Kurt Gray
About Me
Transitioning into tech from a successful career in education, I bring a unique blend of technical and communication skills. My background equips me with the ability to break down intricate problems, think creatively, and collaborate effectively across diverse teams. I leverage my growth mindset to continually expand my expertise, from crafting RESTful APIs and scalable cloud-based services to delivering front-end applications that delight users.
My Skill Areas
Front End
Full Stack
Back End
CI/CD
API Development
Front End
Javascript
TypeScript
React
Next
Angular
HTML
CSS
Back End
Node
Express
Java
Spring Boot
No-SQL
SQL
JWT
OAuth2
Work Experience
Full Stack Developer
FedEx Ground International
Surface International Border Process and System Team: November 2023 - present
- Delivered high-quality work in various settings, including full-team collaboration, pair programming, and independent projects, within an Agile team environment
- Led a team of 6 developers to successfully meet project deadlines and team objectives while navigatinga 20% increase in workload across multiple sprints
- Led end-to-end testing for a cross-ART initiative, delivering actionable feedback on data flow within the Surface Clearance system, resulting in a significant reduction in processing errors
- Authored and refined Jenkins pipelines for automated deployment to PCF, improving deployment efficiency and reliability across production and development environments
- Collaborated with architects and business experts to address and resolve architectural issues
- Created developer tools to enhance workflow efficiency across multiple teams
Environment: Java | Spring Boot | Angular | TypeScript | Jenkins | Oracle | IBMi
Freelance Web Developer
Self Employed
Full-Stack and CRM Development: January 2022 - present
- Designed and implemented RESTful APIs, managed data schemas, and developed user-friendly interfaces to ensure seamless functionality across full-stack applications
- Integrated secure auth protocols, including JWT and Google OAuth2, to facilitate user account creation and login
- Optimized state management for complex interactions using React hooks, React Query, and Redux and enhanced user engagement by integrating personalized APIs
- Built and currently maintain a local business WordPress site, managing updates to align with client needs
Environment: Javascript | TypeScript | Node | Express | MongoDB | WordPress
Instrumental Music Director
Moorpark Unified School District
Comprehensive Secondary Schoools Music Programs: July 2005 - November 2023
- Improved student achievement and retention through implementation of original curriculum and instructional materials
- Increased district funding for students and staff development for music and arts programs while advising on District Arts Council
- Enhanced educational outcomes by guiding and assessing specialist teaching staff, leading to improved instruction quality and student achievement
- Optimized a $50,000 annual budget to achieve measurable student outcomes and community impact
Projects
Brain Thoughts
A Personal MERN stack multi-user blogging platform
- Created a versatile multi-user platform for easy content management and admin privileges for efficient content control, enhancing the UX while promoting engagement
- Engineered the backend schema and deployed a RESTful API with Node.js, Express, and MongoDB to ensure efficient data management and seamless user experiences
- Enabled seamless user authentication by implementing JWT and Google OAuth2 via Passport, allowing for user account creation and secure Google login
- Implemented diverse features, including rich text editing, image uploads, user interactions, content management, and an intuitive admin interface
Environment: JavaScript | React | React Query | Node.js | Express.js | MongoDB
Cook Sys Project Board
A Full Stack Project Management App
- Enhanced user experience through leading a team through the creation and design of a dynamic project management dashboard
- Ensured cohesive data flow by integrating a robust data model with Angular Services singleton
- Achieved seamless backend integration by clarifying, refining, synchronizing API endpoints with the backend team
- DDelivered timely and tested feature releases by operating in sprint cycles alongside a diverse team using Git
Environment: TypeScript | Angular | Java | Spring Boot | PostgreSQL
Social Media API
A RESTful API for a social media platform
- Implemented a RESTful Web Service with 30 endpoints for full CRUD functionality for Tweets, Users, Tags, Mentions, and Followers using Java and the Spring framework
- Utilized Spring Boot and JPA to implement endpoints that handle HTTP requests, backend logic, and converts data between API requests and its database models
- Optimized, tested, and troubleshot database operations in Postman, minimizing server overhead, enhancing the application’s efficiency and responsiveness
- Collaborated in an agile team setting powered by Git, ensuring a robust and scalable product delivery on schedule
Environment: Java | Spring Boot | JPA | PostgreSQL | pgAdmin | Git | IntelliJ | Maven
Pantry
A full-stack recipe and pantry management app (in development)
- Leveraged the OpenAI API for personalized recipe recommendations using user ingredients and preferences, enhancing personal relevance and engagement
- Architected the app for optimal CRUD operations, liking, and commenting on recipes, boosting user interaction, retention, and potential revenue growth
- Implemented robust authentication measures, including JWT and Google OAuth2, providing secure user authorization and enabling account creation or Google login
Environment: TypeScript | React | Next.js | Prisma | Postgres
Who’s Who?
A musical guessing game utilizing the Spotify API
- Created an intuitive, user-friendly game where players test their music knowledge through dynamically created questions and answers
- Increased user engagement by integrating user input to create a custom gaming experience, adapting questions based on players’ preferences
- Ensured efficient use of resources and minimized costs by optimizing Spotify Web API calls to reduce unnecessary requests
- Leveraged Angular best practices to ensure a smooth and scalable game platform through collaboration in a cross-functional team
Environment: TypeScript | Angular | HTML | CSS | Spotify Web API
Beat Boss
A programmable metronome app for musical practice applications
- A metronome for standard and programmable time-keeping functions, using Web Audio API and Tone.js
- Implements React Hooks to meet the complex needs of interacting with real-time audio
- Features include sound libraries, per-subdivision and master gain controls, visual component synced with audio
- Programmable mode features user–customizable segments of tempo, time signature, iteration count, sounds, and gain levels
- Modeled after the widely used “Dr. Beat” electronic metronome, with improved programming capabilities and UI
Environment: React | Web Audio API | Tone.js