Portland Webworks New Employee Spotlight

New Employee Spotlight

Fresh faces bring renewed energy, experiences, and insights to the PWW/GWW team

“Employees are engaged, collaborative, and highly communicative with one another, as well as with leadership,” said one team member in our post on Core Values For Employee Happiness. “It is truly an open-door establishment without a lot of hierarchy because everyone is treated equally and fairly.”

These are just some of the reasons team members enjoy working at Portland Webworks (PWW) and GovWebworks (GWW). We wanted to hear why our new full-time employees choose PWW/GWW over the current abundance of tech employment options. (See our job openings.) Here’s what they said…

Brett Kana, User Experience Designer

Brett Kana: User Experience Analyst

Brett started as a full-time User Experience Analyst in May of 2021 and is currently working on the following public sector projects at GovWebworks:

  • California Department of Health Care Services, Advocates for Human Potential (AHP)
  • Caltrans, Rebuilding California (case study)
  • Colorado Avalanche Information Center
  • Florida Turnpike Enterprise, Sunpass.com (case study)
  • Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, idalink application modernization (details)

What attracted you to the job?

“Seeking to change lanes, I applied for a position at PWW that many companies would have passed me over for. PWW saw what I could add, and worked with me to create an unconventional role entailing responsibilities I was well versed in, while allowing me to grow skills in new areas where I was less experienced.”

What stands out for you about working at PWW?

“PWW offers a unique environment that makes me feel like I’m truly in the driver’s seat of my career. They hire good team players and then support you in driving your career development.”

Current work at PWW?

“I’m doing discovery on a website redesign for a state agency that provides avalanche safety information, forecasts, and education to backcountry recreationalists. As an avid skier with an appreciation for both the beauty and the danger of the backcountry, I have a personal connection with the subject matter, and it’s both gratifying and motivating to work with agencies whose missions are centered around public safety.”

Goals for the future?

“More user research. It can be a tough sell to convince a client that the time and money is well spent on user research and testing, but I’ve found it is a key component for making user informed and data driven product decisions.”

Focus before PWW?

“In my work as a Business Analyst, I always enjoyed any opportunity to use the creative side of my brain in working closely with design teams. This often took the form of journey mapping or workflow diagramming, but a particular highlight was user research. I helped conduct surveys, interviews, and live user tests, as well as synthesize findings into actionable product insights and features.”

Highlights from your past?

 

Dang Tran: Software Developer

Dang Tran, Developer“PWW stood out from the other companies because they use Drupal for their content management system (CMS) of choice. After 10 years of working on web development, I wanted to focus on complicated projects using the Drupal CMS and I saw many big and diverse projects showcased on the company’s website.”

Dang started as a Software Developer (Drupal) contractor in June of 2021 and became a full-time employee in 2022. She’s currently working on the following public sector projects at GovWebworks:

  • Maine Department of Education, RREV EnGiNE platform Drupal development
  • Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, CareerForce chatbot development (case study)

“The interview and hiring process was succinct and quick. During my interviews, I saw how PWW employees were experienced, talented, supportive, and friendly.”

Highlights from Dang’s background include:

Brian Martino: Software Developer

Brian Martino, Software Developer“I was attracted to PWW because they immediately stood out from the masses based on their successful and extensive work in the public sector. I saw a great opportunity to contribute to far reaching and meaningful projects.”

Brian started as a Software Developer (front-end Javascript and React) contractor in July of 2021, and became a full-time employee in 2022. He’s currently working on the following public sector projects at GovWebworks:

  • California Department of Health Care Services, Advocates for Human Potential (AHP)
  • Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE)

Highlights from Brian’s background include:

Tracy Totman: User Experience Designer

Tracy Totman, User Experience Designer “PWW’s commitment to transparency, trust, and work-life balance stood out to me during my job search. Similar values are commonly promoted among many organizations, but I’ve witnessed it in action every single day at PWW. Since day one, I’ve been encouraged to speak my mind, work autonomously, and deliver in timeframes that fit my personal life.”

Tracy started as a full-time User Experience Designer in October of 2021, and is currently working on the following public sector projects at GovWebworks:

  • Center for New Energy Economy, AEL Tracker & SPOT for Clean Energy websites
  • Financial Authority of Maine, MELendPortal
  • Maine Department of Education, MOOSE and RREV / EnGiNE platforms

“Collaboration across teams feels natural and it doesn’t hurt that we get a share of the profit when we reach our goals.”

Highlights from Tracy’s background include:

 

Join our team

Want to work with this great team of people? We’d love to hear from you. We have both hybrid and remote options.

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