Jesse Cravens

u·biq·ui·tous javascript and html5

Resume

Jesse Cravens

Austin, TX USA

Summary of Qualifications

Jesse is an innovative Lead Software Engineer with a deep background in web application and native mobile application development. His focus has been on rich internet applications, the mobile web, and HTML5. He possesses a rare blend of technical aptitude and an ability to provide oversight and direction to technical teams.

He previously held Sr. Software and Technical Management positions at USAA, leading a team of mobile application developers that included both domestic full time employees and offshore 3rd party contractors. He was responsible for providing technical leadership in the planning, designing, development, testing, implementation and maintenance of USAAs industry leading iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and mobile web applications.

Prior to that, Jesse contributed to Drupal powered websites for entertainment clients such as Jackson Browne, CSNY, and Angie Ruiz.

He consistently exceeds expectations by delivering on time, on budget projects and ensures discipline and rigor in operational process.

  • Senior Front End Engineer specializing in semantic markup, HTML5, cross-browser compliance, CSS, OO JavaScript, Ajax, DOM, JSON, JSP, and Drupal CMS Development; 9 years in web design, and 8 years in web application development.
  • Former Educator and Computer Programming Curriculum (Java, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, Android) Developer with strong presentation skills
  • Experience with PHP and MySQL and LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) driven content management systems
  • Experience building social networking applications: Google Gadget specification, Apache Shindig Container APIs, OpenSocial APIs
  • Experience working in J2EE environment, JSP, JSR 286 Portlet Spec., Liferay Java Portal
  • Built several intermediate level Ruby on Rails applications
  • Built several intermediate level NodeJS applications
  • Advanced Proficiency with Yahoo User Interface Library; Intermediate Proficiency with ExtJS Library, Dojo, JQuery, MooTools
  • Experience designing and developing intuitive, fast-loading, cross-browser, and cross-platform web applications
  • Solid project management skills; proven ability to facilitate cross-functional teams, and lead, motivate on-site and geographically dispersed virtual teams

Leadership Competencies

  • Staff Building
  • Coaching
  • Mentoring

Technical Expertise

Web Design

Front End Development

Project Management & Office Productivity

Other

  • Speaker: Object Oriented JavaScript, Responsible Enterprise JavaScript, CSS and Web Standards
  • Corporate Trainer: JavaScript (JQuery, YUI, NodeJS), Ruby On Rails, Ajax for the Enterprise, Mobile Web, HTML5
  • Proficient on both Macs and PCs
  • Experienced with web and

Experience & Accomplishments

Jesse Cravens

Sr. Engineer

Frog

April 2012 – present

  • Designs and builds innovative solutions.
  • Collaborates closely with designers to express design assets and artifacts in the form of presentation layer code, interactive prototypes, technical proof-of-concepts, and presentation-layer components and templates.
  • Provides subject matter expertise in one or more domains leading to UI presentation layer architecture recommendations and design integration support to help ensure the intended user experience is successfully translated into the engineered software.
  • Provides work breakdown plans and estimates of work.
  • Develops software components or modules and/or binding of UI / presentation, logic / middleware, and/or backend / data services tiers in the software application stack.
  • Lead the triage, analysis, and problem-solving efforts in collaboration with software architects for technical design problems or challenges discovered during the software engineering process.
  • Collaborates with client technical resources.
  • Provides valuable technical consulting and insights to the team as a whole.
Jesse Cravens

IT Technical Manager - Mobile/Tablet Applications Infrastructure and Support

USAA

April 2010 – April 2012

  • Manages team of mobile/tablet application developers, including domestic and offshore 3rd party teams. Provides management of personnel related activities. Coordinates on hiring actions. Performs training, scheduling, performance appraisals, compensation analysis and other related tasks.
  • Provides technical leadership in the planning, designing, development, testing, implementation and maintenance of , , , , and web applications.
  • Manages the financial processes related to unit, project or product/component budgets.
  • Ensures the delivery of quality product. Monitors the status of projects. Coordinates with customers to ensure business needs are met. Negotiates solutions to issues and problems.
  • Participates in planning sessions involving equipment, hardware and procedural changes to fully exploit information technology solutions and ensure that industry best practices are implemented.
Jesse Cravens

Senior Software Engineer - Presentation Tier

USAA

April 2008 – April 2010

  • Organize enterprise JavaScript libraries and corresponding Standards and Guidance Documentation to reflect best practices.
  • Educate company’s front end web developers through weekly presentations and one on one meetings. (Topics include: Basics of Object Oriented JavaScript, Singleton and Factory JavaScript Design Patterns, AJAX and YUI Connection Manager, YAHOO.util.Dom) Integrate YUI components into existing proprietary J2EE framework.
  • Rewrite various legacy JavaScript components to be reusable and extensible.
  • Develop and promote a Paired Programming model to bridge the gap between UI Design and J2EE development communities and to promote W3C web standards.
  • Build prototypes and content models for usability testing from UI requirements documentation and wire-frames. (consider use cases, scenarios, and flow)
  • Collaborate with teams of software developers, UX professionals, and business professionals to promote user-centered design, and best practices in usability.
  • Research and evaluate various client-side technologies for use in internal and external applications and present findings: Yahoo User Interface Library, ExtJS JavaScript Library, JQuery, XSLT, JSDoc, JSDocToolkit, JSLint, Apache WicketStuff (YUI Integration)
Jesse Cravens

Front End Development Consultant

TekSysytems

August 2007 - April 2008

  • Collaborate with teams of software developers, user interface professionals, and business professionals to promote user-centered design, and best practices in usability.
  • Create new solutions and design patterns to overcome usability issues.
  • Design prototypes and content models for new features, and new applications.
  • Promote and follow web standards.
  • Rescript JavaScript libraries to reflect Enterprise best practices.
  • Evaluate various client-side technologies for use in internal and external applications.
Jesse Cravens

Lead Web (LAMP) Architect

Thompson Media Group

January 2005 - September 2006

  • Select and implement software, platforms, publishing tools, and programming languages for the development of Web architecture.
  • Manage all projects of geographically dispersed virtual team.
  • Plan, configure, deploy, and theme -powered websites
  • Perform cost-benefit analysis of proposed Web implementations, enhancements, and modifications.
  • Monitor and report on Web site traffic and performance.
  • Manage and/or provide guidance to junior members of the team.
Jesse Cravens

Web and Interactive Developer

Digett

January 2005 - June 2006

  • Work with high profile entertainment clients such as: Jackson Browne, CSNY, Angie Ruiz, and the Kentucky Derby
  • Plan, configure, deploy, and theme -powered websites
  • Plan, configure, deploy, and theme ASP.NET-powered websites
  • Create custom behaviors and features in Drupal
  • Support client websites
  • Translate web designs into clean, valid HTML/CSS
  • Implement complex UI objectives through the use of AJAX, PHP, JavaScript, and related technologies
  • Meet project objectives,budget requirements and schedules
  • Meet internal process standards
  • Manage multiple projects using Basecamp project management platform
Jesse Cravens

Business Computer Programming Teacher

Assistant Varsity Boy’s Basketball Coach

Boerne ISD

August 2003 - June 2007

Certifications:
  • TExES 8-12 Computer Science
  • TExES 8-12 Technology Education
  • TExES K-12 Technology Applications
  • TExES EC-12 Art
Skills Taught:
  • identify employment opportunities in various business environments
  • differentiate the concepts of integrity and confidentiality as related to technology in the business environment
  • analyze programming languages and operating systems
  • solve problems using different types and levels of programming languages
  • solve problems using analytical techniques
  • apply procedures for maintaining the security of computerized information

Education

B.A Art/Art History

Department of Art History at Rice University

June 1993–June 1998

GPA 3.0, President’s Honor Roll

M.A. Education - Curriculum and Instruction

College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) at The University of Texas at San Antonio

June 2003–June 2005

GPA 3.9

Affiliations

1993 San Antonio Express News High School Basketball Player of the Year

1995 Team Captain Rice University Men’s Basketball Team

Colorado Certified Whitewater Rafting Guide

Wilderness First Responder

Professional Bass Player

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