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Colin Knapp

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- Location: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Contact: - recruitme2025@colinknapp.com | - colinknapp.com
- Schedule a Meeting: - 30 Minute Meeting -

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Highlights & Measurables

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  • - Cybersecurity Leadership: - Currently spearheading ViperWire.ca, - the public-facing arm of my AI-powered cybersecurity and development consultancy, - delivering cutting-edge protection for digital assets (2023-Present). -
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  • - Open-Source Impact: - Co-created FastAsyncWorldEdit - and PlotSquared, - revolutionizing Minecraft development by enabling massive transformative edits—scaling - from 50,000 server-crashing edits to billions without interruption—powering a $2 billion - game brand with global contributor support (2014-Present). -
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  • - Team Leadership: - Managed a distributed team of 45 personnel at - Nitric Concepts, - fostering collaboration and deploying advanced DevSecOps practices (2018-2021). -
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  • - On-Premises Innovation: - Architected self-managed, bare-metal infrastructure with orchestration for on-premises - deployments, delivering performant, scalable systems compliant with WCAG 2.0 AA. - Developed custom Docker solutions leveraging Docker Swarm and cluster management tools - like Salt Stack, Bash, and Python, working with web hosting tools and DNS infrastructure - to meet stringent government accessibility and compliance goals (2020-Present). -
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  • - Government Projects: - Delivered scalable, secure learning management systems for the US government and - consulted on Flint Bishop International Airport's - website and domain infrastructure via Addis Enterprises, building a geographically - redundant DNS cluster with an A+ standard resilient to extreme scenarios (2019-Present). -
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  • - Healthcare Infrastructure: - Developed and deployed infrastructure for - Improving MI Practices, - a critical healthcare education platform, ensuring high availability and security - for sensitive medical training content (2023-Present). -
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  • - Security Automation: - Created a Docker-based utility for automated WordPress malware removal and hardening, - successfully deployed to protect MLPP - from persistent cyber attacks, reducing infection frequency from daily to zero (2023). -
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Employment

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DevSecOps Consultant

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Addis Enterprises

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2019-Present

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Leading infrastructure and security projects for government and healthcare clients, - specializing in scalable systems, compliance, and domain resilience.

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  • Delivered WCAG 2.0 AA compliant learning management systems for US government clients
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  • Architected geographically redundant DNS infrastructure for Bishop Airport (bishopairport.org)
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  • Developed automated malware eradication tools for healthcare platforms
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  • Implemented CIS Level 1 and 2 security standards across multiple client environments
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Chief of Operations / VP / Co-Founder

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Nitric Concepts

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2018-2021

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Bootstrapped and led all operational aspects of a global gaming technology company, - managing software development, talent acquisition, and providing executive mentorship to drive significant business growth.

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  • Bootstrapped company from zero to an estimated $4M gross revenue with strong profit margins
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  • Managed software development and talent acquisition for 45+ contractors across multiple timezones
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  • Utilized revolutionary open source tooling developed with Athion to produce Nitric Concepts products
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  • Co-developed FastAsyncWorldEdit and PlotSquared, birthing a sustainable 10-year open source brand - that continues today with paid maintainers
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  • Established Jenkins CI/CD infrastructure in 2013 that continues running the open source ecosystem
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  • Implemented DevSecOps practices using Docker, Fail2Ban, and Salt Stack for high-traffic gaming environments
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  • Utilized Kanban/Trello to coordinate distributed teams and project workflows
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  • Provided executive mentorship to CEO/Founder Andrew Karvelis, helping scale from side project earnings to - significant revenue growth
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  • Established CI/CD pipelines and security practices for enterprise-scale gaming infrastructure
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Founder

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ViperWire.ca

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2023-Present

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Building an AI-powered cybersecurity consultancy focused on making enterprise-grade - security accessible to small to medium businesses.

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  • Developing AI-augmented security analysis systems
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  • Creating scalable security solutions for SMBs
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  • Establishing cybersecurity consulting framework
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Co-Founder

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MotherboardRepair.ca

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2019-Present

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Co-founded a company focused on reducing e-waste through circuit board repairs - and sustainable tech solutions.

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  • Leveraged industry expertise for sustainable electronics solutions
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  • Established repair processes for high-value circuit board components
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  • Promoted environmental responsibility in electronics industry
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Project Experience

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Bishop Airport DNS Infrastructure

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- Timeframe: 2019-Present
- Overview: Collaborated on US government projects and Bishop Airport (bishopairport.org) - infrastructure via Addis Enterprises, focusing on scalable, secure systems and domain resilience. -

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Key Contributions:

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  • Partnered with senior professionals to deliver learning management systems meeting WCAG 2.0 AA compliance for government clients.
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  • Consulted for Bishop Airport, architecting a geographically redundant DNS cluster achieving an A+ standard, capable of withstanding extreme disruptions.
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  • Provided exceptional client service through effective communication and tailored solutions.
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Impact: Strengthened government digital infrastructure and ensured robust, resilient airport domain systems.

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Read more about the Airport DNS project →

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Improving MI Practices Healthcare Platform

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- Timeframe: 2019-Present
- Overview: Led infrastructure design and operations for - Improving MI Practices through Addis Enterprises, - a critical healthcare education platform. -

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Key Contributions:

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  • Designed and implemented secure, scalable infrastructure for healthcare education content delivery.
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  • Administered CIS Level 1 and 2 security standards implementation for enhanced system hardening and security controls.
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  • Implemented automated deployment pipelines and monitoring systems for high availability.
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Impact: Enabled reliable delivery of critical healthcare training content to medical professionals while maintaining robust security standards.

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Read more about the Healthcare Platform project →

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MLPP WordPress Malware Eradication

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- Timeframe: 2023
- Overview: Tasked by Addis Enterprises to develop an automated solution for - WordPress malware removal and hardening to stop a malignant and ongoing infection. -

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Key Contributions:

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  • Created a Docker-based utility for automated malware detection and removal.
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  • Implemented hardening measures to prevent reinfection.
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  • Successfully deployed to protect MLPP from persistent cyber attacks.
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Impact: Reduced infection frequency from daily/weekly to zero, significantly improving site security and reliability.

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Read more about the WordPress Security project →

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YouTube Game Development & Cybersecurity

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- Timeframe: 2011-2022
- Overview: Developed custom Minecraft-based games for major YouTube celebrities and Multi-Creator Networks (MCNs), - including partnerships with Jordan Matthewson (Kootra) and TheCreatures MCN with 15 million subscriber reach. -

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Key Contributions:

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  • Designed and developed custom Minecraft games to deliver engaging content for prominent YouTube creators and livestreams.
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  • Partnered with Jordan Matthewson (Kootra) and TheCreatures MCN, providing gaming experiences for their 15 million subscriber network.
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  • Collaborated with minor to major names in the YouTube community, including creators with massive followings during the platform's golden era.
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  • Implemented DDoS defense, anti-phishing protocols, and data privacy measures for high-profile content and livestreams.
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  • Managed hardware/software lifecycles and created comprehensive documentation for celebrity partnerships and MCN collaborations.
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Impact: Delivered secure, seamless gaming experiences to millions of viewers through celebrity partnerships, MCN collaborations, and engaging content creation for livestreams. A critical incident where Jordan Matthewson was "swatted" during a live stream with 15,000 viewers on Twitch.tv became a pivotal moment that accelerated my focus on cybersecurity, ultimately leading to AddisEnterprises and partnerships with various US government organizations.

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Read more about YouTube Game Development →

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Web Design & Java Plugin Development

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- Timeframe: 2011-2023
- Overview: Developed web solutions and Java plugins focusing on CI/CD efficiency - and client satisfaction, using strategic networking in IRC communities to bootstrap early career opportunities. -

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Key Contributions:

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  • Lurked in IRC chat rooms of various plugin and software developers to assess reliable open source projects for early career dependencies.
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  • Offered CI/CD services and Java Maven repository hosting to open source developers, building goodwill and reciprocal support networks.
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  • Utilized Jenkins and GitLab CI/CD for streamlined workflows, leveraging a robust toolchain for rapid development.
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  • Managed complex systems and ensured WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standards.
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  • Provided technical guidance and detailed client documentation, drawing on broad experience to resolve diverse issues.
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Impact: Enhanced project delivery speed and quality for diverse computing environments through prolific and efficient development practices, while strategically building support networks in the open source community.

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Read more about Web Design & Java Plugin Development →

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Ad Marketing Link Tracking Tool

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- Timeframe: 2013-2018
- Overview: Developed an unbranded ad marketing link tracking tool for YouTubers - to manage ad read campaigns, enabling creators to release ad campaigns and receive payments directly. -

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Key Contributions:

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  • Built a comprehensive ad campaign management system for content creators to track and monetize ad reads.
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  • Designed user-friendly tools for real-time revenue monitoring and campaign performance tracking.
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  • Implemented secure payment processing and data handling for creator monetization.
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  • Created an unbranded solution that could be white-labeled for various influencer networks.
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Impact: Developed a complete ad campaign management platform that would have empowered creators to maximize earnings through direct ad read monetization, though the project was shelved due to client changes.

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Read more about the Ad Marketing Link Tracking Tool →

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DevOps & Co-Founder at Nitric Concepts

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- Timeframe: 2018-2021
- Overview: Co-founded and mentored Andrew Karvelis in building Nitric Concepts from a side project - to a $4M gross revenue company, providing executive mentorship and operational leadership. -

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Key Contributions:

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  • Provided executive mentorship to CEO/Founder Andrew Karvelis, helping scale from side project earnings to significant revenue growth.
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  • Managed 45 contractors worldwide, implementing Docker, Fail2Ban, and Salt Stack as part of a comprehensive toolchain.
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  • Co-developed FastAsyncWorldEdit and PlotSquared, enabling billions of seamless edits for Minecraft creators.
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  • Bootstrapped the company from zero to an estimated $4M gross revenue with strong profit margins.
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  • Utilized Kanban/Trello to coordinate distributed teams and project workflows across multiple timezones.
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Impact: Transformed Nitric Concepts into a thriving multinational entity through prolific and efficient development, while mentoring Andrew Karvelis from side project earnings to being able to purchase a Corvette C7 in cash from one month's disposable income.

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Read more about my leadership at Nitric Concepts →

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Entrepreneurial Ventures

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Athion.net Turnaround

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- Timeframe: 2013-2017
- Overview: Revitalized a struggling business into a self-sustaining operation in two weeks, - developing revolutionary open source tooling with Athion to produce Nitric Concepts products.
- Key Contributions: Optimized systems and streamlined operations with rapid, effective solutions, - creating innovative tooling that would later power major open source projects.
- Impact: Created a profitable, independent venture while developing foundational technology - that would enable future open source success. -

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Read more about the Athion.net Turnaround →

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MotherboardRepair.ca

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- Timeframe: 2019-Present
- Overview: Co-founded a company reducing e-waste through circuit board repairs.
- Key Contributions: Leveraged industry expertise and a versatile toolchain for sustainable tech solutions.
- Impact: Promoted environmental responsibility in electronics. -

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Read more about MotherboardRepair.ca →

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Additional Information

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Personal Development

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Timeframe: 2011-Present

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  • - Self-Taught Mastery: Continuously honed cybersecurity and systems management skills, - building a broad knowledge base to tackle unique challenges with a passion for innovation and problem-solving. -
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  • - Open-Source Contributions: Actively maintain smaller self-run open-source projects; - previously led OhMyForm (sunset project now fully retired in favor of - Formbricks), - an open source alternative to Google Forms and Office 365 that enabled data sovereignty - and privacy-focused form building, and contributed to PlotSquared, - FastAsyncWorldEdit, and PlotHider, - reflecting a prolific commitment to advancing technology. -
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  • - Skill Maintenance: Regularly run Woodpecker CI and Gitea for on-premise source management, - testing, and deployment, employing security scanning and unit testing to ensure core functionality and - security baselines, alongside self-hosting exercises to sustain rapid, high-volume development capabilities - across a vast array of innovative projects. -
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Read more about my open source contributions →

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Relevant Links & Web Impact

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Open Source & Infrastructure

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PlotSquared & FastAsyncWorldEdit

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2013-Present

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Contributor to major Minecraft server plugins, focusing on performance optimization and security enhancements.

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  • Contributed to PlotSquared, a land management plugin with 572+ stars and 809+ forks
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  • Enhanced FastAsyncWorldEdit, improving world manipulation performance with 664+ stars
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  • Implemented security improvements and performance optimizations for large-scale server operations
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Read more about PlotSquared & FastAsyncWorldEdit →

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Athion.net Infrastructure

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2013-Present

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Established and maintained critical infrastructure supporting Nitric Concepts' official Minecraft Marketplace partnership, with PlotSquared and FastAsyncWorldEdit tooling used by content production companies in the $5 billion Minecraft gaming ecosystem.

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  • Set up and maintained Jenkins CI/CD pipeline since 2013, supporting Nitric Concepts' official marketplace partnership and the tooling used by content production companies
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  • Hosted infrastructure enabling collaboration between developers and Microsoft for official Minecraft Marketplace content creation through Nitric Concepts
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  • Implemented robust security measures and performance optimizations for high-traffic development environments supporting a $5 billion gaming brand
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Software Engineer

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Oh My Form (Sunset Project)

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2020 - 2024

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Led development of Oh My Form (now sunset and succeeded by Formbricks), an open source alternative to Google Forms and Office 365 that enabled data sovereignty and privacy-focused form building, achieving over 1.5 million Docker pulls as verified by Docker Hub and archived.

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  • Developed and maintained a secure, high-performance form builder application focused on data sovereignty
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  • Created an open source alternative to Google Forms and Office 365 for privacy-conscious organizations
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  • Implemented robust security measures and best practices for data protection
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  • Optimized application performance and user experience while maintaining privacy standards
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Read more about my open source success →

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Home Infrastructure Cluster & WireGuard Mesh Networking

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2020-Present

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Built a comprehensive home infrastructure cluster using repurposed MacMini hardware for complete data sovereignty, including self-hosted email, DNS, and 100+ services, plus developed a WireGuard mesh networking tool for quantum-resistant networking deployment.

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  • Constructed a home cluster from repurposed MacMini hardware to maintain complete data sovereignty and avoid cloud dependencies
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  • Self-hosted critical infrastructure including email, DNS, and over 100 additional services for complete data control
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  • Developed a WireGuard mesh networking tool designed to simplify deployment of mesh networks as opposed to traditional hub-and-spoke architectures
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  • Created infrastructure tooling that enables ease of deployment for quantum-resistant networking solutions
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  • Implemented comprehensive self-hosting strategy to keep personal and business data out of cloud environments
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  • Architected and deployed georedundant, nuclear war-resistant DNS cluster for clients
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