Zack McGhee

I love solving problems, and the best way I know how is through code: artfully written, standards compliant, well tested, and accessible. I'm comfortable working with others to troubleshoot problems or establish project scope. I take pride in delivering a product on time that exceeds expectations. I love Python and Django. I believe functionality is design.

Professional Experience

For nearly seven years, I have served as a digital media professional in Cox Media Group — first at Cox Ohio Publishing, and now in the role of Manager, Software Innovations Lab at Cox Media Group Digital in Atlanta.

Prior to that, in December 2008, I was named COP's Digital Innovations Manager, leading a staff of six talented developers. In addition to working with Sales, Marketing, Editorial and Circulation in developing and enhancing web applications to meet their needs, we worked cooperatively with both local and remote IT professionals to hone best practices and improve performance.

I love using technology to solve problems. I don't believe in building webpages so much as platforms that can power websites, mobile experiences, and applications. I'm building my skills in Python and Django; I'm already proficient in PHP, MySQL, XHTML, CSS and JavaScript. (I also have limited experience with PostgreSQL and MS SQL.) I have an awesome job at a terrific company, and I get to work with a lot of really great—and very smart—people.

Community & Volunteerism

Before moving to Atlanta, I spent three years involved with the Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs, Ohio. I chaired the Board of Trustees as it transitioned from a for-profit LLC to a nonprofit cinema in 2009. My work with the theatre continues as I built the Little Art's website (from a design by a local artist), which now runs on Django and PostgreSQL. In early 2011 I plan to open source the Django code that powers the Little Art's website.

I also continue to organize and host an all-night Horror Marathon at the Little Art each October. In 2008 and 2009, as part of a worldwide effort known as Can't Stop the Serenity, I organized two screenings of Joss Whedon's scifi adventure, Serenity (2005); these screenings raised almost $2,000 in voluntary donations to benefit Equality Now.

Interests & Hobbies

As you might imagine given my work with the Little Art Theatre, outside of my professional life, I'm a huge movie buff. In my spare time, I devour as many movies and as much film criticism as I can. My favorite movies are Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954) and Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). My favorite critics are Mike D'Angelo and Nathan Lee; I also enjoy reading Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert. I also like music and to read in my spare time.

My partner, Tony, and I are new to the Atlanta area, so we're just getting to know the city. I hope to find time to write about our experiences exploring. I also recently became vegan, so I'm always trying to find new vegan-friendly restaurants, and am even beginning to learn how to cook. Finally, I spend far too much time on Twitter; more infrequently, you can find me on Flickr and Facebook.

As I build this website, I'm documenting the process by making the code public. You can see all of the code that runs this website, as well as some of my other personal projects, on Github. • The views expressed on this website do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.