Software Architect & Engineer

Fred
Lackey

Architect. Engineer. Leader.
40 years building what matters.

Years

Current Focus

.NET

to Node & Beyond

Fredrick Lackey

Skydiver, martial artist, woodworker, and incurable tinkerer. Building software since the mid-eighties — and still having fun doing it.

Martial Arts Skydiving Motorcycles Woodworking Horology DJing Music

core expertise

What I Build

AI Integration

Knowledge builders, career coaches, intelligent automation

Architecture

System design, microservices, distributed platforms

Full-Stack

.NET, Node.js, React, cloud-native development

Modernization

Legacy system migration, incremental transformation

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Beyond the Screen

A Life in Motion

Skydiving

10,000+ jumps and counting. Started in the nineties, never stopped.

Martial Arts

Training since age five. Discipline that carries into everything.

Woodworking

Furniture, shop jigs, and the occasional ambitious project.

Horology

Watches, mechanisms, and the quiet art of precision.

Explore all hobbies →

career path

Experience

2021 – Present
Senior Engineer

CISA / Dept. of Homeland Security

└ Project: Travelers Insurance (architecture & modernization)
2006 – 2018
Engineering Lead

Spotless
1994 – 1996
Software Engineer

Arcada / Backup Exec

full history →

Latest Writing

From the Blog

Thoughts on engineering leadership, AI pragmatism, and the craft of building software that endures.

July 2025

AI Doesn't Replace Developers

Why the best AI tools amplify human judgment, not bypass it.