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Software Engineer working with professionals, nonprofits, aspiring startups, and artists to build with style and modern technology
I am a Software Engineer building responsive, modern websites and applications from the ground up combining strong design sensibility with backend precision, helping clients stand out with thoughtful, usable technology. I like building things that teach, help, or spark curiosity like games that make learning fun and tools that solve real problems. I care about creating technology that feels meaningful and accessible. I am drawn to systems and to how things connect behind the scenes, how data flows, how structure shapes experience. I enjoy thinking through structure and designing the backend in a way that makes the whole experience smoother for the user. Education, accessibility, thoughtful design matter to me. I want what I build to work well, teach something, and feel good to use. I am always learning. Always exploring. And always looking for new ways to build with purpose.
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PORTFOLIO
Some of my favorite ideas have started as scribbles in a notebook. Whether building from the ground up or shaping something within existing platfroms, I care deeply about creating digital experiences that feel intuitive, modern, and thoughtful. Though still early in my journey, I've followed projects from the earilest ideas to final release, learning to value accessibility, modular architecture, and the clarity that comes with component-based, object-oriented design.
01. Tether Traverse
A mountaineering adventure built (still under construction) with JavaScript, Three.js, and a sprinkle of stubborn determination. Tether Traverse reimagines the climb from Paradise to the summit of Mount Rainier as a two-player co-op game complete with rope physics, dynamic HUD overlays, gear pickups, and parallax terrain. Every snowy ledge and milestone is handcrafted using a modular system of platforms, levels, collision detection, and breakpoint logic. As you ascend, the screen fades from day to night, headlamps click on, and sunrise begins to warm the icy pixels. The climbers, rendered as charming textured sprites, must stay tethered, with a lovingly hand-coded rope that jostles and jiggles with every leap. From gear HUD management to snowflake confetti on the summit, this project is a love letter to modular game design, physics, and playful storytelling all coded from scratch.
02. Staci Promise Foundation
A nonprofit website redesign crafted with care using WordPress and custom CSS. This project focused on modernizing the user experience, improving accessibility, and presenting the foundation’s mission with clarity and warmth. The site features a streamlined layout, clean information architecture, and responsive design tailored to mobile and desktop users alike. As lead WordPress developer during the 48in48 Social Justice Build, I integrated donation workflows, designed a palette consistent with their community ethos, and collaborated closely with team members to bring the organization’s voice online in a welcoming and approachable way.
03. Atlas Quest
Atlas Quest is a 2D platformer developed in Godot Engine in 6-weeks during an internship at Endless Studios. As the lead programmer, I collaborated with a indie style team to bring to life a vibrant adventure built around puzzle-solving, exploration, and narrative progression. The game features layered parallax backgrounds, animated sprites, collectibles, and a growing companion mechanic. All levels and mechanics were implemented using modular scenes and scripts, with a focus on reusability and performance. The game was published on Itch.io and released for both Mac and Windows.
04. Flagship
Flagship is a fast-paced web game that turns global geography into a 90-second challenge to match flags with countries. It's a playful way to explore the world, learn quickly, and enjoy the symbols that shape national identity. Inspired by my love for vexilology, the game celebrates global diversity while offering real-time feedback, smooth performance, a "Learn" mode powered by the Wikipedia API and a share mode powered by Web Share API. Built with Python, Flask, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and deployed on Heroku, Flagship invites curiosity through colorful banners and sharp, accessible design.
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If something here sparked your curiosity or made you think, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always open to new projects, job opportunities, or clever ideas that need engineering into reality. You can email me at maya@mcpherson.io or find me building on GitHub and connecting on LinkedIn.
