Adam Spooner

Home: 6007 Dawn Ridge Trail Greensboro, NC 27410 US

Home: 646-620-6005

Intentions

I intend to work hard, design well, develop accessible and standards-based web sites, learn something new everyday, and treat others with the utmost respect.

Abilities

All of my code is written by hand. This allows me to scrutinize every line, word, and character. Each of my abilities is ranked according to the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition. The following key is here for your convenience:

  1. N: Novice
  2. AB: Advanced Beginner
  3. C: Competent
  4. P: Proficient
  5. E: Expert

I also enjoy tinkering in the following programming languages. My knowledge of each is mostly cursory.

Experience

NewSpring Church Anderson, South Carolina

Web Developer July 1, 2009—Present

I am responsible for all development and some design aspects of NewSpring Church's web entities. I also administer our dedicated Red Hat Enterprise Linux server, which includes setting up and maintaining Git and Subversion repositories, an Apache web server with virtual hosts, and other general system administration duties.

I've built most of NewSpring's web sites using the ExpressionEngine CMS, but I've also created a few custom applications in PHP using the CodeIgniter framework.

Some of my proudest achievements are flawlessly migrating all of NewSpring's web sites (including MySQL databases) from shared hosting to a dedicated server. I've increased site performance by minifying and compressing (gzip compression) all CSS and JavaScript and serving static content from cookie-less domains. I've streamlined the web team's workflow by keeping code in a repository and writing a build process (in bash) that minifies, compresses, adds a version, and pushes all static content live.

OkCupid New York, New York

Lead Designer and Front-End Developer May 1, 2007—June 15, 2009

I was responsible for the look and feel of all OkCupid's web sites, including OkCupid, HelloQuizzy, and Crazy Blind Date. I was also responsible for the front-end code-base comprised of thousands of lines of code, and I managed a team of three front-end developers who reported directly to me. The occasional piece of printed paraphernalia, including business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and marketing materials was also my responsibility.

Some of my proudest achievements were converting our HTML to valid, standards-compliant markup; maintaing 4 translations, including Arabic; successfully leading a small team of front-end developers; and being responsible for the most successful and positively received—by the site's users—redesign in the company's history.

Freelance Virtually Everywhere

Design and Development June 1998—Present

My parents are both computer geeks, so I was able to get an early start following in their footsteps. I've been designing and developing web sites since my junior year in high school. Since then, I've worked on quite a few freelance projects for weddings (print and web design), small businesses, and independent bands, most notably, Bishop Allen.

References

Chris Coyne Co-founder, President, and Creative Director at OkCupid
“I've been working with designers for over ten years, and Adam would be my first pick for any project. He approaches each assignment with all the considerations it deserves: the business angle, the aesthetic goal, and the technical limitations of the medium. What he designs appeals to everyone around him, and he's a pleasure to work with.
Joshua Blankenship Design Director at NewSpring Church
“Relentless work ethic, self-management, a healthy desire to learn (inside and outside his core competencies), and meticulous attention to detail and craft—I've never worked with a better web developer. As a designer, I can trust that my pages will be built in pixel perfect fashion. As a strategist, I know I'll get solid feedback and pushback from Adam where it's needed. He's a rare talent, elevating projects and teams.
Zac Smith Former Central Operations Executive Director at NewSpring Church
“Adam defines the perfect employee. He is motivated by his aggressive work ethic which helps define his imitable character. His code is efficient and clean. I really appreciate his contrarian nature which brings freshness to stock situations. His wit and personality make him a joy to be around both at work and at play. I am quite happy I know Adam.
Sam Yagan Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at OkCupid
“Adam was a tremendous contributor to our company. He led by example, demonstrating a tireless work ethic and dedication to excellence in his work. His managers, colleagues, and direct reports uniformly praised his interpersonal skills and greatly enjoyed working with him. Adam also positively impacted everyone's morale, making the office a more positive and enjoyable place for others to work.

Diversions

Typography
Typography is the first tool I reach for in my design toolbox. It's also my first true obsession. I enjoy studying typefaces and their impact on society, reading about the history of typography, and collecting obscure type families.
Reading
Most of my free time is spent reading. I'm what some would call a bookworm. I take notes and keep track of my habit on Readernaut.
The Art of Computer Programming
Most programmers have heard of the inimitable Donald Knuth. His series, The Art of Computer Programming, is no mindless undertaking. I've decided to take on this Mount Everest of a series in hopes of completing one volume per year; it's my most recent and ambitious diversion.
Programming Languages
A major subset of my reading habit focuses on programming languages. I enjoy reading about their makers, their history, their nuances, and their impact on programming.
Classical Languages
Greek and Latin are two of my favorite languages. I spend a bit of time sharpening my skills in each. I'm nearly proficient in classical Greek and am slowly working my way through Latin.
Road Cycling
The majority of my youth was spent working at a bike shop, where I earned my certification in bicycle maintenance. I love riding because it's good for me and good for the environment.