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Applied AI Solutions Engineer | Full-Stack Developer | Justice Reform Advocate
Analytics • Competitive Coding • Education & Certifications • Second Story Initiative • Connect
Full-stack developer and Applied AI Solutions Engineer building web applications with a focus on social impact and justice reform. Currently pursuing an A.A.S. in Computer & Networking Technology at the Community College of Rhode Island, teaching with The Moth, and running StrayDog Syndications LLC and the Second Story Initiative—leveraging technology to bridge the "Digital Cliff" for justice-impacted individuals.
Core Stack: JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, React, Next.js, Node.js, Express, MongoDB, and LLM API integration. I build things that ship, document them properly, and use them to teach.
Lead By Example Nonprofit Site · Pro Bono |
Justice Through Code Columbia Certified |
RetroVania Next.js + Python |
Second Story Justice Reform Tech |
| The AISE Manifesto — Ten tenets for AI-Integrated Software Engineering, written for justice-impacted developers entering the field. Published through StrayDog Syndications and the Second Story Initiative. | MassLive Feature — Profiled in MassLive's report on how The Last Mile prepares incarcerated students for an AI economy without internet access, covering the path from student to remote instructor and business owner. |
"Using AI and technology to create meaningful impact in justice reform while demonstrating technical excellence and building sustainable, ethical solutions."
Second Story Initiative — Technology-driven pathways for justice-impacted individuals
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StrayDog Syndications LLC | 2024 - Present ▸ Build and deploy full-stack web applications end to end Stack: Next.js, TypeScript, MongoDB, LLM APIs |
The Moth | November 2024 - Present ▸ Design and deliver storytelling workshops Stack: Digital Presentation Tools, Interactive Media |
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The Last Mile | January 2026 - June 2026 ▸ Taught MERN stack development to justice-impacted students Stack: MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js |
Outlier AI | October 2024 - 2026 ▸ Reviewed and validated Large Language Model outputs Stack: Python, LLM Evaluation, Prompt Engineering |
Production marketing and services platform for a two-person technology studio in Providence, Rhode Island. Presents four service lines (full-stack systems, AI orchestration, technical education, and technical infrastructure) with scoped intake routing that carries the selected service through to a discovery-call booking flow.
Technologies: Next.js · TypeScript · React · Tailwind CSS · Vercel · Custom Domain
Key Features: Service-aware contact routing via query parameters · Terminal-styled hero with live studio metrics · Partner network directory for reentry and workforce organizations · Responsive multi-page architecture with SEO and Open Graph metadata
An eleven-week Python curriculum built for the returned-citizen community, taking learners from language fundamentals through data engineering, SQL, machine learning, and Flask deployment. Each week ships an interactive HTML lesson plus paired Jupyter notebooks: one for solo practice, one for group session work. Colab, nbviewer, and local setup paths are all documented, so nobody is blocked by their environment.
Created with Mia "Mausi" Smith-Petross for Code the Dream, and used as a teaching platform rather than a static reference.
Technologies: Python · Jupyter · pandas · scikit-learn · Flask · SQL · HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript · GitHub Pages
Key Features: 11 weeks of paired solo and group notebooks · Browser-based progress tracking with achievement unlocks · Three documented setup paths (Colab, local Jupyter, VS Code) · Data engineering and ML sequence built on real datasets
A hand-rolled, full-stack rogue-like platformer with deterministic seeded runs, rarity-tiered combat, and SNES-style sprite art — playable in the browser with nothing to install. Fight through 24 randomized rooms across five zones, gear up on weapons with rolled stats and elemental affixes, and unlock double-jump and dash traversal to reach three boss encounters.
The submission portal links the live build alongside the architecture spec, engineering-process writeup, and AI prompt history — the whole build documented from first commit to final boss.
Technologies: TypeScript · Next.js · React/Canvas · Python service layer · MIT Licensed
Key Features: Deterministic seeded run generation · Rarity-tiered loot with elemental affixes · Progressive traversal unlocks (double-jump, dash) · React/Canvas rendering over a Python backend · Zero-JavaScript static portal page
Trivia application with selectable difficulty tiers, API-sourced question content, persistent scoring, and a streak system.
Technologies: JavaScript ES6+ · SuperHero API · Vercel · Local Storage · CSS3
Key Features: Three difficulty tiers (5/10/15 questions) · API content with caching · Score and streak persistence · Animated, mobile-friendly UI
Single-page portfolio deployed on GitHub Pages with a custom domain. Features an embedded playable Marvel Quiz demo, an interactive developer-toolbox section, and a live AI analytics dashboard panel.
Technologies: HTML5 · CSS3 · JavaScript · GitHub Pages · Custom Domain (DNS/CNAME)
Key Features: Glassmorphic UI with backdrop filters · Embedded interactive demos · Fully responsive layout · Custom domain configuration
More Projects (click to expand)
| Repository | Description | Language |
|---|---|---|
| MERN-Stack-Pomodoro-TimeBlock-Application | Full-stack productivity app pairing Pomodoro timing with time-block scheduling, typed end to end | TypeScript |
| MERN-Revamp_MovieBuzz | Legacy movie-discovery project migrated onto a MERN architecture as a refactoring exercise | JavaScript |
| weather_dashboard_E_Hunter_Petross | Justice Through Code weather dashboard capstone, built for team collaboration | Python |
| AISE-Curriculum-Weekly | Weekly assignments for the AISE 2026 cohort at Justice Through Code | Python |
| MyManaBox | Collection manager for organizing Magic: The Gathering cards | Python |
| bring-back-BOLO | Rebuild of the classic LAN tank game Bolo using Pygame | Python |
| Handy-Haversack-Haverdashery | Consolidated overhaul of several earlier Python project repositories | Python |
| ollama-claude-workspace | Local LLM workspace tooling and automation scripts | PowerShell |
| full-stack-ToDoList-Hunter | First full-stack application — a task manager built around ADHD-friendly workflows | Python |
| WDF-GitLab-TheLastMileProgram | Coursework archive from The Last Mile's Web Development Fundamentals program | HTML |
Algorithm Practice |
Data Structures |
Problem Solving |
Associate in Applied Science — Computer & Networking Technology Community College of Rhode Island | In Progress | Cumulative GPA: 3.59
Summary: Balancing coursework with contract work and instruction. Every computing course completed to date has earned an A or A−, including the hardware, software, Linux, web development, and database sequences.
Concentration: Computer Networking Technology Hardware · Catalog year 2024–2025
Spring 2026 Coursework — Completed (click to expand)
| Course Code | Course Name | Final Grade | Technical Focus | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMI 1750 | Web Development 1 | A | HTML/CSS, front-end fundamentals | ✅ |
| COMP 1200 | Database Design & Management | A− | Relational modeling, SQL, normalization | ✅ |
Directly reinforces the front-end and data-layer work in my MERN and Next.js projects.
Fall 2025 Coursework — Completed (click to expand)
| Course Code | Course Name | Final Grade | Technical Focus | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNVT 1000 | Computer Repair A+ Hardware | A | Hardware diagnostics, components | ✅ |
| CNVT 1010 | Computer Repair A+ Software | A | OS installation, troubleshooting | ✅ |
| COMI 1800 | Computer Networking Software — Linux | A | Linux administration, shell, networking | ✅ |
Maps directly to CompTIA A+ certification objectives.
Summer 2026 & Fall 2026 — In Progress / Registered (click to expand)
| Term | Course Code | Course Name | Final Grade | Technical Focus | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2026 | COMI 1150 | Programming Concepts | A | Python fundamentals, control flow, data structures | ✅ |
| Fall 2026 | COMI 1215 | Programming in C++ | --- | Compiled languages, memory management | 📋 Registered |
| Fall 2026 | COMI 1240 | Object-Oriented Programming | --- | Classes, inheritance, design patterns | 📋 Registered |
| Fall 2026 | COMI 1510 | Java Programming | --- | JVM ecosystem, typed OOP | 📋 Registered |
Fall 2026 shifts focus from networking hardware to compiled and object-oriented languages — pairing the applied Python work in my repos with formal CS fundamentals.
Full Academic Record (click to expand)
| Term | Course | Title | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2020 | ENGL 1200 | Introduction to Literature | A |
| Spring 2021 | ENGL 1005 | College Writing | B+ |
| Summer 2021 | SOCS 2020 | Marriage and Family | B+ |
| Fall 2021 | ENGL 2270 | Multicultural American Literature | A |
| Spring 2022 | ENGL 1220 | Introduction to Poetry | A |
| Spring 2024 | ENGL 1010 | Composition I | A |
| Spring 2024 | MATH 1005 | Business Mathematics | A |
| Spring 2025 | ENGL 1260 | Readings in Shakespeare | C |
| Spring 2025 | ENGL 2100 | Technical Writing | C |
| Fall 2025 | CNVT 1000 | Computer Repair A+ Hardware | A |
| Fall 2025 | CNVT 1010 | Computer Repair A+ Software | A |
| Fall 2025 | COMI 1800 | Computer Networking Software — Linux | A |
| Spring 2026 | COMI 1750 | Web Development 1 | A |
| Spring 2026 | COMP 1200 | Database Design & Management | A− |
Source: CCRI Degree Works audit, 06/30/2026. An earlier Associate in Arts (General Studies) was previously awarded.
AI/ML & Applied Engineering
- Applied AI Solutions Engineering (AISE) — 2026 Cohort — Fair Chance Futures (formerly Justice Through Code)
- Tech Pathways AI/ML Fundamentals — Justice Through Code, Columbia Business School (2025) · View certificate
- Building AI Agents with MongoDB — MongoDB University (2025)
- Introduction to MongoDB — MongoDB University (2025)
- Applied AI Professional Certificate — Google (2024)
Full-Stack Development
- Web Development Fundamentals (WDF) — The Last Mile Program (September 2024)
- Full-Stack Development with Cursor Copilot — Udemy (2025)
- React – The Complete Guide — Udemy (2024)
- Node.js Developer Course — Udemy (2024)
- JavaScript: ES6 and Beyond — Udemy (2024)
- JavaScript: Understanding the Weird Parts — Udemy (2024)
- Basic Git and GitHub Essentials — Udemy (2024)
In Progress
- CompTIA A+ — coursework complete (CNVT 1000 / CNVT 1010), exam pending
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner — studying
Working Familiarity (coursework and self-study, not certified)
Areas I've worked in enough to be productive and read the docs intelligently, listed honestly as familiarity rather than credentials:
| Area | Where it came from |
|---|---|
| AI orchestration | Multi-step LLM workflows and human-in-the-loop pipelines, built as a StrayDog Syndications service line |
| LangChain & agent frameworks | Self-study and prototype builds across personal repos |
| MCP servers | Configuring and running Model Context Protocol servers to extend local agent tooling |
| SQL & relational design | COMP 1200 Database Design & Management (A−), plus self-study |
| CI/CD pipelines | GitHub Actions and Vercel deployments across my own repos |
| Docker & containers | Self-study and local development environments |
| Data analysis in Python | Justice Through Code weather dashboard capstone, Kaggle notebooks |
Mission: Bridging the "Digital Cliff" for justice-impacted individuals through technology education, mentorship, and career pathways.
Programs:
Applied AI Solutions Engineering pathways | Full-stack development training with real-world projects | Professional mentorship | Community-driven open-source initiatives
Mentorship & Community:
The Last Mile — Web Development Fundamentals | Justice Through Code — Applied AI Solutions Engineering | Code the Dream — Python instruction | Lead By Example RI — community partnership | Tech industry professionals providing guidance and opportunities
Further reading: The AISE Manifesto — the framework behind this work, written for practitioners coming up the same road.
Full-Stack Development | AI Integration | Technical Instruction | Justice Reform Technology
I'm looking for roles where I can build scalable software and keep teaching what I learn.
 Modern Stack |
 CS Fundamentals |
 Shipped Projects |
 Teaching & Mentoring |
Social Impact |
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Scan for complete contact information |
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Ready to discuss how I can contribute to your technical team?
Built with a preference for clean code, working software, and second chances
© 2026 Eric "Hunter" Petross | StrayDog Syndications LLC | Second Story Initiative
