Hi All,

Please join me in welcoming Rob as a Software Developer contractor in WMF’s Features Engineering team. Rob will be working on Editor Engagement features, a top priority area on Wikimedia Foundation’s engineering project list this year. He will be working closely with other team members - Ian Baker, Brandon Harris, Benny Situ and senior product manager Howie Fung on features that help improve editor retention.

Rob comes from a IT management background where he was lead developer as well as managed web and IT services for hundreds of websites and email systems. Some of Rob's latest work was extending open source web framework Kohana where he created a web based system that certifies manufacturer products based on technical specifications in compliance of an international committee of health industry leaders. Recently, he worked with a team of developers to create a cross platform mobile application suite using PhoneGap for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, as well as porting this app to native Symbian and Windows Phone 7 code. In addition to the mobile apps, he developed a web based product search tool that matches and compares DLNA certified products.

When Rob is not coding or planning his next project, he most likely can be found with greasy hands working on some form of combustible engine. He is a moped enthusiast and is an active member of a Portland, Oregon based moped club known as Uphillbattle.

Say hello to Rob in person @WMFSF or online. He can be found on #mediawiki as rmoen.

Great to have you on the features team, Rob!

-- Alolita Sharma Director, Features Engineering Wikimedia Foundation