Hi there! I’m Tom. I’m a passionate technology executive with 15 years of experience in the software industry. I’ve held leadership roles at three mission-driven $1B+ software companies and I specialize in growing engineering teams from 5 to 50+. I have a degree in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon, where I focused on machine learning and systems programming.

I’m an advisor for Grindr and other technology companies, specializing both in technical strategy and leadership. In my technical capacity, I advise on applying machine learning and software engineering best practices to build robust, smart, real-world systems. In my leadership capacity, I focus on mentoring technology leaders, navigating challenging organizational decisions, and building teams that are both diverse and cohesive. In the past I’ve mentored for TechStars, Impact Engine, and Kiva Cowork.

My Career Story

Throughout my career I’ve strived to have a positive impact in the world, to support kind & brilliant people, and build deeply connected teams.

I first worked at OkCupid, growing from Software Engineering to leading a team of incredible individuals as OkCupid’s Chief Technology Officer. I redesigned OkCupid’s core matching algorithm and helped build its scalable infrastructure (see my talk on it here, this Logic article and this Narratively article). I focused on servant leadership, creating a culture of trust & empowerment, and hiring the best people.

Next, I returned to my passion for machine learning and took on a Data Science role at Evidation Health. I did research and worked on improving healthcare through better targeting of treatments and understanding of patient health.

I felt ready for my next leadership role and moved into the cryptocurrency space, becoming the VP of Engineering at the Stellar Development Foundation. SDF is working to bring about a more inclusive and open future for the financial system, focusing on financial inequities in the developing world. I was honored to play a part in an important mission with a fantastic group of people. I focused on growing the engineering organization and took on a new challenge of fostering a strong workplace culture with a hybrid-remote team.

Most recently, I returned to my roots in the dating space and joined Grindr as the CTO. I loved working with such a passionate, playful team to build the best possible dating/community app for gay, bi, queer, and trans people across the globe. I oversaw a group of teams including software engineering, data science, infosecurity, IT, and infrastructure/operations. I worked with my team to hire over 50 technologists from diverse backgrounds and position Grindr to handle the demands of going public.

For Fun

I love to learn about the world and the endlessly interesting complexity of humans and human society. I stay up to date in the fields of psychology, mindfulness, leadership, communication, environmental research, statistics, human health and longevity, and artificial intelligence. I enjoy speaking French and connecting with people from different cultures with different perspectives. Everyone has something to teach me. When I’m working out, you might catch me mountain biking, backpacking, or going for an ocean swim.