Expert Details
Software & Technology: Product, Commercialization, M&A Strategy, Expert Witness
ID: 739810
Colorado, USA
Currently, Expert spearheads a company that is a trailblazer in artificial intelligence software, and is reshaping how the legal industry operates in the 21st century and beyond. His expertise also extends to consulting, where he offers strategic guidance to boards and C-suite executives through his firm. Beyond corporate realms, he is a valued member of the Board of Advisors for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for a top University, a role he has held since 2017.
Expert's career is marked by a series of pioneering initiatives in reinventing product and commercial strategies. His leadership has been instrumental in launching new products and strategies that have not only transformed businesses but also made a significant impact on society. His contributions to technology are deeply embedded in everyday life. As a thought leader, his insights are highly sought after, and he has shared his wealth of knowledge through teaching engagements at the University of California, California State University, and University of Maryland systems, as well as on the open edX platform.
He holds a U.S. Patent in data security and is working on additional patents in application security and artificial intelligence.
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE:
• Formulated and executed product portfolio strategies for organizations such as NGINX/F5, VMware, HashiCorp, and Oracle Cloud, leading to significant revenue growth, market share expansion, increased customer satisfaction, and expansion into new markets.
• Formulated an open ecosystem and SaaS strategy for NGINX to increase adoption of management plane and security products, improve integration support for best-of-breed open-source and industry tooling, and improve the overall customer experience.
• Transformed product portfolios by identifying new market opportunities, driving innovation, and aligning product roadmaps with customer needs and industry trends.
• Developed and implemented product development frameworks, OKRs, and success metrics, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and driving efficiency and effectiveness in product delivery.
• Championed a customer-first perspective in product development, working closely with customers to understand their pain points, gather feedback, and incorporate customer insights into product design and development processes.
• Established strong customer relationships through executive sponsorship programs, strategic account management, and collaborative product development initiatives, resulting in increased net revenue retention and expansion of existing business relationships.
• Conducted regular customer engagement activities, including user research, interviews, and feedback sessions, to ensure that products met and exceeded customer expectations.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE:
• Successfully managed a diverse portfolio of highly technical products, including API gateways, WAAP, WAF, DoS protection, proxies, load balancers, and web servers, that serve as vital components of the internet infrastructure. These products are utilized by over 50% of web sites, major cloud services, voice assistants, financial services companies, and streaming providers. Led the development of management plane offerings that provide customers with an “easy button” to effectively oversee and control the complex data plane products. Additionally, drove the adoption of SaaS-delivered solutions, enabling non-technical audiences to effortlessly leverage the power of these products while streamlining the technical complexities behind the scenes.
• Designed and implemented scalable platforms at PayPal and eBay, utilizing open-source technologies, containers, and horizontally scaled microservices and data stores ahead of industry trends, enabling a multibillion-dollar business.
• Scaled Oracle Fusion Cloud from a manually managed platform to an automated platform with governance capabilities, leveraging open-source and commercial tooling, such as SaltStack, Terraform, Elastic Stack, and more.
• Created an AI legal assistant application utilizing the ChatGPT API and previously launched LegalGuru, an AI legal assistant, at San Diego Startup Week, showcasing technical expertise in AI-driven solutions.
• Owned product validation across all products at HashiCorp, working extensively with the entire product portfolio and leveraging open-source technologies, AWS, GCP, and Azure to ensure robust and reliable offerings.
• Developed complex technical coursework with labs in cloud computing for the California State University, University of California, and University of Maryland systems, demonstrating expertise in instructional design and technical education.
• Filed US Patent Application, a strategically important solution to Oracle related to securing electronic voting data stores, which was allowed in May 2023 and is pending issuance, reflecting innovative thinking and contributions to the field.
• Provided technology and product strategy consulting to companies in the pharmaceutical, entertainment, private equity, financial services, and technology sectors, leveraging deep domain expertise and business acumen.
BUSINESS RESULTS:
• Drove billions in revenue growth for VMware, owning product trust and enterprise readiness for over sixty products, including VMware Tanzu, CloudHealth, and vRealize lines, ensuring customer satisfaction and driving business growth.
• Led the rapid expansion of Oracle Fusion Cloud, growing customer base from <200 to over 10,000, and revenue from <$30 million per quarter to $700 million, establishing scalable automation platforms and driving strategic product development.
• Successfully transformed VMware's classified special programs, building a new classified cloud platform, achieving top-secret certifications, and migrating legacy customers, positioning the business as a significant contributor to overall value.
• Drove triple-digit growth for HashiCorp's public sector business, establishing the company as a leading provider of enterprise solutions for government agencies and driving business expansion in a critical market segment.
• Proposed a new invention at F5 for a novel security improvement in the MFA space, showcasing continuous dedication to innovation and advancing security measures.
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE:
• Led high-performing teams with a people-first leadership style, achieving zero attrition rates and fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.
• Contributed to industry standards and thought leadership as a member of the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council and through speaking engagements at prestigious events.
• Leveraged expertise in technology and product strategy consulting, advising companies in various sectors, including pharmaceutical, entertainment, private equity, financial services, and technology.
• Created and delivered complex technical coursework with labs in cloud computing for multiple educational institutions, demonstrating leadership in instructional design and technical education.
INDUSTRY & COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT:
• Actively engaged in industry events and conferences. These presentations have showcased his thought leadership and expertise in areas such as product development, cloud technology, and innovation.
• Represented NGINX at the Southern California Linux Expo (SCaLE) conference, where he shared insights on NGINX's technology and industry trends with a diverse audience.
• Presented at a public sector symposium in the Washington, DC area, demonstrating his subject matter expertise and contributions to the crucial public sector market.
• Created and funded a STEM scholarship for a rural, economically challenged area, providing opportunities for aspiring students to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
• Contributed to the field through the creation of content and teaching at highly diverse schools, with a specific focus on enabling underrepresented minorities and women to launch successful careers in the technology industry.
• Worked on the PCI-DSS container orchestration paper, providing insights and expertise on secure containerization practices within the payment card industry, contributing to industry standards and best practices.
• Served on the board of advisors for the electrical and computer engineering department at the University of California, Riverside, providing guidance and expertise to shape educational programs and foster innovation within the academic community.
Education
Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
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Year: 2013 | Degree: JD | Subject: Law | Institution: Thomas Jefferson School of Law |
Year: 2006 | Degree: BBA | Subject: Business | Institution: Strayer University |
Work History
Years | Employer | Title | Department |
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Years: 2023 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: CEO | Department: |
Responsibilities:Founder and CEO of an artificial intelligence software firm for the legal industry. A pioneering company in the legal tech industry that specializes in artificial intelligence-powered legal assistance.Responsibilities: • Lead the strategic planning and execution to drive business growth and development. • Oversee the research and development of AI technologies tailored for legal applications. • Foster relationships with legal firms and stakeholders to understand their needs and how to address them. • Ensure the highest level of accuracy and compliance in the AI legal assistant’s functionalities. • Drive fundraising and manage investor relations to secure the financial health of the company. • Lead a diverse team of AI experts, legal professionals, and business strategists. • Stay abreast of legal industry trends and technological advancements to keep competitive and innovative. • Represent at industry conferences, events, and media interviews. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2023 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: CEO | Department: |
Responsibilities:Boardroom level consulting firm focused on commercial and product strategy. Expert has advised executive teams on several multibillion and many multimillion dollar M&A activities. He has also advised S&P 500 and Fortune 500 companies on product and commercial strategies. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2017 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Member Of The Board Of Advisors, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Department: |
Responsibilities:Served as a member of the Board of Advisors for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Bourns College of Engineering at UC Riverside since 2017.Taught a variety of courses for the School of Business and previously the College of Engineering. General content included product management, business law, information technology, entrepreneurship, and engineering. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2022 to 2023 | Employer: F5, Inc. | Title: Senior Director | Department: |
Responsibilities:Played a pivotal role in directing and reshaping the company's product trajectory. Beyond orchestrating product strategies for several offerings and leading transformative initiatives, he has also pioneered new product inventions, which are presently undergoing the patent process.Key Milestones: • Led the successful launch of two cutting-edge products, reflecting the company's commitment to progressive solutions and adaptability in the market. • Overhauled the product development framework, ensuring a more agile and result-driven approach. • Established a customer-centric product organization, with a goal to ensure products excel in capability and align with user requirements. • Introduced innovative product inventions that are currently navigating the patent process, reinforcing F5, Inc.'s position as a beacon of technological advancement. • Throughout Expert's tenure at F5, Inc., he has consistently demonstrated strategic acumen, fostered team unity, and maintained an unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction and groundbreaking innovation. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2021 to 2022 | Employer: VMware, Inc. | Title: Director, Trust Engineering Programs - Modern Apps & Management Business Group | Department: |
Responsibilities:Responsibility for Trust engineering programs across the Modern Applications and Management Business Group, which included all of the products of the former Cloud Management and Modern Applications Business Units (Tanzu, vRealize, and CloudHealth product lines). Organization included engineering and product teams with experts in Federal (classified and unclassified) and commercial compliance requirements. Owned VMware’s managed AWS C2S services, including product, engineering, and SRE. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2020 to 2021 | Employer: HashiCorp | Title: PM Leadership | Department: |
Responsibilities:Built out the Product Governance and Compliance organization within HashiCorp, with a focus on the enterprise requirements of the US Public Sector. Team's scope included corporate governance, procurement compliance, specialized operating environments (GovCloud, C2S/SC2S, Azure Secret, and AirGapped on-premise), controls strategy, product validation and certifications, and product compliance automation using policy as code frameworks like HashiCorp Sentinel. Worked across the product, engineering, GTM, security, and G&A organizations to move initiatives forward. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2018 to 2020 | Employer: Geekdom Labs, Inc. | Title: CEO | Department: |
Responsibilities:Consultant to various companies, including Fortune 500. Founder of a legal AI application. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2014 to 2018 | Employer: Oracle | Title: Senior Director | Department: |
Responsibilities:Responsible for lifecycle management for the Oracle Fusion (part of Oracle Cloud) product line. Reported to an executive who owned the Oracle Fusion Cloud business. Responsible for implementing basic automation capabilities in place worldwide, which enabled the business to accelerate (the specifics of acceleration are in Oracle SEC filings). Iterated and developed new capabilities over time, reinventing the state-of-the-art. Organization was global in scope, and Expert also led several R&D initiatives. Served on the patent committee for multiple divisions of Oracle, focusing primarily on Cloud, applications, hardware, and next-generation technologies. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2012 to 2014 | Employer: Everyone Counts, Inc. | Title: Director | Department: |
Responsibilities:Modernized elections management and voting systems globally. Led voting projects for the Oscars, Emmys, major accounting and management consulting firms, and multiple public sector entities. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2009 to 2012 | Employer: Active Network | Title: Senior Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:Led new R&D initiative to reinvent the company's portfolio. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 2008 to 2009 | Employer: PayPal | Title: Technical Architect | Department: |
Responsibilities:Owned multiple large-scale products servicing billions of transactions. Created AI anti-fraud detection systems and incorporated into PayPal business flows. |
Government Experience
Years | Agency | Role | Description |
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Years: 2003 to Present | Agency: US Department of Defense | Role: | Description: Various projects with various DoD entities. Currently possess a high-level security clearance. |
Years: 2003 to 2007 | Agency: US Department of Transportation | Role: | Description: |
Years: 2001 to 2003 | Agency: US Department of Education | Role: | Description: |
Years: 2012 to 2014 | Agency: State of New Jersey | Role: Elections Modernization Consultant | Description: |
Years: 2012 to 2014 | Agency: State of Michigan, State of Colorado, State of Washington, State of Oregon, State of California, State of Georgia, State of Florida | Role: Elections Software Consultant | Description: |
Years: 2020 to 2023 | Agency: Classified Agencies | Role: | Description: |
Career Accomplishments
Professional Appointments |
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Board of Advisors, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of California - Riverside. Previously an Adjunct Lecturer: California State University (San Marcos and Channel Islands campuses), University of California (Riverside), and University of Maryland Global Campus. |
Publications and Patents Summary |
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He holds a U.S. Patent in data security and is working on additional patents in application security and artificial intelligence. |