Confluence Web Solutions

Custom WordPress Functionality

Custom Theme Development

API Integrations

PHP Application Development

Crafting Digital Solutions That Scale Your Success

Why “Confluence”?

Drawing inspiration from nature’s confluences—where rivers join to create something greater—I approach each client engagement as the meeting point where we join my technical expertise with your business vision to forge powerful digital solutions.

Confluence Web Solutions

With almost three decades of experience in the internet and web development industry, I am a seasoned full-stack developer who has successfully navigated the evolving landscape of web technologies. My journey spans working in eLearning, project management in agency environments, providing specialized freelance services, and running my own successful business. This diverse background has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of both technical implementation and business objectives.

I specialize in both the management and development of robust websites, web applications, and complex third-party integrations. I bring deep expertise in PHP, JavaScript, and modern web frameworks, and have built seamless API connections between payment processors, CRMs, and other critical systems. In addition to technical delivery, I have extensive experience leading cross-functional teams of developers and designers, aligning technical execution with business goals. My understanding of business requirements, accurate effort estimation, and project management best practices allow me to guide even the most complex projects to finish on budget and on schedule.

I have led discovery sessions to capture project requirements, facilitated daily scrum meetings to keep development teams aligned, and conducted weekly status meetings to maintain transparency with clients. I have experience in shaping Information Architecture, participating in Design Reviews, and supporting Quality Assurance testing to ensure final deliverables meet both business and user expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you build custom websites?

Yes. I’m a full-stack web developer, which means I build both the front-end user experience and the back-end systems that power a website behind the scenes. Every website I build is designed to work across desktops, tablets, and smartphones using responsive design techniques.

What kind of websites do you build?

I build custom websites for businesses, tourism and hospitality brands, real estate, nonprofits, outdoor recreation companies, eCommerce stores, and service-based businesses.

Do you work with WordPress?

Yes. WordPress is one of my primary platforms. I develop custom themes, integrations, plugins, APIs, advanced forms, and scalable content management systems using WordPress.

Do you use page builders like Elementor or Divi?

While I do have a fair amount of experience with both of those page builders, I generally prefer lightweight custom development for better performance, cleaner code, improved SEO, and easier long-term maintenance.

Can you redesign our existing site?

Absolutely. I often help modernize outdated websites by improving design, mobile responsiveness, speed, security, SEO, and usability while preserving existing content and functionality.

Do you provide website hosting?

Yes, I can provide multiple options from Managed WordPress hosting solutions such as WP Engine or Flywheel to VPS options with companies such as Hostinger and Liquid Web.

Can you help improve website speed and performance?

Yes. I regularly optimize websites for Core Web Vitals, mobile performance, image optimization, caching, CDN delivery, and overall PageSpeed improvements.

Do you help with SEO?

Yes. I build websites with technical SEO best practices in mind, including semantic HTML structure, metadata, schema markup, performance optimization, accessibility, and crawlability. I also build sites for AEO and GEO.

What is AEO & GEO?

AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization and GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. They are the next evolution of SEO and focus on helping your business appear in AI-powered search results, voice assistants, and tools like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Siri, Alexa, and other generative AI systems.

Traditional SEO focuses on ranking webpages in search engines like Google. AEO and GEO focus on helping AI systems understand, trust, summarize, and reference your content when answering user questions directly.

This includes strategies such as:

  • Creating well-structured, authoritative content
  • Building fast, accessible websites
  • Using schema markup and semantic HTML
  • Writing content that directly answers common questions. Which is exactly what I am doing with these FAQs.
  • Improving entity recognition and topical authority
  • Optimizing for conversational and voice-based searches
  • Making content easier for AI systems and large language models to interpret

As AI-powered search continues to grow, AEO and GEO help businesses stay visible beyond traditional search engine rankings.

Do you build custom functionality?

Yes. Many of the projects I work on involve custom development tailored to the client’s workflow, business logic, or operational needs rather than relying entirely on off-the-shelf plugins. I regularly integrate payment gateways, CRMs, booking systems, maps, weather feeds, email marketing platforms, analytics tools, and custom APIs. I’ve been working in web development and digital technology for over 25 years across a wide range of industries and platforms. My experience includes WordPress, PHP, JavaScript, SCSS/CSS, MySQL, APIs, WooCommerce, Google Tag Manager, GA4, responsive design, custom CMS development, and cloud/VPS environments and much more.

About Me

Beyond the world of web development, I maintain a deep connection with the outdoors that shapes both my personal life and creative perspective. An avid fly fisherman, I find particular joy in tying my own flies and pursuing the art of “Catch & Release”. My adventures have taken me to...

Technical Skills

  • Languages: PHP, JavaScript, SQL, HTML5, CSS3/Sass, XML, JSON
  • Frameworks & CMS: WordPress, Timber, Fat-Free Framework (F3), Bootstrap
  • API Technologies: cURL, RESTful APIs, SOAP, SvelteKit, GraphQL
  • Data Formats & Parsing: XML & JSON
  • Template Engines: Smarty & Twig
  • Database: MySQL & PDO
  • Database Tools: Adminer, phpMyAdmin, Sequel Pro
  • WP CLI
  • Version Control: Git
  • Build Tools/Package Managers: Composer, NPM, Gulp, Webpack
  • Architecture: MVC, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
  • Google Maps, Google reCaptcha, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager (DataLayer javascript)

APIs & Data Processing

  • Experience with cURL for API endpoint communication
  • WordPress HTTP API (wp_remote_get(), wp_remote_post())
  • XML/JSON response parsing and transformation
  • Integration with multiple API types (REST, SOAP, GraphQL)
  • Error handling and response validation
  • Implemented integrations with:
    • Payment Systems (Authorize.net)
    • Email Services (SendGrid, MailGun, MailChimp)
    • Booking Engines (Escapia)
    • CRM Systems (NeonCRM, Revinate, Navis, Follow Up Boss)
    • Weather Services (National Weather Service, Synoptic Data)

Portfolio

Here is a sample of my work

Estes Park Shuttle

Estes Park Shuttle

Complete front to back Shuttle Reservation Application for Estes Park Shuttle.

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Taos Skl Valley Chamber of Commerce

Taos Skl Valley Chamber of Commerce

Sendgrid, NeonCRM, NWS, & Synoptic Data API Integrations

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Vail Realty

Vail Realty

Property Search. Search by price, location, type, & more.

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Boones Wine & Spirits

Boones Wine & Spirits

Website Design & Development

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Mollie Aspen Hotel

Mollie Aspen Hotel

Theme Development & Support

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BCL Vail

BCL Vail

Website Design & Development

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Plumb Kendall Solutions

Plumb Kendall Solutions

Custom Design, Javascript, Scroll Magic.js, Lots of PhotoShop work all in a one page Wordpress website

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Kebler Corner

Kebler Corner

Website Design & Development

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Velento Rentals

Velento Rentals

Website Design & Development, Custom Escapia Integration Plugin

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Antlers Vail

Antlers Vail

Website Development, Revinate API Integration, Google Maps, Swiper.js galleries

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Vail Racquet Club

Vail Racquet Club

Website Development, Password protected HOA site

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Walking Mountains Science Center

Walking Mountains Science Center

Website Development, Custom Event Integration, RSS feed Integrations

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Colorado Gold Metal Water

Colorado Gold Metal Water

Custom Website for Trout Unlimited (tu.org). Site also includes some of my photography.

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Civilian Marksmanship Program

Civilian Marksmanship Program

Website Development, Information Architecture, Search, Optimization, etc.

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Berich Mountain Masonry

Berich Mountain Masonry

Custom Theme development that includes multilingual employment application form.

Peak Plumbing Heating & Cooling

Peak Plumbing Heating & Cooling

Complete redesign.

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A5 Adventures

A5 Adventures

View Project
LATEST
NEWS

Latest Projects & News

Stay updated with our latest insights and project launches

Setting Up Google Maps API Access for Your Website

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Here’s the current state of SEO as of 2025–2026.

AI is Responsible for the Biggest Shift in SEO Since Mobile Traditional SEO optimized for: Modern SEO/AEO optimizes for: Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Bing Copilot, etc. are increasingly acting as “answer engines,” not just search engines. 1. AI Overviews Are Absolutely Changing Organic Traffic This is one of the most documented trends right now. […]

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Why PageSpeed Scores Are Often Misunderstood

Understanding the Trade-Off Between Website Performance, User Experience, and Real-World Functionality If you work in marketing, SEO, or website management long enough, eventually someone sends you a screenshot of a PageSpeed Insights score and asks: “Why is this not higher?” Lately, I have been dealing with this conversation a lot, and unfortunately there is a […]

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How I Deploy WordPress Themes with GitHub Actions: My CI/CD Workflow

From Code to Live Site: My CI/CD Workflow for WordPress Theme Development Every project I ship follows the same pipeline: write code in VS Code, compile assets with Gulp, commit to GitHub, and let GitHub Actions build and deploy automatically. No FTP dragging, no manual uploads, no “did I remember to push that file?” — […]

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Do I Use AI?

Yes, I Use AI — But Here’s the Part Nobody Talks About Let me just say it out loud: Yes, I use AI. Just about every day. For work that I get paid to do. There. Now that the elephant is out of the room, let me tell you why that statement comes with an […]

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SEO, AEO, and GEO: Why Your Website Needs to Compete on All Three Fronts

Digital Strategy SEO, AEO, and GEO: Why Your Website Needs to Compete on All Three Fronts Search has changed more in the past three years than in the previous decade. Ranking on page one is no longer the whole game. Not long ago, the conversation about online visibility was relatively simple. You hired someone to […]

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Local SEO vs. General SEO

Where Should Small Businesses Focus Their SEO Efforts? Over the last year, I’ve had an increasing number of conversations with business owners about SEO, AI search, Google AI Overviews, and how search is changing. The questions are usually similar: “Should we be creating more blog posts?” “Do we need to optimize for AI?” “How do […]

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Why Your Website Needs an LLMs.txt File in 2025

The new standard for AI discoverability is here—and most businesses are missing out Remember when having your website listed on Google was optional? When “SEO” was just a buzzword tech people threw around? Those days are long gone. Today, if you’re not on Google, you basically don’t exist online. We’re at a similar inflection point […]

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Email Address issues with deliverability

Why Using a Gmail or Yahoo Address for Your Business Website Can Harm Email Deliverability If your business website sends emails — like contact form submissions, newsletter signups, or automated notifications — it’s crucial that these emails actually reach your recipients. Yet, many business owners use generic email addresses like name@gmail.com or name@yahoo.com instead of […]

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Divi & Elementor Page Builders

Understanding Their Complexity and Performance Impact Page builders like Divi and Elementor have revolutionized website design. They allow designers and developers to build visually rich, interactive websites without writing extensive code. However, while these tools make it easy to create complex layouts, they also introduce hidden complexity that can affect performance, maintainability, and custom styling. […]

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PageSpeed Insights vs. Core Web Vitals

What Really Matters for SEO Over the last year or so, I’ve been getting more and more requests to optimize websites for SEO. Some clients are particularly concerned about their PageSpeed Insights (PSI) scores (https://pagespeed.web.dev/), thinking a high Lighthouse score (0–100) will automatically improve their Google rankings. While performance is important and I always strive […]

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Implementing GA4 Enhanced Ecommerce Tracking for Custom Booking Engines: A Complete Guide

In the hospitality industry, understanding your booking funnel performance is crucial for maximizing revenue and optimizing the customer experience. This comprehensive guidewalks through implementing Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Enhanced Ecommerce tracking for custom online booking engines (OBEs), covering everything from technical implementation towhy marketing professionals should care. Why This Matters for Marketing Professionals The Business […]

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Schema.org in the Age of AI: Why Structured Data Matters More Than Ever

The digital landscape is shifting beneath our feet. While Google has dominated search for over two decades, a new generation of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and others are fundamentally changing how people find information. Users are increasingly bypassing traditional search engines, instead asking direct questions to AI assistants that provide immediate, conversational answers. […]

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Announcing the Launch of Estes Park Shuttle’s Comprehensive Reservation Management System

We’re excited to announce the successful deployment of a complete end-to-end shuttle reservation system for Estes Park Shuttle, a premier transportation service connecting the beautiful Colorado Rockies to Denver International Airport (DIA) and Union Station. 🚐 About Estes Park Shuttle Estes Park Shuttle provides reliable one-way and round-trip shuttle services between various locations in and […]

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Plan > Design > Develop > Test > Deploy

Building a successful website or digital product requires more than just an attractive design—it demands careful planning, clear documentation of requirements, and a deep understanding of usability. Before a single line of code is written, it’s essential to define the functionality, user flows, and technical requirements. This involves gathering input from stakeholders, identifying key user needs, and outlining how the system should function. Without this foundation, even the most visually stunning design may fail if it doesn’t serve its intended purpose or meet user expectations.

Design is undeniably a crucial element, but it must work in harmony with usability, performance, and accessibility to be truly effective. A well-designed interface is only successful if it enables users to achieve their goals efficiently and intuitively. This means considering responsiveness across devices, site speed, SEO best practices, cross-browser compatibility, and security. Whether developing a full website, a plugin, or a specific feature, the process should be iterative—testing, refining, and improving based on real user feedback. Ultimately, a great website isn’t just about aesthetics; its success depends equally on how well it functions.

What You Can Expect from Me

I am detail-oriented, ask questions, and take thorough notes. If I’m not the right fit for your project, I’ll tell you. If an off-the-shelf solution is a better use of your budget, I’ll let you know. I love writing code and building for the web.

I do this full-time, Monday through Friday, and often work weekends. You’ll get regular check-ins and thorough testing before anything goes live. I back everything up and use version control to ensure stability and flexibility.

Bottom Line

I build secure, high-performing, and functional websites. Whether you need a custom solution, a solid build, or a critical fix, I focus on making things work—and work well.

Just for Fun

After all, developer websites are kind of boring.  Plus, being a photographer requires patience and attention to detail. It often requires planning, research, and practice. These are also some of the traits that have made me a successful developer.

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