About Melissa
I'm a NYC-based web developer who recently completed Launch Academy. What I love most about web development is that it has given me the skills and ability to create something that can impact the lives of so many other people. Helping others has always been important to me, as my prior professional experience is in psychology and counseling. This understanding of behavior influences my approach to software development. My interests include giving back to the development community, contributing to open-source projects, and participating in organizations and events that are geared towards increasing the number of women in tech.
Technical Skills
- Languages/Databases :
Ruby, Rails, HTML, CSS, ERB, SQL, PostgreSQL - Software Development Tools/Techniques :
Git, Heroku, RSpec, Capybara, Amazon S3, Devise, Foundation, Omniauth, pair-programming, Test-Driven Development, Pivotal Tracker
Recent Projects
- Band Cupid github.com/pdarden/band_cupid
Originally created as part of the February 2014 Music Hackathon at Etsy. Rails application that makes it easier for bands and musicians to connect. Allows users to post listings, share on Twitter, message eachother, and search for musicians using tags.
Launch Academy Projects
- Kindly kindly-app.herokuapp.com
Rails application that tracks random acts of kindness. Allows users to see whom their posts inspired and how far one good deed can travel. Uses Devise to authenticate, Carrierwave to upload avatar images and Actionmailer for contact form. -
- Launchspiration launchspiration.herokuapp.com
Generates random quotes from former Launchers, to inspire future cohorts. Authenticates users through Twitter using Omniauth. Developed during ‘Ship it Saturday’ Hackathon. -
- Guess Who github.com/avallabh/guess_who
Partner Project developed for Launch Academy. A game that allows users to learn the names of fellow students by pairing their picture with their name. Authenticates users through GitHub using Omniauth and allows uploading of images using Carrierwave. -
Volunteering and Open-Source Contributions
- Railsbridge Boston www.railsbridgeboston.org
Volunteered as a TA to assist instructors in facilitating a two day Ruby on Rails workshop for women. - Quill.org github.com/empirical-org/quill
Contributed to Quill, an interactive grammar tool for children, as part of Code Good Sunday hosted by Developers For Good.