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About

Howdy, folks - #

CJ Taylor

I am CJ [LinkedIn]. I am a Principal Software Engineer from Kentucky. I have been doing this for about 20 years now, and I still get excited about helping people understand technology.

I built the AWS Certification exams, including the Generative AI Developer exam. Today I work at Lifeway Christian Resources, where I help teams adopt AI-assisted development. Before that, I spent time at AWS, TwinSpires (Churchill Downs), and Heartland Payment Systems. I have shipped platforms, optimized workflows, mentored engineers, and helped senior leaders make better technical decisions.

On the side, I run Howdy World, a small consulting practice focused on architecture, AI-assisted development, and platform engineering.

I also write here. About infrastructure, AI, Kubernetes, building things, and sometimes failing at them. I believe the most powerful thing in tech is not code. It is someone finally saying “oh, THAT is what that means.”

The short version #

  • 🏠 Kentucky
  • 💼 Principal Software Engineer, Lifeway Christian Resources + Founder, Howdy World
  • 🎓 100% AWS Certified (all 15 exams)
  • 🛠️ Built the AWS Certification exams
  • ✍️ Writing to stay uncomfortable and keep connecting with people

Want to work together? #

I help engineering teams make better architecture decisions and adopt AI tools.

Learn more → · Full background → · Projects → · Reading →

Disclaimer: These articles and opinions are my own and not those of my employers.