Web Developer
I built my first web site in college, a personal web site that highlighted my coursework, hobbies, and favorite links. Participating in online courses and internet projects at university showed me how the internet could improve education by providing tools for widespread communication and collaboration. As my passion for the web grew and I started to understand its potential to change everything else, as well, I completed a graduate degree in business and technology (M.I.S.) at the University of Oklahoma.
Since graduation, I have held a handful of jobs in information technology: a business analyst for a utility company, an implementation consultant and project manager for a web-based software company, and a front-end web developer for a large retail company. I offer freelance web development services through my own company, Amesbury Web, helping my clients to launch web sites and to take advantage of internet technology to improve their organizations’ operations.
I now spend quite a bit of time online, building web sites for clients and maintaining a handful of personal projects like Journey to the Sea and Type Greek. I also use web applications to rent movies, buy books, manage my to-do list and calendar, and keep up with web development industry news. I have been disappointed overall to see what little progress education has made regarding internet technology, though my good friend Laura continues to do amazing things with her online courses. I admit that I do still have high hopes for the education sector as a whole.