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Joe Higgins

Web Designer/Developer

ABOUT ME

I have spent much of my life as a professional classical, theater and jazz musician. About 10 years ago I started teaching myself coding for web development. During my college years I had a couple of programming courses in BASIC and Pascal so I wasn't completely lost when I started learning HTML and CSS. I started hand coding web sites for my friends and family and eventually began building bigger sites in the Joomla and Wordpress CMS's and honing my PHP and JavaScript skills.

Photo of Me

My training as a classical musician demands perseverance, intense focus, attention to detail, independence and flexibility. All these skills translate perfectly into web design, development and coding. I am constantly expanding my skills as I take on new projects and always welcome the opportunity to learn new technologies to add to my skill set.

PORTFOLIO

MY WORK

Here are some of my pojects.
Click on the images to make them bigger


Live site: <a href='http://www.travelsommelier.com' target='_blank'>Travel Sommelier</a>
Live site: <a href='http://www.travelsommelier.com/travel-with-purpose' target='_blank'>Travel with Purpose</a>
Live site: <a href='http://www.mediaethicsmagazine.com' target='_blank'>Media Ethics Magazine</a>
Live site: <a href='http://www.neads.org' target='_blank'>NEADS</a>
Live site: <a href='http://silveroakdesign.com/ptech-wp/' target='_blank'>pTech Percussion Technologies</a>
Live site: <a href='http://www.gleasonlibrary.org/' target='_blank'>The Gleason Public Library</a>
Live site: <a href='http://www.janelabanz.com' target='_blank'>Jane Labanz</a>

Other Projects

A silly dog photo app that I made to learn more about using API's.
Compiled from DogAPI

See more at Silver Oak Design
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Travel Sommelier website

For the Travel Sommelier site I took a static design by a graphic designer and coded a Wordpress child theme based on the Responsive theme. The child theme includes custom page templates, functions and an extensive CSS file. Additionally I added plugins for contact forms and “hero shot” slideshows, uploaded all content and cropped and optimized all images for the site:Live site: Travel Sommelier

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Travel with Purpose

Travel Sommelier asked me to quickly put up a page to link to some new itineraries they are offering. They wanted the user to be able to click through to the PDF’s of the itineraries. I added some fun CSS effects to make it more engaging:Live site: Travel with Purpose

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Media Ethics Magazine

Media Ethics Magazine needed their site moved from a proprietary CMS to something new. We designed a custom responsive template for the open source Joomla CMS. The project also involved creating a mySQL database from a csv file containing articles, authors , addresses and images. Live site: Media Ethics Magazine

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NEADS website

Recently a client asked me to migrate this Wordpress site from the 48in48 hosting platform where it was built to another host. I now manage the technical upkeep of the site: Live site: NEADS

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pTech website

PTech needed to showcase their repair work as well as add eCommerce capabilities. We went with a custom Wordpress theme that can be expanded and updated as needed. Live site: pTech Percussion Technologies

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Gleason Library website

The Gleason Public Library provided us with a photoshop file from their designer. We made it into a working site. Live site: The Gleason Public Library

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Jane Labanz website

Jane needed a site that included a variety of types of content including audio and video clips, a resume and a blog. We designed a custom WordPress theme for her which she is able to manage, update and expand as needed! Live site: Jane Labanz

CONTACT

Silver Oak Design

Milton, MA
Greater Boston Area, US
Phone: 617-281-6136

Swing by for a cup of , or leave me a note:

RESUMÉ

Joe Higgins

Web Designer and Front End Developer

617-281-6136 || Silver Oak Design

Profile

Experienced web design and development professional proficient in web standards, cross browser testing, content management systems and relevant web site development tools.

Enthusiastic, personable team player who listens to others and is able to contribute creative timely solutions to complex problems.

Self starter who is adept at working independently with minimal supervision, as well as contributing and collaborating as a productive team member.

Highly effective verbal and written communicator.

Energetic, detail oriented contributor with demonstrable multi-tasking/organizational proficiency and a strong desire to learn.

Work History

Silver Oak Design
Owner
  • Develops web sites using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, PHP, GIT and other technologies as needed.
  • Designs, implements and modifies database driven web sites with the Joomla and Wordpress Content Management Systems.
  • Creates web content using Adobe Creative Suite, GIMP, Inkscape.
  • Comfortable in both the Windows and Macintosh computing environments.

Media Ethics Magazine
Developer/Webmaster
  • Created custom theme
  • Converted previous site data from .csv to MySQL DB
  • Ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting
  • Supervises and assists in publishing content.

Professional Musician
Double Bass
  • Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Boston Ballet Orchestra, Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, North Shore Music Theater, American Repertory Theater, Providence Performing Arts Center.

New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra Committee 2008-2010

Member 2008-2010
  • Organized the festival audience and community through the development of a CMS driven web site and social media resources.
  • Successfully used the community/orchestra partnership to save the New Hampshire Music Festival orchestra from dissolution.

Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra Committee, 2004-2007

Chairman, 2004-2007
  • Managed and facilitated contract negotiations.
  • Supervised meetings with committee and orchestra at large.
  • Created website to facilitate communication with orchestra musicians.

MIT Libraries, Administrative Services

Mailroom Staff, 1992 - 1998
  • Responsible for sorting and delivery of mail and books to all of the libraries on the MIT campus.

MIT Libraries, Administrative Services

Support Staff, 1988 - 1992
  • In charge tracking orders and approving invoice payments for all MIT library book orders.
  • Maintained a spreadsheet in Lotus 123 for tracking of book orders and a file system for storage of all paid invoices.
  • Updating macro code for Lotus 123.

Various restaurants in Boston area

Chef, Line Cook
  • Ordering.
  • Managing staff.
  • Managing service.

Key Competencies and Skills

Web development

  • Knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript/jQuery, Wordpress, Joomla, PHP, Adobe Creative Suite, GIMP, InkScape, MAMP.
  • Strategically thinking through all parts of the design/implementation process.
  • Knowledge of international web standards and protocols.

Professional

  • Adaptable and able to quickly pick up new systems and technologies.
  • Able to prioritise tasks and organise workload.
  • Can manage multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment.
  • Analyze, research and solve complex problems.

Personal

  • Excellent communicator.
  • Creative thinker.
  • Detail oriented.
  • Self starter.

Education

Bachelor of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA 1991.

Oberlin College, Conservatory of Music, Oberlin, OH 1982 - 1985.

Harvard Extension School, Pascal programming course.

Lowell Institute at MIT, BASIC programming course.

References

Available on request.

Technologies

HTML

CSS

JavaScript

GIT/GitHub

Wordpress Development

Joomla Development

Responsive Design

Adobe Creative Suite

Career Statement

As a trained classical musician and a web developer/designer I have become adept at interacting effectively with a wide variety of personalities, collaborating on projects, managing complex schedules and finding creative solutions to complex problems. Both careers demand a high level of focus, attention to detail, independence and flexibility. My web design business requires that I learn and implement new technologies as demanded by each project. As a result I am continually expanding my skills for future projects. I welcome the opportunity to tackle new technological approaches and add them to my skill set.

Personal Qualities

Detail oriented

Patient

Perserverant

Team player

Good listener

Creative

Self motivated