Aram Zucker-Scharff

2-14 50th Ave • Long Island City, NY 11101 • (703) 829-0532
Full Résumé available at http://aramzs.github.io/resume/ • a@aramzs.me

Selected Experience

2017-Present

The Washington Post

New York, NY

Director, Ad Engineering

  • Lead RED team in architecture and planning of new and improved systems.
  • Lead the engineering side of new ad products and improvements to existing tools.
  • Plan and deploy the white-labeling of successful technologies for sale.
  • Plan, develop and deploy platforms and ad technologies to serve business goals.
  • Optimize advertising-related code, plan deployments, and assess technical challenges.
  • Coordinate with editorial managers and AdOps to ethically integrate ads into the website and app experience.
  • Work with and lead multidisciplinary teams on a variety of projects ranging from ad design to microservices.
  • Asses 3rd parties and opportunities around improving site performance and impact of ads.
  • Work with engineering, design and product teams across the company, often in task-oriented pods. Some examples:
    • Building and releasing Rhapsochord, a Node-based microservice, while coordinating with our audio CMS team to create a smooth and regular release schedule.
    • Collaborated with multiple app teams to deploy the Ad Safety Script, an innovative client-level Javascript solution to allow ads to work while correcting bad code on the fly.
    • GDPR requirements and cross-team code deployment, including defining requirements and working with legal team to help determine responsibilities.
    • CCPA release, including: working with legal team to define CCPA requirements, setting implementation strategy, managing deployment across multiple teams, defining a clear interface requirement to vendors and API requirements across server and app teams.
    • Coordinated with engineering, data and business intelligence teams to develop and deploy a serverless analytics stack for ad data.
    • Managed external agency, contracted engineers, editorial engineers, and BrandStudio product managers to rebuild entire BrandStudio publishing stack.
  • Build and deploy technology that meets both business and editorial goals.
  • Work in depth on Node, Javascript (including React and Typescript), CSS, Java, Python, and HTML projects.
  • Plan and enforce overall JSON schema interface for API tasks between a growing cloud of microservices.
  • Represent The Washington Post in interviews, presentations, talks and conferences focused on Ad Tech topics.
  • Assist and train junior developers.
  • Participate in numerous management training sessions.
  • Monitor and combat ad fraud with manual and automated actions.
  • Continuously think on and activate ideas around new ways for news organizations to monetize.
  • Help define vision and strategy around advertising technology at The Washington Post.
  • Work with middle and upper management to define strategic opportunities, structural organization changes and organizational workflows.
  • Represent The Washington Post in helping to set the agenda around privacy and advertising technology within the W3C.
  • Aid in the maintenance and assessment of the full stack of programmatic advertising tools, including:
    • DMPs, Ad Servers, DSPs, RTB, SSPs, Trading Desks, Analytics
2015-2017

Salon Media Group

New York, NY

Full Stack Developer / Acting Director of Engineering

  • Launched significant upgrade to backend Content Management System (WordPress).
  • Rebuilt front end theme to be fully responsive.
  • Built custom platform-agnostic video viewer tool.
  • Mentored developers into more senior skill-sets.
  • Worked to optimize and launch ad code.
  • Rebuilt metadata and on-page tools to fully comply with social media platforms
  • Worked closely with editorial and product to find and build out tools and workflow optimizations.
  • Worked on editorial-driven projects, including a live election map.
  • Built Gulp-based and Webkit workflows for using SASS and JSX across the entire organization.
  • Worked with PHP, WordPress, MySQL, Javascript, Node, YUI, React, Reflux, Redux, and Foundation.
  • Worked closely with sales and built significant ad tech and performance improvements.
  • Built Facebook Instant Articles plugin and worked with Facebook Live API.
  • Built out significant custom analytics for A/B testing, video and general KPIs.
  • Built React/Reflux API-driven WordPress theme.
  • Worked as primary contact between engineering and editorial teams.
  • Led engineering team.
2013-2015

CFO Publishing

New York, NY

Content Strategist

  • Worked with all divisions to improve overall web presence by leveraging new technology, user experience data and narrative design.
  • Developed an RFP, assessed agencies and managed a team of project managers, designers, engineers, and external agency engineers on the launch of a new, fully responsive, WordPress-based website.
  • Developed and open-sourced a plugin to provide advanced metrics through Google Analytics, including viewability and seconds engaged.
  • Developed and open-sourced community-building plugin Response Stack.
  • Trained journalists and marketing staff in content development and SEO techniques.
  • Mentored journalists seeking manager-level editor roles.
  • Trained marketing staff to leverage new digital tools.
  • Worked to optimize the digital sales channel.
  • Tested, deployed and designed tools to increase engagement and create a more positive user experience.
  • Worked with developers, sales and audience development units to craft Native Ads and supporting technology.
  • Created Sales training materials.
  • Launched video channel.
2008-Present

Freelance

New York, NY; Fairfax, VA

New Media and Technology Consultant, Web Developer

  • Provides consulting and development for online media.
  • Developed and deployed a number of new websites.
  • Project managed numerous website redesigns.
  • Managed cross-functional teams that included designers, engineers, agencies and others.
  • Retained to provide and implement advice on branding, marketing, targeting, social media integration and engagement to onAir LLC.
  • Retained by onAIR as Acting CTO to implement online content platform through PHP, HTML and Javascript development.
  • Provided strategy, training and talent recruitment and development to onAir LLC.
  • Retained by Center for History and New Media (George Mason University) as Lead Developer to develop on Sloan Foundation-funded PressForward project. Work targeted at building aggregation tools.
  • Trained Junior Developers at the Center for History and New Media to pick up and build their own WordPress themes and plugins.
  • Provided social media, WordPress and SEO training to select professors and classes at George Mason University.
  • Developed day-long Alternate Reality Game (The Hunt 2) with puzzle focus.
  • Launched a JSON API focused on showcasing networks on WordPresss MultiSite.
  • Trained a rising cadre of aspiring developers in basic and advanced WordPress techniques.
  • Consulted on Knight Foundation grant application
2011-2012

Nightmare Mode

Online

Web Developer, Writer, Community Manager

  • Pitched, wrote and published articles covering video games, game design and narrative design.
  • Designed, maintained, created modifications and added new options for the website's WordPress theme.
  • Optimized website for search engines and social media. Provided tools for authors and editors to continually maximize that optimization.
  • Regularly trained writers in SEO, SMO and web authoring skills. This resulted in at least one person leveraging that training to change careers.
2008-2012

George Mason University - Office of Student Media

Fairfax, VA

Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications

  • Administrative Faculty
  • Engaged students through social and traditional media. Oversaw social media and branding, including 18 Twitter accounts and eight Facebook accounts.
  • Deploy and manage the onMason blogging and site-building platform.
  • Build search engine and social media optimization into various student media web presences.
  • Manage marketing and public relations for the office. Work to develop and strengthen outlet brands.
  • Hired and supervised students
  • Discovered and encouraged talented students with interests in digital media.
  • Trained multiple student journalists in digital skills and mentored them in leadership positions.
  • Increased ad sales and leveraged non-traditional methods and platforms in order to boost revenue.
  • Managed salespeople across multiple zones and specialties.
  • Represented Student Media at events and functions.
  • Develop, design, modify, and improve student media outlet websites. Guide students interested in learning and building their own websites.
  • Developed WordPress themes and plugins, including a responsive WordPress theme.
  • Developed on Connect2Mason Drupal site.
  • Developed, launched and managed numerous student journalists as part of Mason Votes, a political coverage hub.
2010

United Press International - UPIU

Washington D.C.

New Media Manager

  • Optimized the UPIU brand's social media presence.
  • Grew UPIU visibility in the college media space.
  • Trained college journalists in web focused techniques.
  • Increased traffic significantly, resulting in the launch of advertising products on the main website.
  • Proposed, launched and managed a blog as part of an effort to increase brand transparency, promote content and join the discourse in the college media space.
2007-2009

George Mason University - Information Technology Unit

Fairfax, VA

Lead Resident Technician, Chesapeake-area

  • Worked with clients.
  • Maintained and repaired student computer systems on-site.
  • Managed a number of other resident technicians in my area.
  • Helped bring forward talented technicians to take leadership roles.
  • Worked with the MAGIC ticket system.
  • Monitored an advanced phone- and instant message-system for help requests.
2008-2009

United Press International - Voice of Young Voters

Washington D.C.

Featured Blogger

  • Wrote and promoted posts on the topic of economics three times a week.
  • Sparked a lively debate, building an audience, expressing opinions and ensuring that all sides of the youth vote were represented.
  • Wrote document, at request of UPI, instructing journalists on how to promote their work online. Ran training sessions with that document.
2007-2008

Broadside - Weekly student newspaper

Fairfax, VA

Managing Editor

  • Oversaw the proper formatting and insertion of national and local advertisements
  • Coordinated coverage of multiple campuses.
  • Organized a team of editors and staff members.
  • Oversaw organization and design of a weekly newspaper, checking news budgets and enforcing deadlines.
  • Edited copy on 8 to 22 pages a week.
  • Coordinated various internal sections.
  • Provided support as a peer mentor to students.
  • Hired, mentored and trained staff.
  • Promoted multiple hires.
2006-2008

VoxPop - Student magazine

Fairfax, VA

Copy Chief

  • Coordinated a team of four copy editors.
  • Contracted and managed copy editors and writers to insure quality and accuracy.
  • Formulated a style guide to determine the overall style for writers of the magazine.
2004-2011

Angels Fall First Universe - Multi-platform international game development team

Online

Lead Writer

  • Managed all writing- and text-focused projects.
  • Managed content for associated projects from a team, located all over the world, ranging in age from 15 to 32.
  • Oversaw and maintained all textual content for the project.
  • Managed a community of interested consumers and participants, insuring all contributions met the standards for the project while encouraging global participation.
  • Collaborated with the Art Lead, Project Leads and Lead Developer.

Skills:

Developer Training, Cross-Team Management, Presenting, Positioning and Launching New Products, Typescript, Node, PHP, MySQL, Javascript, React, Reflux, React Hooks, HTML5, CSS3, jQuery, Adobe Creative Suite, WordPress, WordPressMU/MS, Adobe Analytics, MailChimp, SASS, Susy, Gulp, Bootstrap, Foundation, Google AdWords and Ad Server, Google Analytics, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, OpenX, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Optimization (SMO), Responsive Design, Convergent media, Targeted Facebook advertising, AP Style, Drupal, Blogger, QuarkXPress, Audacity, Tumblr, TextPattern, Prezi, Audition, PHP-Fusion, phpBB, Speed reading, TADS3, Inform7, Omeka, Git, Usability, UX Testing, Microsoft Office


Awards:

Notable Technologies in Audience Tracking Tool. - FOLIO Notable Technologies
FOLIO 15 under 30 - young professionals in magazine media
Top Honors Award for Most Effective Technology Tool - for the development of Mason Votes
Four-year academic scholarship - to George Mason University
Dean's Challenge Scholarship - College of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2008-2009


Projects:

CCPA Engineering Interface Definition, Rhapsochord, The Ad Performance and Safety Protocol, Response Stack, PressForward, Advanced Google Analytics Tools, CFO.com Relaunch, Twitter Archival Shortcode plugin, Thematic Nightmare theme, P2 for Kindle theme, Mason Votes.

Selected Presentations: Fixing the Unplanned Internet: An Ad Tech Introduction for Engineers (to Mozilla); Ads, Amplification and Algorithms: Ad Tech Design Challenges (to Mozilla); Broken by Design: Ad Tech Workshop (to The New School); Ad Tech 101 (to Columbia University); JSON-LD for Journalists (to Klein News Innovation Camp); HTML for Beginners, White Space and Responsive Web Design; SEO101 for Journalists; SEO201 for Journalists; 50 free tools for journalists; Brand.me: Using social media to brand yourself and your newsroom; Narrative Design in Games and the Classroom; Mobile Use in Higher Ed; Using blogging in your news organization.

Appearances: Digiday, Twitterville, Digital Content Next, Hillel.org, FOX5, The Atlantic Online, The Chronicle of Higher Education online, CoPress, THATCamp, DC Media Makers, College Media Association NYC Conference: 2012 and 2011.


Education

George Mason University

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology

Concentration: Network Administration / Security

Fairfax, VA

George Mason University

Bachelor of Arts in English

Concentration: Creative Writing

Fairfax, VA