Alanna Risse
Presentation Layer Web Developer
Portland, Oregon
alanna@angrypirate.com
download pdf
:::: OVERVIEW ::::
I am a creative and innovative presentation layer developer with well-rounded experience that spans from design to back-end code with an emphasis and expertise in design implementation into CSS and web page integration with back-end development. I've worn many hats and adapt well to most environments. As a seasoned veteran, I constantly strive to increase my skills and knowledge by keeping up to date with new trends in front-end web development. I believe coding is an art form.
:::: EDUCATION ::::
• BFA Painting/Drawing California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA Graduated with high distinction
• Attended Foothill and De Anza Community colleges 87 — 92
Studied Art, Graphic Design and Photography and General Education courses
:::: WEB DEVELOPMENT SKILLS ::::
Technologies: HTML, CSS, Struts/Tiles, JSP, Javascript, Ajax, SQL, ATG Dynamo, UNIX, CVS, Subversion, DHTML, PHP, Ruby on Rails, Drupal, vBulletin, streaming
media.
Graphics Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe
Illustrator, BBedit, Dreamweaver, Flash.
Platforms: Unix/Liunx, Mac OSX, Windows
:::: JOB EXPERIENCE ::::
Web Designer/Developer - Self Employed - Portland OR June 2010 - Present
Deigned and maintained websites for The Baker and The Book Confections, Woodlawn Swap N Play, Downtown Artistry, and Glen Moriwaki. Modified Wordpress and Blogger templates or created my own templates with PHP.
Web Developer - Williams-Sonoma - San Francisco June 2008 - July 2010
Responsible for updating and expanding presentation layer of west elm website. Worked closely with Java developers, quality assurance team, creative team, product manager and project manager located throughout the United States through telephone conference calls, Instant Message, and email. Delivered time estimates for releases. Crafted designs in CSS and JSP for new website sections. Ensured Browser compatability with Ie 6 and up, Firefox 2 and 3, Safari, Netscape, and Chrome. Technologies: IBM Websphere, CVS, JSP. Tools used: Eclipse, Dreamweaver, Photoshop.
Web Developer - Singlebound Creative - San Francisco, CA Part time contractor July 2006 - February 2008
Web development, user experience design, and site maintenance. Clients include Men's Wearhouse, Blanc & Otus, The Nature Conservancy, Mig33, Ztail. Technologies: CSS, HTML, Ajax, JavaScript, JSP. Experience with transforming Photoshop and Illustrator designs into template systems including Drupal, vBullentin, and Tyepad.
Web Developer - Gap Inc. Direct - San Francisco, CA Nov 2004 - March 2005
Developed internal marketing tools using JSP Struts, Tiles. Gained a great deal of experience with JSTL, DisplayTag, Struts validation. Developed a clean, simple, easy to use UI utilizing CSS, DHTML, Struts/Tiles and creativity. Wrote simple Java code when necessary, especially around ActionForms where Struts validation wouldn't cut it.
Environment: IBM Websphere, Merant Dimensions.
Web Developer - Timbuk2 - San Francisco, CA July 2003 - Nov 2004
Involved in a multi-tiered redesign of the Timbuk2 ecommerce website. Involved in all aspects of the site from design to development with an emphasis on the Front End. Created content, photos and graphics. Created color overlays for bag photos using photoshop. Chopped and created graphics in Photoshop and Illustrator. Coded site templates and created file structure. Hand coded JSP, HTML, CSS, and Javascript. created all the catalog entries in PostgresSQL. The site is hosted on a server running JBoss, Apache and Tomcat using Struts/Tiles Framework with PostgresSQL database.
Environment: Linux Red Hat Development box. Developed mainly on my Mac using BBedit and Samba, and the Mac Terminal.
Web Developer, Yahoo! - Sunnyvale, CA May 2002 - May 2003 - Contractor
Developed Promotional pages for SBC Yahoo! DSL and Dial websites, FIFA worldcup soccer, Ford Gorge Games, Major
League Lacrosse. Trained new contractor on Yahoo! internal development
tools and processes. Created IMVironment for SBC Yahoo! Using Yahoo!'s
in-house development tool and DHTML, HTML, Javascript, CSS, some
graphics production and design work.
Tools used: BBedit, Homesite, SSH client, ImageReady, Photoshop, Flash MX, Unix.
Freelance Web Design and Development - Angrypirate.com San Francisco, CA February 2001 - present
Designed and produced websites for several clients. Sites were designed
using Photoshop, Illustrator, ImageReady, BBedit, Flash, Dreamweaver UltraDev. Most sites
include the use of server-side includes, CSS, and some Javascript. All HTML
was hand coded. Mercantec Softcart integration for Adventurous.com, GoEMerchant
shopping cart integration for YogiPeople.com. Clients included: Great Nordic, Adventurous Woman, Yogi People, Rooster Media, eMuzed, Eloquent, Mission Terrace Dental, Gravity Tank, JJ Wiesler, glenmoriwaki.com.
Web Production Manager - Guru,
Inc. (now unicru) San Francisco, CA July 99 - January 2001
Reported to VP of Engineering. First HTML/front-end developer and seventh employee
of Guru.com. Hired and managed a team of Production Engineers. Responsible
for all HTML on the site. Developed guidelines for nomenclature, directory
structure, jhtml practices, build process.
Trained production engineers and freelancers in ATG Dynamo, Unix, CVS, HTML.
Attended 'ATG Dynamo for HTML developers' and 'ATG Dynamo for Java developers
I and II' classes at ATG.
Web Design and Production -
Bigelo and Partners San Francisco, CA - February 99 - May 99
Completed designs for mySimon site redesign. Delivered html templates
to client to be turned into ASP pages. Design was done using Adobe
Illustrator, Photoshop, ImageReady. HTML was hand-coded.
:::: WRITING ::::
Book: Unofficial Guide to Photoshop CS2, John Wiley & Sons - April 2006
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
This 720 page, comprehensive guide to Photoshop CS2 covers basic to intermediate features as well as a healthy helping of insider secrets for professional image making. Topics include, but are not limited to: masking techniques, web design, preparing files for professional print, getting the most out of your inkjet printer, advanced type tutorials, color correction, and Camera Raw. Learn by following crystal clear step-by-step exercises in this handy 6" x 9" paperback.
Visit the official website.
Article: Camera Raw Exposed - Webmonkey.com San Francisco, CA January 2006
A 6 page tutorial on the new digital negative format and Adobe's Camera Raw Plug-in for Photoshop CS2. "Your digital camera may be doing more harm than good to your photos. Alanna shows us the advantages of using the Camera Raw plug-in with Adobe Bridge and Photoshop." Read the article.
Article: JavaScript Slide Show - Webmonkey.com San Francisco, CA May 2003
A 6 page tutorial on how to create your own JavaScript slide show for displaying photos. Features include auto-start, user-initiated start, pause, next and previous buttons.
Article: Intro to .JHTML - Webmonkey.com San Francisco, CA July 2001
Wrote tutorial guide on ATG Dynamo's .JHTML for page developers. The six page article
covers an introduction to ATG Dynamo, how to create smart page templates,
how to create forms and how to input and retrieve data from databases using Dynamo's .JHTML tags.
Web Design — 401(k)Forum (Now mPower) San Francisco, CA December
98 — February 99
Freelance Web Design and Production. Work under extremely short deadlines
to deliver weekly articles and other projects. Produced 401Kafe
Bookstore. Created animated promo gifs for promotions on 3rd party sites.
Created animated gif for new 401Kafe design. Troubleshooter for Browser
incompatibility Issues and design problems for various sites.
QA Engineer - Liquid Audio
Redwood City, CA February 98 - February 99
Tested the Macintosh Liquid Music Player, Mac Liquid Publisher, Tested
several internal websites. Developed test plans, scripts and test matrix.
Developed Virtual User automated test scripts. Edited and debugged Apple Guide
for the Player software. Maintained Remedy bug database as administrator.
Wrote release notes. Created Beta Test Website.
QA Engineer - WebShopper San
Francisco, CA November 97 - December 97
Overseeing the entire QA effort on Large Online Shopping Website. Created
Test Scripts and Matrices. Planned tight testing schedule to cover multiple
platforms and browsers in a short period of time. Aided with Content Editing.
Supervisor - Apple Computer Inc. Cupertino Ca ...Aug 92 - Sept 93...May 94 - May 97
Provided Quality Assurance for Macintosh Prototype Computers and Peripherals. Developed Test Plans, Matrices and Test Guidelines. Supervised a team of up to 20 people and 8 projects at one time.
Organized training classes in various multimedia products and concepts. Trained new team leads and testers. Sent to Cork Ireland for training in DTP applications and technologies. Designed training classes under intense schedules. Held 1 - 1 training with new testers.
Developed databases for tracking inventory, keeping employee records, planning and tracking testing using Filemaker Pro. Helped Cork Ireland site achieve ISO Certification. Worked with Cupertino ISO team towards Certification. Used a wide array of multimedia products including digital audio, digital video, MIDI, authoring and web design, page layout, illustration and paint programs, scanners, printer, etc. Due to the nature of this position I gained experience in just about every popular multimedia product on the market.
Team Lead/Tester - SuperMac Technologies - Sunnyvale CA.....Sept 93 - May 94
Quality Assurance test lead of Macintosh compatible Raster Image processor card for Fuji-Xerox color copier for Kanjitalk. Created test files, matrices and test plan. Used Pagemaker, Illustrator, Photoshop, Freehand, QuarkXpress extensively. Tested in US and Kanjitalk Macintosh system software. Maintained and modified bug database in Filemaker Pro. Worked closely with Engineers to resolve problems in product. Provided telephone tech support for Beta site customers.
Owner, Graphic Designer - Buxbaum Mail Order - San Jose, CA...June 91 - Aug 92
In charge of design and pre print of catalogs, magazine ads and fliers for indie music mail order business. Created business cards, band T-shirts and CD cover. In charge of orders, shipping, invoicing. Designed databases for Customer tracking and invoicing.
Graphic Designer - Yamaguma & Associates - San Jose, CA...April 91 - June 91
Created Brochures, business cards, POP displays, packaging, logos, T-shirts, catalogs, maps using mainly Freehand, Pagemaker, QuarkXpress and Photoshop.
Graphic Designer - Black Label - San Jose, CA...June 90 - May 91
Designed catalog covers for 100+ page indie music mail order catalog. Designed page layout, placed text and graphics and prepared catalog for print. Designed fliers. Aided with Bulk mailings.
Graphic Designer - Computer Generation - Cupertino CA...May 88 - April 91
Designed corporate IDs, brochures, business cards, resumes, T-shirts, logos. Provided in-house tech support for customers ranging in computer experience from expert to novice.