Kali Stara
Verified Expert in Engineering
Front-end Developer
Athens, Central Athens Regional Unit, Greece
Toptal member since March 30, 2022
Kali is a passionate front-end engineer with ten years of experience building and maintaining web and mobile applications in the information technology and services industry. She is proficient in JavaScript, React, React Native, Redux, HTML, CSS, and Git and well-versed in the Scrum and Agile methodologies.
Portfolio
Experience
Availability
Preferred Environment
MacOS, MacBook, WebStorm, iTerm2, Gmail, Apple, GitHub, GitLab, Bitrise, JavaScript
The most amazing...
...thing I've led the development of was the Irish National Lottery app, which received the first award for "Best Use of Mobile" at the Irish Digital Media Awards.
Work Experience
Senior Front-end Engineer
Blackheart Miniatures
- Designed, developed, and deployed a custom eCommerce web application.
- Managed a social media account and worked on search engine optimization (SEO) for an eCommerce web application.
- Consulted on the design process and implemented a custom site generator according to the client's needs.
React Native Developer
Arizona State University - University Technology Office
- Developed a mobile app that handles the user's digital wallet of educational credentials through DIDComm Messaging.
- Developed an admin dashboard that allows system users to handle business objects.
- Converted and redesigned both mobile and admin dashboard applications from demo to fully functional applications.
- Produced clean, efficient code based on specifications.
Front-end Architect
Allwyn
- Designed the architecture of a web application that could be used as a template for various web applications to cover business needs.
- Designed the architecture of a mobile application that could be used as a template for various mobile applications to cover business needs.
- Provided working prototypes for all the introduced design patterns and technologies.
- Researched and analyzed available technologies to provide optimal solutions for business needs.
- Designed scalable and extendable applications based on the latest technologies and market trends.
Senior Front-end Engineer
Poolit,
- Designed the app architecture from scratch according to business needs.
- Led technical interviews, provided guidelines, and mentored new members, providing them with daily feedback reports.
- Set up and maintained CI/CD tools for the mobile application.
- Contributed to setting engineering processes and ways of working between engineering and product teams.
Lead Software Engineer
Agile Actors | Outsource for Camelot Lottery Solutions
- Designed and implemented a React Native iOS and Android application.
- Developed the ability to convert business problems into technical solutions and skillfully cooperated with people from non-technical fields.
- Mentored junior developers, elicited requirements, conducted usability testing, and acted as a technical lead and project manager.
- Reviewed completed work in local, development, stage, and production phases and suggested fixes within software best practices.
Front-end Instructor
Agile Actors
- Oversaw mentoring processes with adult students in different groups.
- Created active learning materials according to the client's needs.
- Introduced new ideas and new technologies to students.
Senior Front-end Engineer
Agile Actors
- Designed and developed various web applications to fulfill the client's needs.
- Excelled in the rapid application development and management of technological issues for assigned projects.
- Conducted job interviews and the training of new developers.
- Participated in all phases of the software development cycle, including requirements analysis, designing, testing, implementation, maintenance, and debugging.
- Participated in project planning, providing realistic time estimates for work units, and updating and tracking progress with appropriate tools.
- Advanced my knowledge of the Agile best practices, including project workflow, site deployment, release procedures, scheduling, triage and defect remediation, hotfixes, and software project management.
Web Developer
OpenBet
- Developed dynamic templates according to business requirements.
- Integrated back-end systems through REST web services.
- Participated in all phases of the software development cycle, including requirements analysis, designing, testing, implementation, maintenance, and debugging.
Junior Web Developer
Chemmedia AG
- Developed new features and updated the existing ones for production software.
- Oversaw the development and implementation of web applications based on clients' requirements.
- Participated in system design, development, testing, implementation, documentation, and support.
Experience
ASU Pocket
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/asu-pocket/id6451395024WORK DONE
• Designed a scalable and modular architecture that facilitated code reuse across iOS and Android platforms, ensuring consistent performance and user experience.
• Integrated the mobile application with mediator services through sockets, using DIDComm Messaging.
• Implemented a responsive and intuitive user interface utilizing React Native components and libraries, such as React Navigation, to create a cohesive design language.
• Utilized Redux for state management, enabling efficient data flow and synchronization across different app screens.
• Collaborated closely with UX/UI designers to translate wireframes and mockups into interactive prototypes, iterating based on user feedback.
• Conducted thorough testing and debugging to ensure the application met quality standards and performance benchmarks on both platforms.
Front-end Architect for Mobile Application
http://allwynentertainment.comWORK DONE
• Designed a scalable and modular architecture that facilitated code reuse across iOS and Android platforms, ensuring consistent performance and user experience.
• Introduced libraries, such as React Navigation and React Native Paper, to create a cohesive design language. I utilized React Query for state management, enabling efficient data flow and synchronization across different app screens.
• Collaborated with back-end engineers to integrate RESTful API endpoints for seamless data exchange between the front and back ends.
• Collaborated closely with UX/UI designers to translate wireframes and mockups into interactive prototypes.
Front-end Architect For Web Application
http://allwynentertainment.comWORK DONE
• Designed a scalable and modular architecture, ensuring consistent performance and user experience.
• Implemented modern design patterns and technologies, including responsive web design, lazy loading, and client-side caching. Utilized Next.js framework to create dynamic user interfaces and optimized page load times through code splitting and server-side rendering.
• Implemented state management using React Query to ensure data consistency and facilitate efficient data flow. I collaborated with back-end engineers to integrate RESTful API endpoints for seamless data exchange between the front and back ends. I conducted performance audits and optimization techniques to enhance site speed and responsiveness across various devices and browsers.
BlackHeart Miniatures
https://blackheartminiatures.comInvestment App
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/poolit/id1621546981Lastly, I contributed to setting engineering processes and working methods between engineering and product teams.
Irish National Lottery App
https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/national-lottery-lottery-ie/id333559134I started as a senior front-end engineer, participating in all phases of the software development cycle. This included requirements analysis, design testing, implementation, maintenance, and debugging. After six months, due to the project's needs, I took the lead engineer role. I was leading a team of ten members. During this time, I developed the ability to convert business problems into technical solutions, cooperate, and understand people from non-technical fields.
Apart from eliciting requirements, part of my responsibilities was mentoring less experienced developers, code reviews of completed work, consulting in design reviews for upcoming features, and performing most aspects of the technical lead and project manager roles.
Illinois Lottery Webapp
Apart from eliciting requirements, part of my responsibilities was mentoring less experienced developers, code reviews of completed work, and consulting in design reviews for upcoming features.
Agile Actors
https://www.agileactors.comI joined as a senior front-end engineer and collaborated productively with the product and UI/UX teams to design, develop and maintain a strong brand identity for the company.
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
University of Greenwich - Athens, Greece
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration
University of Macedonia - Thessaloniki, Greece
Skills
Libraries/APIs
React.js, RxJS, jQuery, React Navigation, React.js, Web API, Vue.js, REST API, Node.js, Vue 2, Stripe Development, Stripe Development, JavaScript, React-JSS, React Query, React.js, Sockets
Tools
Babel, React.js, Git, Flow, FreeMarker, WebView, Figma, WebStorm, GitHub, NPM, Jenkins, Git, Jira, JSS, Firebase Analytics, Braze, Apple Push Notifications, Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), CMS, Webpack, Yarn Workspaces, Lerna, SendGrid, Prisma, Auth0, Fastlane, AWS CLI
Languages
JavaScript, HTML5, SCSS, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS3, Sass, Less, GraphQL
Frameworks
Redux, React Native, Next.js, Yarn, Vanilla JS, Material UI, Jest, AngularJS, Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Angular, Ionic, Spring, Aries Framework JavaScript
Paradigms
JavaScript, Asynchronous Programming, REST, Mobile App Design, Management, Agile Development, Scrum Master Consulting, Unit Testing, Web Architecture
Platforms
Bitrise, Mobile App Design, MacOS, Netlify, iOS, Docker, Android, Contentful, Shopify, Blockchain
Storage
MySQL, PostgreSQL
Industry Expertise
Social Media Marketing
Other
Software Development, Web Development, Lint, UI Development, Responsive Web Development, Responsive Design, Single-page Applications (SPAs), Front-end, UI Development, APIs, Application State Management, Reusable Libraries, API Integration, SVG Design, Front-end Development, Headless Software, CI/CD Pipelines, Content Management Systems (CMS), Lottie, Full-stack, Code Architecture, Google SEO, Architecture, UX Development, Storybook, Software Architecture, Technical Leadership, MacBook, iTerm2, Gmail, Technical Design, GatsbyJS, Styled-components, Enzyme, Accessibility Development, Apache Cordova, Axios, Third-party Integration, Biometrics, Mobile App Design, Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), Leadership, E-commerce marketing, SEO Tools, Learning Management Systems (LMS), Web UI, Mobile UI Design, Decentralized Applications, Mobile Architecture, eCommerce APIs, SDKs, Authorization, Authentication, Mobile UX Design
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