About Me

Hi, I'm Chris. I am passionate about the power of technology to improve lives, and that passion has taken me from Melbourne to Silicon Valley (in 2013) and back to Sydney (in 2019).

In 2019, after graduating from my Executive MBA.

A quick summary of what makes me, me. I am a:

Software Engineer & Site Reliability Engineer

Across almost 20 years in the technology industry building software, I've led projects, managed teams, interviewed candidates, and trained and mentored people. My proudest achievements have been helping colleagues grow in their capabilities and careers.

In 2013 and 2014 at Pivotal, I led a team of 8 engineers and ran a cloud-based app platform. We implemented continuous delivery. It was my first experience of eliminating toil, before the term existed.
From 2014 until 2019 at Uber, I built several of Uber's first SRE teams. As part of a variety of teams over the years, I built & worked on tools across the company's software stack. I helped train SREs and on-calls, managed many teams, interviewed hundreds of candidates across all of Uber eng, and responded to some of the wildest software failures you've never heard about.
In 2020 at Airbnb, I worked on scam defense, anti-fraud, and anti-spam. I built systems that used Airbnb's data to prevent fake listings.
In 2021 at Canva, I built the company's first SRE teams using knowledge acquired in my past career.

Technologist

Since childhood I kept up with the trends in the technology industry. It set me on a path to Silicon Valley (I was there from 2013 until 2019).

We are lucky to be alive at a time when technology is exploding into existence. We're learning about this new medium as we create it.

Anyone passionate about something should go to the place where it's happening. In 2013 I moved to San Francisco. Thanks to couchsurfing - now sadly defunct - I made instant friends and had 3 job interviews in the space of 11 days. The best things happen when you leave your comfort zone - and when they do, they can happen fast.
From 2002 until 2012, I cofounded Extreme LAN, a gaming event where people brought their PCs from home. Our team of 11 volunteers set up a network and gaming hall for a weekend, growing (briefly) to be the largest in Australia.
I'm passionate about Machine Learning and AI; we're only just beginning to understand what this tech can do for us. For example, GAN Theft Auto - a game generated entirely by a neural network - suggests a future of entertainment that is bespoke, generated on-demand, and infinite.
Anything on Hacker News, anything by Paul Graham, anything about the tech industry, Silicon Valley, software scalability, programming languages and frameworks, the web... that's my media diet! No fake news here!

Triathlete, Ocean Swimmer, Nature & Fitness Lover

I enjoy triathlon and train with the Bondi Running & Triathlon club, BRATs. Several mornings a week you'll find me swimming, cycling, or running. It's amazing to be awake early, do some exercise, have coffee with your friends, basically enjoy a whole day before your colleagues even get up.

Never sit down in transition. Photo credit: Robbie Parton

Finishing Western Sydney IM 70.3, September 2022.

I get great joy from ocean swimming. Whether you're out there to enjoy the meditative rhythm, the amazing sunrises and sunsets, the ocean wildlife, or to race and test your body's limits, ocean swimming always has something to offer. If you're in the area, come along on a Friday to Bondi Salties!

Entrepreneur

For as long as I can remember, I've been passionate about business. I've always wanted to start my own business.

In 2018 and 2019, I completed Monash University's Global Executive MBA - a 2-year Executive MBA, based in Melbourne, with modules in Shanghai, France, Germany, New York, and San Francisco.
In 2020 during the Covid pandemic, I co-founded Sparkle, an online events company. The company hosted dozens of online events including the 2020 and 2021 online rendition of Burning Man, which we separated from our commercial interests and called SparkleVerse, in the interest of Burning Man's Ten Principles.
In 2022, I am becoming a property buyer's agent.

Gamer

I've always loved gaming on the Nintendo Switch - a good game can be like the best books, transporting you to far away places.

I play single-player games, one at a time, and if a game is fun enough I'll go for 100% completion. Metroid Dread, Fez, and Shovel Knight are all games I've recently finished.

Surf Lifesaver

I currently live in Bondi Beach, Sydney. I chose this place after a lot of travel because it's jaw-droppingly beautiful and chock full of passionate people who love being part of community.

I love the ocean, I love community, and I love giving back. To that end, I've joined North Bondi surf lifesaving club (NBSLSC) and am an active member, patrolling the beach as a volunteer and (alongside the team) keeping you safe when you go swimming.

Finishing our Bronze Medallion surf lifesaving assessment, North Bondi, March 2021

Casual Philosopher

I take a keen interest in systems and psychology, and read voraciously anything in the space. Anything by Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Ariely, Nassim Nicholas Taleb and their ilk are right up my alley.

Without saying too much, I highly recommend exploring your mind and the universe with whatever chemical assistance you deem appropriate.

Builder of Community & "Burner" (Burning Man attendee)

I'm involved in the leadership of Co-reality Collective. Our camp's claim to fame is the online parties we threw on zoom during lockdown, and the zoom meeting we set up on playa.