I'm a Senior Product Engineer at beatBread, where I design applications that connect music, finance, and AI. I've led development across large‑scale production systems used by thousands—from internal tools powering million‑dollar decisions to educational platforms adopted institution‑wide.
I study philosophy at the University of Utah because systems only make sense when you understand people. Colleagues describe my work as "architect-level thinking with a heart for usability."
Always learning, always building.
About
For me, code has always been about turning ideas into tools that actually work for people. I'm a Senior Product Engineer at beatBread, where I design applications that connect music, finance, and AI. Along the way, I've co‑founded startups, engineered products from the ground up, and contributed to AI research on classification and vector search algorithms at Utah Tech University.
Engineering, for me, is applied philosophy. Every system encodes assumptions about how the world should work. Philosophy trained me to examine those assumptions; engineering trained me to express them precisely. My recent work in mobile product design and AI‑driven motion intelligence has strengthened my focus on building technology that improves human health, performance, and decision‑making.
Whether building internal AI tools or mobile health apps, I care most about creating software that quantifies progress, improves well‑being, and makes data genuinely meaningful for people. At beatBread, I've contributed extensively across large‑scale production systems driving financial operations and AI insight. My ScoreFiller classroom platform at Red Mountain Elementary has run continuously for over three years and is still teachers' preferred version.
My background in philosophy, math, and computer science shapes how I work: break things down, question assumptions, and create systems that balance technical rigor with human context.
2025
2025
University of Utah
B.S. Philosophy (Math Minor)
Aug 2025 — May 31, 2029 · 3 years 9 months
Philosophy Major with Math Minor, exploring the intersection of formal logic, epistemology, and computational thinking.
CalHacks 12.0
UC Berkeley • October 24-26, 2025
Oct 24, 2025 — Oct 26, 2025 · 2 days
Competed in UC Berkeley's premier hackathon, building OrthIQ—an AI‑driven motion‑intelligence platform. Winners not yet announced.
OrthIQ Development
AI-driven motion intelligence platform
Oct 24, 2025 — Oct 26, 2025 · 2 days
Led development of OrthIQ—an AI‑driven motion‑intelligence platform pairing a wearable resistance sensor with real‑time biomechanical analysis to guide physical therapy patients through precise movement feedback. Built during CalHacks 12.0.
Role: Lead Engineer & Co‑Founder
Impact: Delivered a fully functional prototype—hardware, mobile app, cloud database, and AI module—within 36 hours at CalHacks 12.0 (October 2025). Achieved reliable motion‑pattern recognition and positive evaluation from multiple orthopedic surgeons at University of Utah Hospital.
Promoted to Senior Product Engineer
beatBread • St George, Utah
Aug 2025 — Present · 2 months
Recognized for leadership and architecture contributions across AI-integrated systems at the intersection of music, finance, and analytics. Designing systems using TypeScript, React, and PostgreSQL.
Key Achievements:
- •Built BizOp system integrating finance, operations, and AI insights—now essential to daily workflow
- •Contributed extensively across large, business‑critical codebases powering core infrastructure
- •Established CI/CD standards using AWS improving release reliability company‑wide
Sterling Scholar in Computer Technology
Washington County School District
Mar 2025
Named the 2024-2025 Sterling Scholar Winner in Computer Technology—a statewide Utah program recognizing high school seniors for excellence in scholarship, leadership, and citizenship. Selected after presenting a comprehensive portfolio and interview process evaluated by industry judges across high school, semi-final, and finals levels. The award reflects not just technical achievements in computer science, but also dedication to problem-solving, innovation, continuous learning, and mentoring others in the field.
Key Achievements:
- •Advanced through multi-tier judging process (high school, semi-finals, and state finals) among Utah's top Computer Technology students
- •Presented comprehensive portfolio demonstrating technical projects, leadership, and community impact
- •Recognized for passion for problem-solving, innovation, and commitment to continuous learning in technology
2024
2024
Promoted to Product Engineer
beatBread • St George, Utah
Jan 2024 — Aug 2025 · 1 year 7 months
Promoted to Product Engineer, taking on increased responsibility for AI‑integrated systems connecting music, finance, and analytics.
Co‑Founded LazyRep
Hybrid – Utah
May 2024 — Apr 30, 2025 · 11 months
Led end‑to‑end architecture, deployment, and iteration cycles for production React Native SaaS. Balanced technical direction with team mentorship in high‑velocity startup setting.
Key Achievements:
- •Co‑founded and led development of cross‑platform sales automation app using React Native
- •Integrated AI prospecting and automated follow‑ups for field efficiency (+40%)
- •Engineered multi‑tenant architecture and scalable API layer with tRPC and PostgreSQL
Utah CTE Presidential Scholar Nominee
Nov 2024
Selected by the Utah State Board of Education CTE department as Utah's nominee for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program—one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. Established in 1964 by executive order of the President and expanded in 2015 to include Career and Technical Education, the program recognizes up to 161 students nationally each year. Became the first person in Washington School District history to receive this nomination, representing the state's top CTE student based on exceptional academic achievement and career technical innovation.
Key Achievements:
- •First nominee in Washington School District history for this prestigious national recognition
- •Selected by Utah State Board of Education to represent the state in the CTE category
- •Recognized for exceptional ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields
AI Research Intern
Utah Tech University • St George, UT
Jan 2024 — Aug 31, 2024 · 7 months
Explored applied semantic representations for taxonomy autogeneration. Demonstrated novel optimization approaches validated through industry collaboration.
Key Achievements:
- •Developed novel hierarchical classification pipeline using semantic embeddings in Python
- •Achieved 90% accuracy on complex taxonomies without model retraining
- •Published methods to improve speed to 400ms per inference at 50 req/s load
Hierarchical Classifier Research
Dynamic taxonomy generation • 90% accuracy, 400ms latency
Jan 2024 — Aug 31, 2024 · 7 months
Role: AI Research Engineer
Impact: Reached 90 % accuracy with dynamic hierarchies; processed 50+ req/s in sub‑400 ms latency. Performance validated through partner Zonos project.
3rd Place - Utah Tech Programming Contest
Utah Tech University Advanced Division
Mar 15, 2024
Competed with Colby Starr against 12 teams in the advanced division (CS3510+ equivalent), securing 3rd place in the 4.5-hour contest.
beatBread BizOp Tool
Fintech analytics system powering million-dollar artist funding decisions
Jan 2024 — Present · 1 year 9 months
Role: Senior Product Engineer
Impact: Reduced manual analysis time from hours to minutes; enabled real‑time funding decisions for multimillion‑dollar deals.
2023
2023
Technology Associate at beatBread
beatBread • St George, Utah
May 2023 — Jan 2024 · 8 months
Advanced to Technology Associate role, contributing to core systems and expanding technical responsibilities.
Hardy-Weinberg Solver
Built during a single class period • Genetics calculator
Nov 2023
Built a genetics calculator for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium problems during a single biology class period. Deployed on Vercel as a clean, functional web app.
Started at beatBread
beatBread • St George, Utah
Jan 2023 — May 2023 · 4 months
Began as Technology Intern, learning production systems at the intersection of music, finance, and technology.
2022
2022
Computer Science Studies
Utah Tech University • St George, UT
Aug 2022 — May 31, 2025 · 2 years 9 months
Concurrent computer science coursework while completing high school, building foundation in algorithms, data structures, and software engineering.
2nd Place - Southern Utah Code Camp
Industry Division
Nov 11, 2022
Competed in the 24-hour programming competition's highest-level Industry division alongside industry professionals, securing 2nd place.
Founded Shewmake Design
Utah (Remote / Local Clients)
Mar 2022 — Present · 3 years 7 months
Built and sustained a profitable freelance business—managing clients, features, and delivery solo from design through launch.
Key Achievements:
- •Delivered custom websites and web platforms for clients across multiple industries
- •Built complete e‑commerce solutions, team sports portals, and professional marketing sites
- •Provided scalable hosting, SEO optimization, and ongoing maintenance
2021
2021
High School Honors Diploma
Aug 2021 — May 31, 2025 · 3 years 9 months
Graduated with honors, earning multiple Sterling Scholar recognition and CTE Presidential Scholar nomination while concurrently pursuing computer science coursework at Utah Tech University.
Interactive Cell Explorer
3D biology visualization using Unity • Class demonstration tool
Mar 2021
Role: Solo Developer
Impact: Used in class demonstrations; inspired peers to visualize biology through code.
2019
2019
ScoreFiller
Institution-wide classroom data automation • Hundreds of students • 70% time savings
Sep 2019 — May 31, 2022 · 2 years 8 months
Role: Lead Developer & Systems Architect
Impact: Adopted institution-wide by Washington County School District; reduced manual entry 70%; still in use after 3 years with hundreds of students benefiting.
Projects
Selected work spanning AI systems, mobile architecture, and full-stack product development
Testimonials
From colleagues and mentors
"Walter's ability to advance our products using state‑of‑the‑art technology is truly distinctive."
"He led our team from ideation to execution and set a new benchmark for innovation."
"Walter's reputation reached me before I met him."
"Out of 3,000 students I've taught over 17 years, Walter ranks #1 across all STEM abilities."
"Rarely do you come across a student with so much drive and love for computer science."
"The impact of Walter's software helped our school reach the needs of hundreds of students. He simplified complex systems so they ran efficiently and displayed data teachers could act on."
Skills
Technical expertise organized by category