What surprises you most about the AWS Community builders program?

I am always amazed at how "ON" this community is. There is always something happening and always someone online somewhere to provide you with unconditional support in answering questions. Everybody here is so caring and willing to share and really just wants to help you to be better at building!

It's a fabulous AWS Community and the giving feeling here is completely infectious and addictive!

What is your background and your experience with AWS?

I have been working as an application developer and architect for a while now - I keep telling people I witnessed the birth of the internet as we know it today when the Mosaic browser popularised the World Wide Web (WWW). Back then, you spent time building your own software frameworks as there was nothing around and open source was only just starting - so when I look back my entire career has been about searching for that perfect software architecture, and working towards providing mechanisms for delivering the perfect digital experience.

Rolling forward a lot of years I started working with AWS in 2015 working for smaller digital agencies. I worked to build out solutions using an ecosystem of docker containers which were deployed on EC2 instances. At this time API gateway was released and I started exploring this "Serverless" thing that had started, and really quickly I started to get hooked!

I really got to know AWS Serverless deeply around 2018 where I had the opportunity to re-develop and improve the scoring backend for the 2019 Australian Open Digital Experience on ausopen.com. I designed and built a series of de-coupled, event driven microservices for delivering live scoring updates, stats, and schedules to the mobile and web front-ends - it was a wild ride but what you could get done in a short amount of time was astounding - it was the most immersive 12 weeks of my career and I see this as a real turning point to going all-in on cloud and Serverless.

My current claim to fame - "Ever watched the scores on the AusOpen app change? I did that, that was me, and the tennis ball that indicates who is serving - I wrote that code - I make it move".

In the past 2 years I have designed and built a number of Event Driven platforms using Serverless and each time I have built a new team and trained them in the Ways of Serverless and continually work to develop and accelerate serverless teams.

What is the biggest benefit you see from the program?

For me its the collaboration and community connections the AWS Community Builder program provides coupled with Webinars from AWS service teams and technical experts. Every webinar is a growth opportunity, being in this program is a growth opportunity - The amount of knowledge on AWS in one place is astounding and its there for immediate consumption - You just need to be sure you get some sleep and look after yourself!

What is the next swag item that you would like to get?

I always joke about loving swag and I think it's true - I LOVE swag! Jason Dunn and the team do a fabulous job of creating Swag items that are actually useful! I love and use all the swag I have been gifted so far.

Personally I have been eyeing off the "Jacket of Epic Builder Endurance" for a while now (Just saying!).

What are you eating for dinner today?

Tonight its Chicken Cacciatore - click the link for Jamie Oliver's recipe - I don't really have a recipe to be honest. For me its a whatever I happen to have kind of recipe, but Jamie's is pretty close!

Is there anything else you would like to share about the AWS Community Builder program in 2022?

I am incredibly thankful for being accepted into this community and am amazed at how caring the AWS Community leads are and the lengths they have gone to in helping us learn and be continually engaged.

I can also honestly say that my journey to re:Invent in 2022 was an incredible experience amplified by being a part of this community. Being looked after by our incredible AWS Community hosts who went out of their way to ensure we engaged with the service teams and had everything we needed, making re:Invent super special, THANKYOU!