Hi, I'm Larry.
I'm an engineering leader based in Chicago. What's interested me most throughout my career is less the code and more the people: how teams form, how trust gets built, and what it takes to make engineers actually want to do their best work.
What I Do
I care about engineers understanding why their work matters, not just what's on the ticket. When that connection is clear, ownership tends to follow. I build it into how we work, in sprint reviews, one-on-ones, design conversations.
I'm still in the code often enough to stay in the conversation, and I use AI tools the same way — to stay sharp and cut friction on routine work. I push the team to do the same and share what they learn. That creates more space for the judgment and relationships that actually require a person.
Where I've Been
I moved into management when a team I was on needed someone to step up. It wasn't a plan, but it's where I've stayed. Most of that time split between fintech and climate tech, different in stakes but similar in the problems that matter. The biggest thing I've changed my mind on: that speed and quality trade off. Good process makes both possible.
What I Care About
Watching someone grow is still what gets me. A promotion, a hard problem cracked, an engineer finding their voice. Most orgs under-invest in this, and I think it's one of the most expensive mistakes a team can make.
I'm also a father of two, and parenting has sharpened how I think about people at work. When behavior seems off, there's usually more going on beneath it. My instinct in both roles: assume good intentions first.