My Journey into Tech: From Roller Rinks to SaaS Engineer at GoDaddy
My Journey into Tech
My path into technology wasn’t a straight line, but it led me exactly where I was meant to be. Before joining GoDaddy in 2017, I managed a roller-skating rink and, before that, worked at a funeral home—not exactly the usual route into cloud computing! That said, I’ve always had a passion for tech. Growing up, I was the kid sneaking out after midnight to play The Sims on a computer I had rigged to bypass parental controls. I loved gadgets—especially phones—and probably owned almost every new model that came out back then (RIP, Sidekick).
I’d heard great things about working at GoDaddy but didn’t think I had the right experience. Luckily, someone I knew encouraged me to apply, and I landed a Customer Sales and Support role. That opportunity sparked my tech career. I dove into learning how the internet works—everything from domains to hosting—and quickly realized I wanted to explore the technical side even further.
From there, I rotated through various teams: Sales, Hosting, WDS, and eventually found my place in Corporate Tech, working on internal systems. Today, I’m a SaaS Platform Systems Engineer III, partnering with teams across the company to build scalable solutions and enhance the SaaS tools our teams depend on every day.
About a year into this role, I decided to take things to the next level and return to school. I enrolled in Western Governors University’s Cloud Computing Program in 2021 and graduated this past June with my bachelor’s degree. It was important for me that my role aligned with my long-term goals, and now it does.
What Real-World Problems Does Your Team Solve?
We partner with both internal and customer-facing teams to help them work smarter. That means streamlining workflows, automating repetitive processes, and designing better systems for customer interaction. Essentially, we transform processes into scalable, efficient solutions using SaaS tools—primarily the Atlassian suite, including Jira, Jira Service Management, and Confluence.
A big part of our job is listening. We work closely with stakeholders to understand their pain points and desired outcomes. From there, we recommend and implement the best solution. It’s never just about taking an order—it’s about identifying the real problem and solving it in the best way possible.
What’s the Most Challenging Yet Rewarding Project You’ve Worked on at GoDaddy?
It’s hard to pick just one because every project brings a unique set of challenges. The nature of my role means I’m constantly collaborating with different teams, each with their own systems and needs.
One day, I might be redesigning a ticketing workflow to eliminate bottlenecks; the next, troubleshooting an automation that affects how requests move between systems. There’s no universal solution, so I have to stay adaptable, think critically, and really listen before building.
It can feel like juggling a lot, but seeing a process finally click—making someone’s job easier—is what makes it all worthwhile.
How Do You Stay Updated on SaaS Trends and Technologies?
Recently, completing my Cloud Computing degree helped me stay on top of the latest concepts and technologies. Beyond that, I keep an eye on new developments in the Atlassian ecosystem since those tools are core to my role.
I regularly review release notes, read documentation updates, and stay active in community forums, especially when planning new configurations. And honestly, when I hit something unfamiliar, I research it immediately—Google is still one of my favorite tools.
What Makes GoDaddy’s Engineering Team Unique?
The level of support here is outstanding. Leadership keeps us informed about new initiatives and upcoming changes, so we’re never blindsided. There’s also a genuine focus on growth, well-being, and creating a positive environment where people actually enjoy coming to work.
The culture is collaborative and helpful—if you’re working on a tool you’ve never used before, there’s always a team ready to jump in and assist. We truly live out the value of “Joining Forces,” and that makes a huge difference in how we work together.
What Do You Enjoy Outside of Work?
I love being outdoors whenever possible. In summer, you’ll find me paddle boarding on the Salt River or camping up north. When it cools down, I’m usually hiking and exploring new trails across Arizona.
My wife and I also love traveling—we’ve been exploring new destinations across the U.S., like New York City and Austin, Texas. At home, I’m into board games, video games, and making homemade pizza with my countertop pizza oven (a weekend favorite!).
I’m also part of the leadership team for GD United, one of GoDaddy’s Employee Resource Groups supporting LGBTQIA+ inclusion. One highlight is leading our efforts for the Phoenix Pride Parade each year, where GoDaddy sponsors and participates. Being part of a company that shows up for its people and stands for something meaningful is truly rewarding.
My path into technology wasn’t a straight line, but it led me exactly where I was meant to be. Before joining GoDaddy in 2017, I managed a roller-skating rink and, before that, worked at a funeral home—not exactly the usual route into cloud computing! That said, I’ve always had a passion for tech. Growing up, I was the kid sneaking out after midnight to play The Sims on a computer I had rigged to bypass parental controls. I loved gadgets—especially phones—and probably owned almost every new model that came out back then (RIP, Sidekick).
I’d heard great things about working at GoDaddy but didn’t think I had the right experience. Luckily, someone I knew encouraged me to apply, and I landed a Customer Sales and Support role. That opportunity sparked my tech career. I dove into learning how the internet works—everything from domains to hosting—and quickly realized I wanted to explore the technical side even further.
From there, I rotated through various teams: Sales, Hosting, WDS, and eventually found my place in Corporate Tech, working on internal systems. Today, I’m a SaaS Platform Systems Engineer III, partnering with teams across the company to build scalable solutions and enhance the SaaS tools our teams depend on every day.
About a year into this role, I decided to take things to the next level and return to school. I enrolled in Western Governors University’s Cloud Computing Program in 2021 and graduated this past June with my bachelor’s degree. It was important for me that my role aligned with my long-term goals, and now it does.
What Real-World Problems Does Your Team Solve?
We partner with both internal and customer-facing teams to help them work smarter. That means streamlining workflows, automating repetitive processes, and designing better systems for customer interaction. Essentially, we transform processes into scalable, efficient solutions using SaaS tools—primarily the Atlassian suite, including Jira, Jira Service Management, and Confluence.
A big part of our job is listening. We work closely with stakeholders to understand their pain points and desired outcomes. From there, we recommend and implement the best solution. It’s never just about taking an order—it’s about identifying the real problem and solving it in the best way possible.
What’s the Most Challenging Yet Rewarding Project You’ve Worked on at GoDaddy?
It’s hard to pick just one because every project brings a unique set of challenges. The nature of my role means I’m constantly collaborating with different teams, each with their own systems and needs.
One day, I might be redesigning a ticketing workflow to eliminate bottlenecks; the next, troubleshooting an automation that affects how requests move between systems. There’s no universal solution, so I have to stay adaptable, think critically, and really listen before building.
It can feel like juggling a lot, but seeing a process finally click—making someone’s job easier—is what makes it all worthwhile.
How Do You Stay Updated on SaaS Trends and Technologies?
Recently, completing my Cloud Computing degree helped me stay on top of the latest concepts and technologies. Beyond that, I keep an eye on new developments in the Atlassian ecosystem since those tools are core to my role.
I regularly review release notes, read documentation updates, and stay active in community forums, especially when planning new configurations. And honestly, when I hit something unfamiliar, I research it immediately—Google is still one of my favorite tools.
What Makes GoDaddy’s Engineering Team Unique?
The level of support here is outstanding. Leadership keeps us informed about new initiatives and upcoming changes, so we’re never blindsided. There’s also a genuine focus on growth, well-being, and creating a positive environment where people actually enjoy coming to work.
The culture is collaborative and helpful—if you’re working on a tool you’ve never used before, there’s always a team ready to jump in and assist. We truly live out the value of “Joining Forces,” and that makes a huge difference in how we work together.
What Do You Enjoy Outside of Work?
I love being outdoors whenever possible. In summer, you’ll find me paddle boarding on the Salt River or camping up north. When it cools down, I’m usually hiking and exploring new trails across Arizona.
My wife and I also love traveling—we’ve been exploring new destinations across the U.S., like New York City and Austin, Texas. At home, I’m into board games, video games, and making homemade pizza with my countertop pizza oven (a weekend favorite!).
I’m also part of the leadership team for GD United, one of GoDaddy’s Employee Resource Groups supporting LGBTQIA+ inclusion. One highlight is leading our efforts for the Phoenix Pride Parade each year, where GoDaddy sponsors and participates. Being part of a company that shows up for its people and stands for something meaningful is truly rewarding.
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