About me
Curious
by nature,
creator at heart.
I'm drawn to good stories & the moments worth telling them about — behind a camera, on a plane, in a kitchen making one more ice cream cake. By day, I also build backend systems in Go & Ruby on Rails, the kind of quiet engineering that holds bigger things together.
Outside of all that, I advocate for foster youth as a CASA volunteer & train for marathons. I care about showing up with intention, whether that's in a courtroom, a community, or a collaboration.
What I do
Built on stories.
Grown through people.
Storytelling & Content
Behind-the-scenes content, photography, & a lifestyle blog built around real moments, not staged ones.
Travel & Experiences
38+ countries & counting, plus hotel & experience collaborations built on places worth talking about.
Community & Partnerships
Brand collaborations & sponsorships alongside philanthropy & advocacy work I show up for consistently.
Engineering & Craft
3-4+ years in Go & Ruby on Rails. The problem-solving instinct behind everything else I build.
Giving back
Service as
a practice,
not a footnote.
These aren't side projects. They're the reason I show up with intention in both code & community. In high school, I founded a nonprofit called Codemmnity to support my local community through technical projects with other students. I strive to constantly develop my investment in my civic duties, advocacy, & community.
CASA Volunteer
Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth, providing consistent adult advocacy through the court system. Currently volunteering with Orange County CASA.
Citizen Review Board
Previously served on the Citizen Review Board in Multnomah County, Oregon, advocating for transparency & accountability in public safety initiatives.
Educator
Previously a substitute teacher, mentor, and tutor, I've worked with K-12 students to foster a love of learning, critical thinking, & creativity in Computer Science fundamentals.
Unusual Skills
Cooked dozens of paellas to feed 10+ people + fundraised over $30k. Successfully hosted 9 surprise birthday parties. Baked dozens of ice cream cakes.
Photography
Through the lens.
I enjoy portrait photography & capturing moments that tell a story.
Things I've done
Events &
moments.
A running thread of conferences, community moments, & things worth remembering.
World travel
Places that
stayed with me.
Playground
Sharlena Trivia
correct answers
Interactive
try: help · about · cats · skills · hire
Get in touch
Let's create
something
together.
Open to brand partnerships, fun collaborations, thoughtful projects, & the occasional coffee chat.