Q: How long at the company?

A: I’ve been with BoomTown for 6 months

Q: Where in Charleston do you live?

A: Downtown (on the peninsula)

Q: What drew you to working in Charleston?

A: I moved to Charleston from Upstate New York to attend the College of Charleston and stayed to start my career.

Q: Why do you think Charleston is a burgeoning tech sector?

A: I’m not sure how it started, but tech talent and jobs beget more tech talent and jobs. People are moving to Charleston to work in the sector, in turn growing it and making it a more attractive place for companies and entrepreneurs looking for pools of that talent.

Q: Best advice to those looking to move to Charleston for work?

A: Network! There are tons of events on Meetup. Also, if you can be choosy, try to live one bridge or less away from your job.

Q: What does Charleston Open Source mean to you?

A: Supporting + advancing the tech community

Q: What's your motivation for working in Charleston?

A: When interviewing for jobs in the spring before graduation, I was faced with the choice of moving to Silicon Valley to work for a large company, and all the challenges that come with that (big corporate structure and policies, insane housing prices and commute times, etc.), or staying in Charleston and working for a local company. I was almost relieved when the Silicon Valley gig didn’t work out. Charleston is big enough to have a great tech sector, but small enough to still have a healthy tech culture. And I can complain all I want about Charleston traffic, but I still only drive 10 minutes to work every day.

Q: What does Charleston tech community have to offer over other cities?

A: Since it’s not enormous, events feel more personal and you frequently recognize faces, which is a great way to form connections -- “Hey, weren’t you at XX last month? What kind of work do you do?”

Q: It's the weekend - what do you do in Charleston?

A: Go out to eat! There are so many great and interesting restaurants. A few of my favorites are: Ice Bing for Taiwanese tea, Torres Superettes for actual Mexican burritos, and Page’s Okra Grill for rich Southern food.

Q: Your not-to-miss spot in Charleston?

A: One of my favorite places to walk through is the Unitarian Churchyard at 4 Archdale. There’s a lovely tree-arched walkway off busy King street that leads to the yard, which has tombstones mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s shaded by old trees and has flowers growing throughout. It’s a great spot to rest if you’re out walking around or shopping downtown.

Q: Describe living in Charleston in ONE word.

A: Insightful

Q: Favorite Charleston event?

A: Charleston Artwalk. Most of the galleries around Broad Street, in the historic area of Charleston, open their doors for free and offer wine and bites to snack on.

Q: What's the most exciting thing happening in Charleston?

A: Initiatives like CodeON from Charleston Women in Tech, which gives kids in under-served neighborhoods experience in coding, and SC Codes, a newly launched free curriculum through the state that offers courses on software development. They’re exciting for the possibilities they can open up for people.

Q: Favorite Charleston experience?

A: Walking through the quiet streets near the tip of the peninsula when the sun is setting. There are huge old houses with brass knockers and ivy, tiny cobbled courtyards with lion-head fountains, and gas-lit iron lamps that never go out. It’s unique to still be able to have that experience so close to the rest of the booming city.

Q: Only in Charleston __________.

A: Only in Charleston can you get stuck behind a horse-drawn carriage on your bike as a Tesla passes you.

  • AJ Richichi

    CEO/Founder, Sprockets
  • Lillian Rudacille

    Project Manager, eGroup
  • Aaron Whitney

    Full-Stack Developer, BoomTown!
  • Andrew Rowe

    Software Engineer, Blackbaud
  • Anna Todd

    Scrum Master, PhishLabs
  • Ben Wong

    Strategic Services Manager, Blackbaud
  • Jared Jones

    Business Development Representative, Questis
  • George Mountis

    Product Designer, BoomTown!
  • Leandra Hurlbert

    Project Manager, eGroup
  • Sarah Miles

    Associate Software Engineer, BoomTown!
  • Billy Mullins

    Senior Director of Software Engineering, Benefitfocus

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