I am a lot of things: a hippy at heart, a professional pedestrian, a barefoot enthusiast, a US Navy veteran, a volunteer, an organizer, a crafter, a doer, a helper, a wife and friend. But to pay the bills, I'm a Web Developer.
What sets me apart from my peers is that I try to build my websites and applications with security and accessibility from inception, meaning that these two elements are present in all of the design, development, testing, and other decision-making considerations involved.
About Me
I am a 2014 graduate of DeVry University, having earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems with a concentration in Web Development and Administration. Before that, I served 5 years in the US Navy working on Top Secret communication computer systems. I also have nearly a decade of retail and customer service experience, including creating and operating a hobby business selling my own crafts and artwork. I bring technical understanding and down-to-earth problem solving to every project. My curent focus is on accessibility (#a11y) and security, and how to integrate them into every project from inception.
Skills
While I am proficient with editing and managing WordPress websites (particularly with regards to security), I enjoy the more hands-on approach of building and customizing non-CMS websites using the JAM stack. Each new project allows me a new opportunity to practice writing semantic HTML and CSS, focus on creating an Accessible design, and limit the use of Javascript.
- HTML and HTML5 -- 10 years
- CSS and CSS3 -- 5 years
- Javascript -- 5 years
- PHP and MySQL -- 3 years
- Bootstrap -- 3 years
- OWASP Top Ten -- 2 years
- Web Accessibility -- 3 years
- Wordpress -- 5 years
Includes experience with WordPress Blocks (Gutenburg Editor), GeneratePress, Avada, Bakery Builder (Virtual Composer), Yoast SEO, iThemes and Wordfence security, Elementor, some WooCommerce, Give and Charitable, and a wide variety of other plugins
You can see my past projects at LinkedIn as well as Upwork .
Talents
- Highly organized and detail-oriented
- Exceptional work ethic
- Desire to learn, willing to try new things
- Desire to succeed, can't leave a job unfinished
- Team player, motivator
When I'm not immersed in code, I've been known to volunteer a bit with the Veteran (see: North Central Washington Veterans and VFW Post 3617 ) community in my area. I'm also a proponent of barefooting, Nerd Manicures (affiliate link) , and Arctic Fox haircolor. And I'm known for being a Professional Pedestrian who fully supports personal expression.
Contact
Interested in working on something together? Feel free to reach out. Send a message to connie@hitsaru.com with the subject line "Saw your site"; alternatively you can invite me to your open job posting on Upwork.