TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY
Purpose – Systems That Support Strategic Action
Porteolas evaluates and curates technologies and workflows not as a hobbyist, but as a strategist – prototyping systems that ease execution, reduce friction, and enable decision support readiness.
Acumen has been developed through supporting operations, content creation, and decision-making across environments – from combat zones to boardrooms to solo founder workbenches.
Thinking in Systems – My Foundation
U.S. Navy – Mission-Critical Systems
My systems mindset was forged while serving in the U.S. Navy – repairing and maintaining critical infrastructure, supporting intelligence and air ops, and ensuring uptime in high-stakes environments.
- Developed early awareness of how technology, people, and protocols intersect
- Supported continuity of operations through systems administration, documentation, and readiness
BNL – Tactical Fix to Scalable Systems
My graduate ‘Knowledge Information Management Systems’ course had a ‘project’ element. Through satisfying the course project, I addressed a known pain point at work: CAD operations – emergency call-in.
- Using readily available MS Access, I modeled the problem & scaffolded the solution
- Upon the solution proving serviceable, it needed to be scaled. I began learning HTML & PHP to facilitate web-enabled end-user system that would read/write from/to MySQL (the SQL data infrastructure already in place)
HCC – Aligned Disparate Data Systems
Data systems in place – static (SAS dataset snapshots), dynamic (Ellucian Datatel). Each w/ their own data structures – that weren’t aligned. I reconciled their data structures into a uniform source within SAS – producing analyses, visualizations, and reports.
- I incorporated MS Excel for analytics & visualizations for those on my team that weren’t SAS programmers
- We incorporated SurveyMonkey to facilitate feedback from students and faculty
- We incorporated MS Access as inventory recordkeeping of physical assets purchased/stewarded through grant
In addition to analytics, visualizations, & reporting on data, I got the opportunity to curate & advise on technology options for outfitting a 7-piece recording studio – drawing from my graduate technology assessments course in ‘Methods of Socio-Tech Decision Making’.
USAA – Establishing Risk & Governance Ecosystems
I joined USAA to support establishing their internal ‘Risk & Compliance’ Dept. Initially, they were a SAS & MS Office shop. Using those tools at hand, I began to frame out data governance standards and cross-functional collaboration.
- Inside of 2yrs, we added Salesforce to our tech blend. I was one of three from our team that directly supported our consultant in creating our ecosystem.
- Salesforces’ API keys inspired me to deepen my MS Excel skills – picking up DAX & PowerPivot to elevate model governance activities.
- We began exploring & integrating collaboration tools like Asana & Slack.
- In about the 3rd/4th year, python successfully vetted and began to be allowed on our infrastructure. Which provided me the ‘need-based opportunity’ to begin endeavoring into that skill.
- My python journey began in a ‘data pipelining’ capacity – pulling / pushing data in real-time to inform model governance activities.
- While learning python, I endeavored to also learn data science/ML – since my quant/qual applications had been developed in MS Excel & SAS, python being the ‘latest’ and open-source.
Porteolas – Founders’ Intent
Attuned to workforce trends present & projected, I chose to take a proactive stance – drawing upon my operations & product-systems acumen to cultivate a “grow-forward” path.
- I like Trello for it’s “kanban-style” approach to project-based collaborative coordination
- I’ve kept furthering my python capabilities in ML, dashboarding, and web apps
- I learned PostgreSQL – it’s an opensource option for me to remain viable in SQL skills & applications
- I’ve taken on web development – exploring the different types of websites, plugins, and marketing tools/applications; vetting & curating the ones most suitable to my intentions.
Future Outlook: A Strategy-First Stack
Product strategy isn’t about trend-following – it’s about aligning tool capabilities to outcomes. The systems I develop and recommend aim to:
- Uphold your intention and align with your strategy
- Adapt and scale with evolving users’ needs
- Center on human usability and sustainability
Approach Strategically
Tools don’t operate in isolation. They live in a system.
- Prototype fast, fail safer – deliver your value more strategically
- Design for modularity, interoperability, and sustainability (costs, maintenance, & resiliency)
- Integrate governance (control & trust) and creativity
- Incorporate AI into decision workflows responsibly
Porteolas focuses on systems that flow — and help you do the same.
