Kurt Kemple

@theworstdev
helping create better developer experiences
he/they

Founder

Consultant

Career Coach

Advisor

Conference Organizer

Formerly Incarcerated

Developer Advocate

Content Creator

Writer

Manager

Podcaster

Mentor

Incarceration & Tech

Developer Experience

Community Management

ADHD

Software Engineering

System Architecture

DevOps

Open Source

Traveler

Introvert

I help companies, teams, and individuals create better developer experiences.

I'm open to

talking to journalists,

speaking at events,

speaking on podcasts,

and advising companies.

Contact Me

Resume

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Nov 2022 - Present

Sr Director Developer Growth & Engagement - Platform, Slack

Dec 2021 - Nov 2022

Founder and Principal Advisor, Forthright

Mar 2020 - Nov 2021

Developer Relations Manager, Apollo

Jan 2019 - Feb 2020

Senior Developer Advocate, Amazon Web Services

Portfolio

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I did a paid promotion for Nhost's v2 beta launch. https://twitter.com/theworstdev/status/1486039257710055427?s=20&t=D7ToQTFSVbanh8xcBffPiQ

I wrote up a document for a friend looking to get into programming as a self-guided learner. The goal is to provide introductory content for the reader to get a bit more familiar with the programmi...

I created a LinkedIn page for Forthright. I'll be updating it once I finish work on the latest marketing copy. https://www.linkedin.com/company/forthright-dx-consulting/

I created a Notion template for client portals. This way, I can provide everyone with their own space and landing page for deep visibility into my work with them. https://twitter.com/theworstdev/st...

Writing on Developer Experience

I wrote a blog post about the questions I ask interviewers when looking for a new job. https://theworst.dev/interview-questions-for-interviewees

My 2021 Highlights

I'll be focusing on getting Forthright off the ground over the next few months. I'll be sharing my experiences starting a business as I go so if you're interested in following along, definitely fol...

Evolving from a previous thread, I wrote a blog post on the importance of adequately distributing challenges across a team and shared a model called "The Pyramid of Challenge." https://theworst.dev...

Speaking

I gave a joint talk with a co-worker about our journey with universal components at MLS at React Europe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1NkyO-J6B0

I gave a 60-minute talk on Architecting for the enterprise with JavaScript. It covers my experience building out systems and UIs for MLS in a single language environment and what challenges and ben...

I gave a talk on navigation challenges in React Native at React Amsterdam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42ogpJVwtw0

Developer Experience

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A recent podcast episode I guested on was released! I had the pleasure of chatting with Adrián González about all things DX and DevRel. Give it a listen!

I OS'ed my content calendar template for Notion. https://twitter.com/theworstdev/status/1504864602059943941?t=89oaEkqkOV26b11fw1atUw&s=19

I released a Notion template for managing doc sets. I used the React docs for the demo and learned some cool things. https://twitter.com/theworstdev/status/1507094534936801284?t=GI-LdJUPbvziJQOV-3a...

I wrote another article for the Developer Advocate's Guide series about how to get better results when asking for things. https://twitter.com/theworstdev/status/1503072662289006609?t=ZWRjgdv3Fhp4K7...

Incarceration & Tech 🔒

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Had the pleasure of joining Aisha Blake on The Relicans podcast where we talked about everything from lifting up those around you, what it means to be a developer advocate, and so much more. https:...

How to Build a Career in Tech: Kurt Kemple Connects the Dots I discuss how my skills from other jobs and incarceration helped me in my career in tech. Talking with Jason is always a pleasure, and t...

Joined Kyle Shevlin on the Second Career Devs podcast. I share the events that landed me in prison and the changes I made to become successful in the tech industry. I also share some hard lessons l...

I joined the greaterthancode podcast to discuss incarceration and technology. https://www.greaterthancode.com/incarceration-and-technology