I knew I wanted to be a programmer since I was in 4th grade...back in 1984. For some reason, my math teacher thought it would be a good idea to teach us how to program in Basic. The idea that I could tell a computer what to do was intriguing to me. I was hooked!

Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, the middle child of 7 siblings, I didn't have much access to computers as a young man. So, I took advantage of every opportunity I got to learn how to program. I sought out opportunities to learn how to code and practice throughout my youth.

While in 8th grade, I applied and was accepted, to a Science focused magnet school where I learned how to program in Pascal. Later, I join my highschool's Computer Programming UIL team. After high school, I went on to graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Computer Science.

Next, I focused on building a successful career as a Software Engineer and raising my 4 children. In the 20 years since I graduated from college, I have worked for many different companies, in a wide variety of industries including software consulting, emergency management, media, insurance, real estate, logistics, marketing, education, retail, and e-commerce.

Recently, I have focused on using my experience to help others. I've started blogging, speaking at user groups and conferences, teaching, launching several projects aimed at mentoring other Software Engineers and have written a book about managing your career as a software developer.