Team Q&A: Ian Herrera – Software Development Intern

From his time in the hospitality industry, Code Louisville graduate Ian Herrera is committed to helping make the world around him a bit nicer. As our Software Development Intern, Hererra employs his skills to enhance our software solutions. Join us in welcoming Ian to the Virtual Peaker team!

How did your previous life prepare you for Virtual Peaker?

Most of my working life has been spent in the hospitality industry, but in the winter of 2021, I decided to explore my career options. As a technically inclined and scientifically curious person, I had often thought about pursuing a career in IT. At the beginning of 2022, I decided to challenge myself and finally take the leap. I was able to secure a position as a Technical Support Representative as my first IT role, and it made for an excellent transitional pathway over the past year. My extensive experience in customer service served me well in that role, as I acclimated to the challenges that are particular to working in a technical environment.

As I was beginning a fresh role in IT, I also began my software development journey. At the beginning of 2022, I began my studies with Harvard’s CS50X online course, which provided a fantastic introduction to the basics of computer science and coding. These fundamentals continue to serve as a solid foundation for building and honing my skills.

In the spring of 2022, I began pursuing coursework with an amazing local program, Code Louisville. Code Louisville offers multiple learning pathways for pursuing IT careers and passionately serves in a close partnership with our local development community and industry. I pursued a front-end web development track and successfully completed the course late in the fall of 2022. I am incredibly grateful for the program and the mentors, all of which helped equip me with the skills necessary to pursue my technical aspirations and achieve my goals.

Tell us about your role at Virtual Peaker.

I’m excited to take the next leg of my professional journey as a Software Development Intern at VP. This role offers me a wonderful opportunity to grow my development skills, in a welcoming environment, and the privilege of learning from an experienced team of engineers and developers. Working in a full-scale production environment and engaging in finding technical solutions for real-world problems is challenging and gratifying.

I’m excited to be part of the collaborative community, here, at VP, and I’m looking forward to contributing to its service-oriented mission and vision. VP shows a great deal of support to the local development community, and I am happy to share a home, here, with many other Code Louisville grads, who come from a diverse array of technical and non-technical backgrounds. In fact, one of my wonderful Code Louisville mentors and a previous Code Louisville grad, Jestin Mounts, is a developer at VP, and I’m delighted to find myself working in the same community.

How do you personally engage in sustainability efforts?

I try to live as mindfully and conscientiously as possible with an orientation toward service to others, and my sustainability practices are grounded in this mindset. In my daily life, I recycle and try to reduce waste wherever possible, along with maintaining awareness of my consumption of non-renewable resources. Within the local community, I’ve volunteered my time with organizations, such as Louisville Grows, to assist in beautifying and promoting a healthier city landscape and community. Most personally, I’m happy to share these practices and approaches with my kids, and I’m deeply motivated to leave the world in a better shape for their future stewardship.

What can you tell us about yourself?

I was born in the Philippines and have lived primarily in Kentucky. I share my life with an amazing partner and two beautiful children, and I take every opportunity I can to spend time in their company. Our family has enjoyed establishing roots in Louisville, and I relish the time we get to spend exploring the many treasures that this big little town has to offer.

I have a great love for outdoor adventures and enjoy going hiking, camping, and, otherwise, being pleasantly lost in the woods. Kentucky is a state filled with natural beauty, and I feel blessed to have easy access to its many opportunities for exploration and recreation. I’ve traveled to many places in the country, but The Red River Gorge, here in Kentucky, remains one of my most beloved destinations.

I have a background in Graphic Design and Illustration, and I love being able to exercise my creativity. I still take pleasure in the tactile nature of pen & paper, but I’ve been happy to extend my talent to other mediums and into the digital realm. Presently, I’m excited to bring my passion and creativity to the software development process. Like my art, my life has evolved in a multitude of ways over the years, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow and evolve as a software developer.

About The Author

Bill is a serial entrepreneur with a PhD from UC Berkeley in Controls and Artificial Intelligence and 10 years of experience with high performance residential energy management and connected appliances. He was previously at GE as an Advanced Systems Engineer in the Connected Home Software Group, but left that role in May 2014 to pursue entrepreneurship full time.

Bill grew up in Louisville and returned with his family in 2010 after a long stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. He loves Louisville and is working to make it a better and more attractive city for high tech startups.

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