About Taylor Dean
Passionate about building technology that scales, teams that thrive, and companies that transform industries.
My Journey in Technology
Over the past 6+ years, I've had the privilege of building and scaling technology across diverse environments—from high-voltage electrical systems to cutting-edge cloud infrastructures. My journey began with a degree in Integrated Science & Technology from James Madison University, where I discovered my passion for bridging traditional engineering with emerging technologies.
What drives me is the intersection of critical infrastructure and innovation—building systems that not only perform reliably but adapt and scale with business needs. From managing transmission substations at Dominion Energy to architecting HPC clusters for AI/ML workloads, I bring a unique perspective that values both operational excellence and technological advancement.
Engineering Philosophy
Systems Thinking
Every technical decision should consider the broader system impact. I focus on building solutions that integrate seamlessly across traditional and modern infrastructures.
Continuous Innovation
Technology evolves rapidly. I champion learning cultures, experimentation with emerging tools, and staying ahead of industry trends to maintain competitive advantages.
Operational Excellence
Reliability is paramount. I design for 99.9% uptime, implement robust monitoring, and create systems that fail gracefully and recover automatically.
Areas of Expertise
Hybrid Infrastructure Architecture
Bridging traditional power systems with modern cloud-native architectures, specializing in grid-to-cloud integrations and SCADA modernization.
High-Performance Computing
Designing and deploying HPC clusters and GPU-accelerated systems for AI/ML workloads and large-scale data processing.
Critical Infrastructure
Experience managing mission-critical electrical systems and implementing automation for improved reliability and resilience.
Cloud Cost Optimization
FinOps certified practitioner specializing in cloud cost reduction through automation, monitoring, and strategic resource optimization.
Measurable Impact
Cloud Infrastructure Optimization
Led cloud transformation initiatives resulting in:
- 40% improvement in system availability
- 30% reduction in deployment time
- 40% cost savings through FinOps automation
- 99.9% uptime for mission-critical systems
Critical Infrastructure Excellence
Managed high-voltage systems delivering:
- 25% increase in operational efficiency
- Zero unplanned outages through automation
- NERC/FERC compliance across all projects
- 500kV system protection implementations
Educational Foundation
My education at James Madison University in Integrated Science & Technology with a focus on Energy & Telecommunications provided the perfect foundation for my career trajectory. As a D1 Football student-athlete, I learned the value of discipline, teamwork, and performance under pressure.
Highlights include winning first place in the DOE Collegiate Wind Competition, conducting research with the Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Energy (CASE), and serving as a calculus teaching assistant. My study abroad experience in Germany at Universität des Saarlandes expanded my global perspective on engineering challenges.
Beyond Engineering
When I'm not optimizing cloud architectures or designing HPC clusters, you'll find me on the slopes snowboarding, staying active through competitive athletics, or exploring the latest trends in AI-driven sound processing. Based in Denver, Colorado, I take full advantage of the incredible outdoor opportunities the region offers.
I'm passionate about continuous learning and regularly pursue new certifications to stay current with rapidly evolving cloud technologies. I also enjoy contributing to the tech community through knowledge sharing and mentoring aspiring engineers.
Leadership Philosophy
🎯 Purpose-Driven Technology
Every technical decision should directly support business objectives. I focus on building scalable, maintainable solutions that deliver measurable value and enable long-term growth.
🌱 People-First Leadership
Great technology comes from great teams. I invest heavily in mentoring, career development, and creating inclusive environments where everyone can do their best work.
⚡ Continuous Innovation
The technology landscape evolves rapidly. I champion learning cultures, experimentation, and staying ahead of industry trends to maintain competitive advantages.
🤝 Collaborative Excellence
The best solutions emerge from diverse perspectives. I build bridges between technical and business teams, fostering collaboration that drives breakthrough results.
Areas of Expertise
☁️ Cloud Architecture
AWS certified solutions architect with deep expertise in designing scalable, secure, and cost-effective cloud infrastructures.
🏗️ System Design
Architecting distributed systems that handle millions of users while maintaining high availability and performance.
👥 Team Leadership
Building and scaling high-performance engineering teams from startup environments to enterprise organizations.
Measurable Impact
Infrastructure Optimization
Led cloud transformation initiatives resulting in:
- 300% efficiency gains in infrastructure utilization
- 45% cost reduction through strategic optimization
- 99.9% uptime for mission-critical systems
- Sub-100ms response times at scale
Team & Process Excellence
Built high-performance teams that delivered:
- 40% faster deployment cycles
- 60% improvement in delivery velocity
- 50+ engineers hired and mentored
- Zero-downtime deployment practices
Beyond Technology
When I'm not architecting cloud solutions or mentoring teams, you'll find me exploring the Pacific Northwest's incredible hiking trails, contributing to open-source projects, or enjoying Seattle's vibrant coffee culture. I'm passionate about technology education and regularly speak at conferences and mentor aspiring engineers.
I believe in giving back to the community that shaped my career—whether through technical writing, conference talks, or pro-bono consulting for startups with promising missions.
Let's Connect
Interested in discussing technology leadership, cloud architecture, or team building? I'd love to hear about the challenges you're tackling.