Our WordPress agency just won’t stop growing, and of course, we wouldn’t want it to! WebDevStudios (WDS) has added many new faces to our team. Today, we’d like to introduce you to two in particular: Lauren Pittenger, Frontend Engineer, and Robert Gillmer, Support Engineer. Continue reading to learn all about their backgrounds and interests.
Lauren Pittenger, Frontend Engineer
Lauren’s goal is really simple: “Do really good work,” she says. She is destined to fit right in as one of the new faces at WebDevStudios.
Originally, Lauren got her degree in English because she was inspired by a professor who taught her how to think critically, which she loved. However, she knew she didn’t want to teach and she had always been interested in graphic design and the internet.
“It was then that I decided to take a class on HTML and CSS, and that’s when I fell in love with frontend development,” Lauren explains her change in career aspirations. “I felt totally in the flow, and I loved creating something that didn’t exist before. From there, it was a lot of self-learning, taking on any freelance clients that came my way, and working on gaining the skills to get a full-time dev job.”
While working previously with another company, Lauren got the chance to work with WDS on a client project, and she really enjoyed the experience. This led to her desire to join our team.
“I heard a lot about WDS from folks in the WordPress community and knew they were a group of really smart people. I also believed that I would really level up myself, if I got the job.” Lauren did, and we’re excited to have her.
On her team profile page, you may notice that Lauren features a quote from Byron Katie that goes, “Don’t believe everything you think.” She reveals why it’s there, saying, “This quote is really important to me because it reminds me that our thoughts are not facts, and we have control over what we think and what we believe. It also reminds me that based on what we think and believe, we create our reality and our lives; and I want to live a deliberate and intentional life.”
When Lauren isn’t coding and designing the frontends of amazing websites, she likes listening to podcasts. She has culled her subscriptions down to two: “The Life Coach School” and “Make Money as a Life Coach” (MMALC).
“I listen to these because ‘The Life Coach School’ podcast has changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. My life is so much different than it was four years ago when I discovered it. I listen to ‘MMALC’ because I am both interested in life coaching want to learn more about the mindset it takes to earn money, regardless of profession.”
Robert Gillmore, Support Engineer
Eleven years is a long time to be working in WordPress. Still, Support Engineer, Robert Gillmore, shows no signs of slowing down or giving up on the popular open-source platform, which has taken over more than 40% of the internet.
“The community is a big part of what’s kept me in this industry,” Robert explains his unwavering interest in WordPress. “It’s refreshing that all the people involved in WordPress are actively working together, sometimes in a volunteer capacity, to make WordPress a better product.”
While Robert is among the new faces at WebDevStudios, his job role is focused at Maintainn, the WordPress maintenance and support arm of our company. His career path comes with many accolades. Robert took first place in the 2016 WordCamp Orange County’s Plugin-a-Palooza competition and third place the following year. He was also the lead organizer for Las Vega Vegas WordCamp 2017 and co-organizer for Las Vegas WordCamps 2014, 2015, and 2018. Frequently, he presents at the Las Vegas WordPress Meetup events, too. Let’s just say, Robert plays an active role in the WordPress community.
“This industry is changing rapidly, and WordCamps are a way for me to keep learning new things and to be exposed to new ideas. I learn something new and useful at every single WordCamp,” he says, adding, “Speaking at WordCamps is a great experience, as well. It gives you a chance to share knowledge with your peers, and a more educated base makes everything better. A rising tide lifts all boats, and all that.” Even if you’re new to WordPress, Robert encourages you to attend events, saying, “It’s a chance to meet new people and learn new things.”
So, when Robert isn’t busy supporting our Maintainn clients and contributing to the WordPress community, he his immersing himself in the pop culture world. “I’m a fan of Marvel movies, but I’m unfortunately still a casual when it comes to the source material. After every movie or TV show, I’ll find myself Googling, ‘Who is….’ The websites DenOfGeek.com, Nerdist.com, and Collider.com have come to the rescue more than once. I’m also constantly scrolling Reddit, and about half my subs are related to TV shows and movies.”
WebDevStudios Is Hiring!
Are you interested in being among WebDevStudios’ new faces? We’re currently recruiting lead, backend, and frontend engineers, as well as a UX designer. Take a look at our Careers page and submit your online application today.
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