS, the Cloud Developer Role, and the Cloud DevOps Role.

All of my hard work paid off and I successfully met all of my projects specifications to graduate from the Cloud Developer Nanodegree and the Cloud Dev Ops Engineer within two days of each other! I was so proud of myself!

But I knew I wasn’t done.

I’m the kind of person if I don’t know something, I will actively seek out the answer or learn the topic.

Throughout all of my active learning I realized that the DevOps Engineer role kept drawing me in.

I’ve always been a “Big Picture” person. I enjoy planning, providing solutions, and automation. So, I decided to focus my learning to the Cloud DevOps Role.

I did not want to skip over the developer skills for Microsoft Azure.

So, I decided to enroll in Udacity’s Cloud Developer using Microsoft Azure and Udacity’s Hybrid Cloud Engineer to grow my cloud skills.

I’m so happy I decided to expand my cloud provider experience from AWS, Google Cloud, to Microsoft Azure. I can see many similarities and differences between them now.

Once I get both of those Nanodegrees I plan to enroll in Udacity’s Cloud DevOps using Microsoft Azure. As it came out a few months after the Cloud Developer using Microsoft Azure program.

As you can see, I’m very passionate and motivated to learn. I know that Cloud Computing is the perfect field for me!

Now that I have a strong and broad Cloud Computing foundation. I’m in the exciting process of getting ready to apply to DevOps positions!! As well as studying for various Cloud and IT industry certifications!!

I’m so excited for this new chapter and new year!

Best wishes!