Chris Wiegman

About Chris Wiegman

About Chris Wiegman

Who I Am

I Am a Tech Leader

I enjoy writing code, but I prefer helping people grow. My management style borrows from my experiences in teaching and aviation. My goal is to empower my team, not “tell them what to do.” It is a model that has served me and my teams well.

I Am a Software Developer

I’ve built WordPress plugins, websites, development environments, Chrome extensions, SaaS applications and more as a software developer for numerous organizations.

When I’m not at work, writing code is one of my hobbies. I’ve built a career working with open-source software and these days I enjoy writing in languages like Go with which I build tools to help developers, and myself, work smarter.

I Am a Teacher

I’m a teacher by heart. I’ve taught at various universities in both aviation and computer science. I’ve also mentored, spoken at conferences and Meetups and I use this blog to teach others what I’ve learned.

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management and a Master of Science degree in Computer Science, both from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Since graduate school I’ve taught as adjunct faculty in computer science at St. Edward’s University and have spoken at dozens of events to share what I’ve learned. It’s a passion I hope to continue for many years.

I Am a Pilot, a Writer and More

Before I began a career in tech I was a pilot flying business jets and for a small airline where I served both as a captain and a training captain helping new pilots get started with the airline.

Throughout my life I’ve paid my bills with sales, teaching, code, mentoring, writing and, for a little while, with a trumpet. You might say I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up but, with as many endeavors as I’ve been fortunate to be successful in, I like to think it’s more that I never want to stop learning and I’m grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had to do so.

What I Believe

My life and my work are guided by what I believe, not necessarily in a religious sense but in what it is I stand for and have made a hallmark of my work.

I’ve never been one to chase bigger paychecks as my reason for work. In fact, working in open-source it is safe to say my paychecks have been low compared to what many people think of when they think of tech as a career. I’ve never wanted to be a business owner or entrepreneur and sold my company when it grew to a point where it would’ve been my “job.” I’ve never searched for fame, preferring to share what I’ve learned in an effort to help others showcase who they are and what they’ve done.

What I do believe in is people and what they’re capable of. Everyone has a voice and that voice deserves the chance to develop and be heard.

As a professional, I have a responsibility to the community I serve and how I handle that responsibility is the highest indicator of success.

My responsibility to my community is a responsibility to all people and their rights as humans. As such I believe privacy and sustainability aren’t just buzzwords but my duties to practice and implement in all I build and share.

Finally, I believe in the humanity and dignity of all people and that belief must be shared by all those who I work with.

A few of the more popular projects I’ve been involved with over the years include:

More About Me

  • While I’m happy where I’m at, my resume is available online.
  • I regularly update what I’m currently working on at my “now” page
  • Talks I have given are listed on my speaking page
  • The tools I use daily are recorded on my “uses” page
  • For quick thoughts that don’t really fit for a post take a look at my “notes” page
  • As a bookworm, I’ve kept track of most of my reading since 2010. Here’s my library where I’ve tracked it all.
  • Find me on Mastodon, Bluesky, LinkedIn or GitHub