Fractional CTO & Technical Advisor
I help engineering teams turn ambiguity into executable technical direction — engineering leadership, applied AI, and architecture, without committing to a full-time hire. Based in Portland, Oregon; working with teams anywhere.
Who I work with
01 / FitTeams at companies of many sizes — from startups to established organizations — navigating a step-change in scale, an AI initiative, or a technical decision that's hard to walk back. If you're a non-technical founder, I can be the technical counterpart who turns product intent into a plan. If you already have an engineering team, I help your leaders make sharper calls, faster.
What we work on
02 / Scope01Engineering leadership & org design
Building and structuring engineering teams that ship — hiring, process, and the operating rhythm that turns headcount into momentum. Fifteen years across founder, CTO, and technical-lead roles, including building Dwelo from the ground up into a Series A company.
02Applied AI & LLM integration
Where AI actually creates leverage in your product and your team — embedded in real workflows rather than bolted on as a chat box. Grounded in a graduate linguistics background (with computer-science coursework focused on computational linguistics) and hands-on LLM implementation.
03Architecture & technical strategy
Pragmatic architecture reviews and technical direction: what to build, what to defer, and which decisions are hard to reverse. Translating long-term business goals into a technical plan a team can execute.
040→1 product sequencing & technical due diligence
MVP definition and sequencing before a full team exists, and independent technical due diligence when something needs an honest second opinion.
How engagements work
03 / FormatsMonthly retainer
Ongoing advisory — a standing line to me for the decisions that come up as you build. Best when you want continuity over time.
One-time review
A focused architecture, codebase, or technical-strategy review delivered as a written set of findings and recommendations. Best when you have a specific question or a go / no-go decision.
Fractional engagement
Hands-on, part-time technical leadership for a defined period — standing in as your CTO while you build toward the right full-time hire.
References available on request.
Building something hard, or weighing a big technical decision?
Tell me what you're building or weighing. I read everything and reply to the specific.