About Me

Portrait of Omar Gerardo with his wife Iraida Liz

My name is Omar Gerardo, and I am a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Since 2016, I have been happily married to my wife, Iraida Liz. In 2010, I accepted Jesus Christ as my one and only Savior. I identify as a Christian. For many years I was part of an organized religion, but I eventually moved on for good reasons. I love technology, a passion that was born in me largely thanks to my father’s influence. I have been programming since I was 11. I love video games and consider them my favorite hobby (especially World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Call of Duty: Warzone and most recently Marvel Rivals). I also love photography.

Education

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a concentration in Computerized Information Systems from the University of Puerto Rico at Ponce, and a Master of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus.

During my undergraduate years, I served as President of the ALPHA Computer Association for two years, served as President of the General Student Council and was an Information Systems Tutor for the Title V Project.

Career

From 2015 to 2018 (almost three years) I had the privilege of working at the Office of Information Systems of the University of Puerto Rico, Central Administration. My work there focused on Information Systems oriented to Research Management. I considered myself a “doer” and was always happy to collaborate on any project that helped improve the Information Systems at UPR. A “doer” is someone who acts rather than merely talks or thinks.

In 2018 I joined Kuali Inc. as a Software Engineer. Working at Kuali was a continuation of the experiences I had begun to gather at UPR, both academically and professionally. I worked at Kuali until 2021.

In 2021 I joined Instructure as a Software Engineer on the Collaborations team for Canvas LMS (Learning Management System). I later moved to the Engage team and was responsible for training new engineers in Budapest, Hungary. I worked at Instructure until 2025.

In 2025 I joined Tava Health as a Senior Software Engineer on one of the product squads. A couple of months later I stepped into the Tech Lead role for the squad, a rotating responsibility I held for about a year before moving on to a new project.

Recently, I have been leaning into Agentic Software Engineering, identifying the gaps I see and using them as opportunities to help us get better at applying AI to our day-to-day operations and to improve our SDLC. I am a strong advocate for solid testing practices, and I believe that matters even more now with the rise of AI-assisted coding. Doing thoughtful code reviews is another core part of my day, and I have had the opportunity to lead a number of important projects as well as contribute meaningfully to others led by my teammates.

Giving back

For several years, I built an Electronic Membership System for a youth ministry organization in Puerto Rico, a project I took on for the love of the craft, but dedicated to the Lord. The application went into use in 2019 and served the organization for years until it was retired in 2025.

More recently, I have grown interested in contributing to open source projects, and I am actively looking for ways to make a meaningful impact there.

Faith & values

My favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9 (KJV): “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” One of my favorite speeches is the late Steve Jobs’s 2005 Stanford University Commencement address, where he speaks about three things: connecting the dots, love and loss and death. Although I consider myself a man of faith, I believe that in life you have to put in effort to get ahead. Things don’t fall from the sky. On a personal level, everything I have achieved has been the fruit of many sacrifices, and I also recognize that God has blessed me greatly along the way.

Studying at the University of Puerto Rico shaped me, and I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity. I am proud of my UPR education and grateful for everything it gave me. My hope is that future generations of Puerto Ricans will continue to have it as an option.

Quotes I live by

“Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.” — Bill Gates

“Stay hungry, stay foolish.” — Steve Jobs

As one columnist put it: don’t be a conformist, go after more regardless of what others think of you, be authentic, be unique, take the leap.

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” — Steve Jobs

This site is where I share what I have been learning and living. You will also find my contact information and links to the social networks where I am most active.

I hope you enjoy it.