01 · About

More about Thea

an explorer trying to use technology to solve problems that matter

Background

I'm an engineer with a background that blends systems thinking, analytics, and real-world impact. I'm always on the hunt for problems that matter especially in areas connected to regenerative systems (or the circular economy), supply chains, and food systems.

I prefer working remotely and have experience collaborating across startups, scale-ups, enterprises, and globally distributed teams.

I'm most at home in environments with a bit of controlled chaos, constraints are a little unclear, and thoughtful engineering judgment matters more than shiny tools.

I love tracking metrics, from macros to reps to tasks. However, I also know that metrics overlook the details, and I believe that life lives in the details. As a lover of life, I'm happy to reside in this juxtapose.

Photo of Thea

Skills & Expertise

  • Human-Centered Engineering
    • I build systems that are people-first.
    • This means prioritizing what needs to be solved, who will use it, and how it will be maintained.
    • I like playing with the shiny new thing, but I won't shove it down anyone's throat.
  • Data Engineering & System Design
    • I don't think linearly. I think in systems. Before building anything, I need to understand most of system and how what we're building fits into the bigger picture.
    • I've been fortunate (or unfortunate?) enough to design, operate, and optimize batch and event-driven data systems under real production constraints.
    • I consider myself as a pragmatic idealist. I aim for the best but I ground my solutions in reality.
  • Tech Tinkering
    • I usually build on the cloud (AWS & GCP) but I do have my own local server and a raspberry pi.
    • Again, I like playing with the shiny new thing, so I'm used to working with a lot of different technologies and I'm very comfortable being the newbie in the room.
  • Collaboration Across Levels
    • I work directly with engineers, agents, and analysts, as well as CEOs, CTOs, and VPs.
    • I can explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and vice versa. Challenge me!
  • Interfaces, Languages, & Translation Layers
    • Comfortable translating between systems and humans, and between abstractions and reality
    • Fluent in machine languages: Python, SQL, and JavaScript
    • Fluent in human languages: Filipino (native) and English (fluent), Spanish (conversational and improving)

Beyond Work

  • Reader. You'll likely find me with a book or article in hand.
  • Foodie. I loooooove food. I often try cafes, restaurants, and pretty much any food-selling establishment.
  • Fitness & Health Nerd. I'm not a gym rat, but I try my best to get my reps and macros in. My workouts of choice are boxing, muay thai, and HYROX.
  • Story hunter. I like uncovering stories about food, people, places, and things. I like knowing the why behind the what.
  • Explorer. I like getting to know new places and cultures. Museums, libraries, and parks are my happy places.
  • Music Enthusiast. I play guitar & violin and my Spotify yearly minutes is always at least 100k.

Work Experience

Companies and organizations I've worked with.

  • Co-Founder & Principal Solutions Engineer

    Syntrophy Technologies · Wherever I am (Remote)

    July 2026 – Present

    Tools
    Google WorkspaceOther things
    Tech stack
    Depends on the Project

  • Senior Data Engineer

    Med-Metrix (Healthcare) · New Jersey, USA (Remote)

    November 2025 – July 2026

    Tools
    MS TeamsJira
    Tech stack
    PythonSQLDagsterDatadogTerraformApache IcebergAWS AthenaAWS Glue CatalogAWS LambdaAWS SQSAWS EventBridgedbt

  • Senior Data Engineer

    Spotzer (Media) · Amsterdam, Netherlands (Remote)

    August 2025 - November 2025

    Tools
    Google Workspace
    Tech stack
    PythonSQLDagsterTerraformApache IcebergGitHub ActionsAWS AthenaAWS Glue CatalogPOC: MagePOC: PrefectPOC: AirflowPOC: Databricks

  • Data Engineer (Volunteer)

    Work On Climate · USA (Remote)

    July 2025 – February 2026

    Tools
    Slack
    Tech stack
    PythonMySQLGCP Cloud RunGCP Cloud BuildGitHub Actions

  • Senior Analytics Engineer → Software Engineer

    InDebted (FinTech) · Sydney, Australia (Remote)

    April 2023 – June 2025

    Tools
    SlackJira
    Tech stack
    PythonSQLDagster (OSS & Plus)BuildKite (CI/CD)DockerAWS AthenaAWS Glue CatalogSnowflakePostgreSQLSFTP

  • Data Analyst & Chief of Staff

    Thinking Machines Data Science (Data & AI Consulting) ·

    April 2021 – April 2023

    Tools
    SlackJiraGoogle Workspace
    Tech stack
    PythonSQLLooker StudioGCP BigQueryGCP Cloud FunctionsGoogle AppScript

  • Systems & Operations Lead (Freelance)

    Tribe Family Lawyers · Sydney, Australia (Remote)

    December 2019 – March 2021

    Tools
    ZapierMS TeamsPipedrive CRMLEAP (Legal Practice Management System)
    Tech stack
    PythonAWS S3AWS Lambda

  • CEO Assistant (Volunteer)

    The Plastic Flamingo · Philippines (Remote)

    June - December 2020

    Tools
    Google WorkspacePresentation & Financial Modeling Tools