About Me

My name is Omar Gerardo Soto Fortuño, and I am a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico. My parents are Gerardo and Sara, and my brothers are Harold and Héctor. Since July 30, 2016, I have been happily married to my wife, Iraida Liz Torres De Jesús. On October 17, 2010, I accepted Jesus Christ as my one and only Savior. I identify as a Christian and have persevered for many years in the Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Movimiento Internacional. I love technology — a passion that was born in me largely thanks to my father’s influence. I have been programming since I was 15. 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 May 2015 to March 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 April 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 April 2021.

In April 2021 I joined Instructure as a Software Engineer on the Collaborations team for Canvas LMS (Learning Management System), where I worked until January 2025.

In January 2025 I joined Tava Health as a Senior Software Engineer on the Payer Squad, and a couple of months later I stepped into the Tech Lead role for the squad, where I currently serve.

As Tech Lead, I have been intentionally shifting my focus toward becoming a force multiplier for the team rather than simply doing a lot of work myself. A big part of that is shielding the engineers on my team so they can focus on meaningful work: I help pre-refine tickets before they reach the team, and I try to put out “fires” before they pull people away from what they’re building. I also mentor engineers. Interviewing is another area where I have contributed significantly, helping us bring in strong additions to the team.

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 collaborated with the Asociación de Jóvenes Embajadores de Cristo (AJEC), Puerto Rico Region, to build an Electronic Membership System — a project I took on for the love of the craft, but dedicated to the Lord. The application went into use in fiscal year 2019 and served the Association for years. It was retired in January 2025, when it was replaced by a new application the organization built to take its place.

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. In my opinion, UPR is the best institution of higher education in Puerto Rico. My greatest hope is that future generations of Puerto Ricans will continue to have it as an option, and will choose it the way I did.

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 simply a tech blog where I share what I have been learning lately. You will also find my contact information and links to the social networks where I am most active.

I hope you enjoy it.