Hey there, my name is
Hey there, my name is
I am recently married to my beautiful wife, where we have been together since high school. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which allowed me to see our city’s transformation firsthand. Once powered by steel to, it now becoming a tech, medical, and, most importantly, food hub that has done wonders. Being an avid foodie and cook, the new restaurants have allowed me to experience new cultures and foods that before would not have been accessible. I am also an avid learner. I like to experience new things and understand why they are significant culturally, historically, etc. Other quick hobbies are; watching and playing sports, particularly basketball. I have a passion for travel, and I like cars. I might be among the selected few who enjoy driving and have fun with it.
Lastly, in February of 2022, I underwent an accident I never imagined, which entailed breaking my legs in a terrible skiing accident. Before this, I only had a minor wrist fracture and a slight tear in my meniscus when I was younger. This was an injury where I did a lot of soul-searching, and now I have a greater appreciation for what life has to offer. Through the surgeries and rehab, I learned I can achieve anything with perseverance and dedication.
Pittsburgh, PA
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As we all know, graduating in April of 2020 was not an ideal time. The pandemic started weeks earlier, and no one knew what to do or expect. Leading up to graduation and after, I applied to numerous positions. Argo was never on my radar, even though I heard good things about them.
In July of 2020, still not having any luck with the job market. Out of fate, a recruiter contacted me and asked if I was interested in joining Argo and being a part of their Autonomy Operations team. Without hesitation, I took the offer, and that is where my first post-graduation job started. During my time at Argo, I learned much about the self-driving space, what it means to be a part of a great company with great culture, and how you can contribute to the team’s goals and strive for personal excellence and growth.
Starting as a Triage Analyst, I documented the good and bad of what the AV (autonomy vehicle) did. With our team’s documentation, all facets of the company could understand the AV’s progress and then determine the proper steps to take to improve the product. I participated in training all new team members that started after me. I also got to be a part of various AV pilot programs, which required a deeper understanding of the autonomy stack in which the AV operates. For a short time, I was also a part of the Simulation Operations team, where I created, updated, and enhanced test simulations for the AV software in a virtual setting.
Pittsburgh, PA
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Being selected as the first intern at AHN’s IT Department was an honor I wasn’t expecting. Throughout my internship, my direct leadership always wanted my input on how the program could improve, so the next batch of interns could have a better experience. Some kinks had to be worked out early on. But, I was appreciative that I was able to add input and be part of the solution to help address those issues.
I participated in the daily meetings and voiced my opinion on how we can improve our services. This is where I got the courage to be more vocal and to know that what you suggest may not be the right option. However, your opinion can lead to more significant discussion and be part of the solution. My long-term project was to make the Epic reporting library more concise and user-friendly. I primarily learned how to use SQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Tableau during the project. With Tableau, I showcased my findings to the IT department on my improvements, which was a rewarding experience.
Pittsburgh, PA
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Being born and raised in Pittsburgh and having older relatives that attended the University of Pittsburgh, there was no doubt about where I wanted to attend college. I remember going to Pitt basketball games as a child when Pitt was still in the Big East conference and was even ranked number one in the country at one point. Seeing those games and walking on the campus gave me just a taste of what was to experience there, even for a child. Once I had the opportunity of being a student, I was able to be a part of a diverse and rich culture of the community at Pitt. It is still one of the highlights of my overall experience.
Selecting Computer Science as my major was a natural choice. Growing up, I was the one fixing the tv, DVD and VHS player, computer, etc.. if any problems arose. I felt that those problem-solving skills could easily translate towards learning about more challenging and complex topics, where I also got to stay in the technology field. While learning the fundamentals, I took an interest in the following upper-level electives: Web Development, Data Science, Cloud Computing, Quality Assurance, and Game Design. All my professors in the CS department challenged me to be a better programmer and critical thinker. I am much appreciative of that.
At the same time, I was also working on a Minor in Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian (BCS) language, yes, a very non-traditional language to learn. This is where once again, I get to mention how much I enjoy learning new things while also praising Pitt for being one of the leaders in language learning. My roots are primarily Croatian and Italian, then a mixed bag of everything else. However, my grandparents are from Croatia and came to the US for that quintessential American dream and life. Once I got to Pitt, I discovered they had BCS language and a minor for it. I knew I wanted to try my hand at it. Not only was my professor extraordinary, but it also made me and my grandmother closer. Getting to practice speaking with her and sharing so many family stories brought us closer together, which is something I don’t take for granted.