It's official: I'm starting a new job with General Dynamics (@GDMS). After nine incredible years at Barkley (@BarkleyUs, @BarkleyREI), it's time to turn the page to a new chapter.
This isn't a decision I made lightly.
Reflecting on seven years well spent
Barkley has been more than just a workplace — it's been where I grew from a developer into someone who understands that great software is as much about people as it is about code. The agency environment taught me to think fast, adapt quickly, and always keep the client's real needs front and center.
Working in the creative and marketing space pushed me in ways I never expected. You learn to balance technical excellence with tight deadlines, elegant solutions with practical constraints. Every project brought new challenges, new technologies to master, and new problems to solve.
The relationships I've built there aren't just professional connections — they're genuine friendships that I'll carry forward. There's something special about going through project ageter project, launch after launch, celebration after celebration with the same group of people. We've supported each other through everything from production fires to personal milestones.
What's driving the change
Here's the thing about career growth: sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone to keep evolving. Barkley gave me an incredible foundation, but I've reached a point where I need to explore different technical challenges and expand my skillset in new directions.
General Dynamics represents exactly that kind of opportunity. Moving from agency work to the defense and technology sector means tackling problems at a completely different scale and complexity. The work is mission-critical in ways that marketing campaigns, however impactful, simply aren't.
I'm excited about diving deeper into enterprise-level systems, working with technologies that have real-world impact on national security and critical infrastructure. It's a chance to apply everything I've learned in a context where precision, reliability, and security aren't just nice-to-haves — they're absolute requirements.
What's next at GDMS
Starting April 25th, I'll be joining the team at General Dynamics Mission Systems. While I can't share too many specifics about the role yet, I can say it involves working on systems that genuinely matter — the kind of software that people depend on when stakes are highest.
The technical stack is robust, the team is seasoned, and the problems they're solving align perfectly with where I want to take my career. It's an opportunity to work on projects that will challenge me professionally while contributing to something larger than myself.
The transition
So yes, April 25th will be my last day of signing into Barkley's Slack. There will definitely be some emotional moments — saying goodbye to people you genuinely care about, wrapping up projects you've poured yourself into, transitioning knowledge to teammates who've become friends.
But that's the nature of growth, isn't it? You can't expand your capabilities without occasionally stepping into uncertainty. The years at Barkley prepared me for this next phase, and I'm grateful for every sprint, every retrospective, and every late-night deployment that got me here.
Looking ahead
Change is never easy, especially when you're leaving a place that's been home for so long. But I'm energized by the challenges ahead and the opportunity to apply my skills in a new environment.
To my Barkley family: thank you for years of growth, laughter, and some truly outstanding work. You've made me a better developer, a better teammate, and a better person.
To the GDMS team: I'm ready to dive in and contribute to the mission. Let's build something great together.
And to everyone else: feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or just to say hello. The best part about our industry is the community, and I'm looking forward to staying connected as this next chapter unfolds.
Here's to new challenges, new teammates, and the next phase of the journey.
